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SERVICE HISTORIES of ROYAL NAVY WARSHIPS in WORLD WAR 2
by Lt Cdr Geoffrey B Mason RN (Rtd) (c) 2006

 

HMS OTUS (N.92) - O-class Submarine

HM S/M Orpheus, sister boat (Ship Pictures, click to enlarge) return to Contents List 
 

O-Class Patrol submarine ordered on 2nd December 1926 with HM Submarines OSIRIS and OSWALD from Vickers-Armstrong, Barrow and laid down on 31st  May 1927 This submarine was launched on 30th August 1928 as HMS OTUS and she was the first RN vessel to carry the name. Build was completed on 5th July  1929 and the she was then  commissioned for service with the 4th Submarine Flotilla on the China Station. When war against German began on 3rd September 1939 she was still deployed at Hong Kong  Following a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign in February 1942 she was adopted by the civil community of Diss, Norfolk.

 

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

 

MALTA CONVOYS 1941

 

H e r a l d i c   D a t a

Badge: On a Field Blue, beneath a bar wavy Silver, on a Field Green, a Trident Gold
(In a circular frame)

 

M o t t o

De profundis paratus: 'Out of the deep I am ready'

 (Note: Otus was son of Poseidon).

 

S um m a r y   o f   W a r   S e r v i c e

 

1 9 3 9

 

August                  Deployed on the China Station with 4th Flotilla.

                                Nominated for service on East Indies Station.

 

September             Passage to join 8th Flotilla at Colombo.

 

October                  Deployed for Flotilla duties in Indian Ocean based at Colombo.

to                            (Note : Other submarines transferred to Colombo were:

December              HM Submarines ODIN, ORPHEUS, OSIRIS and OLYMPUS.)

 

1 9 4 0

 

January                  Nominated for transfer to Mediterranean Fleet.

to                            Joined 1st Submarine Flotilla based at Alexandria

May                        Deployed for interception patrols and took part in Fleet exercises, especially after the

                                threat of  war with Italy.

                                (Note: HM Submarine OSWALD of this Class was also deployed in this Flotilla.)

                                Commanding Officer Lieut Cdr Harvey RN.

 

May                        Joined 1st Flotilla, supported by HMS MEDWAY

                                Transferred to Malta for interception patrols.

                                Pennant Number for visual signalling purposes changed to 92P

 

June                        Based in Malta with HM Submarines ODIN, OLYMPUS, ORPHEUS, GRAMPUS and

                                RORQUAL

 

July                         Mediterranean patrol deployment with Flotilla in continuation.

to                            Nominated for transfer to Atlantic for convoy defence against U-Boats.

December

 

1 9 4 1

 

January                  Carried out patrols off Azores in defence of HG convoys on passage to and from

                                Gibraltar.

to                            Deployed with OLYMPUS and relieved HM Submarine TRIDENT.

February                Withdrawn for repair.

 

March                    On completion of repair transferred to Bay of Biscay Patrol in defence of HG and OG

                               convoys.

 

April                       Deployed with HM Submarines OLYMPUS and PANDORA in area west of Bay of

                                Biscay for convoy defence based at Gibraltar with 8th Flotilla

                                On return to Gibraltar deployed with HM Submarine OLYMPUS for patrol of Oran to

                                intercept Vichy French battleship DUNKERQUE reported to about to attempt passage to

                                France. (Operation PRINCIPAL)

                                On release took passage to Alexandra.

 

May                        Resumed duties at Alexandria with 1st Flotilla.

to                            Deployed for anti-submarine training of escorts based at Alexandria.

June

 

July                         Deployed for carriage of fuel and essential stores to Malta.

 

August                  Stores transport in continuation.

                14th        Came under unsuccessful torpedo attack by HM Submarine TALISMAN

 

September

to

November              Carried out interception patrols against traffic between Tripoli and Italy.

 

1 9 4 2

 

January                  Deployed in eastern Mediterranean including transport of essential stores to Malta

to

May

 

June                        Transferred with Flotilla from Alexandria to Haifa in continuation.

                                Nominated for return to UK for long over due refit

                22nd       Embarked mail for UK from submarines of Flotilla

                                Passage to Gibraltar.

 

July                         Retained for duty at Gibraltar

 

August                  Deployed at Gibraltar for Malta supply duties with HM Submarines RORQUAL and

                                CLYDE.

                                Carried ammunition and aviation fuel to Malta concurrent with

                                PEDESTAL relief convoy

                20th        Sustained serious damage in collision with harbour breakwater at Gibraltar.

                                Under repair at Gibraltar to allow passage to UK.

 

September             Return passage to UK for completion of repair

 

October                  Under repair in Tyneside shipyard.

to

December

 

1 9 4 3

 

January                  Under repair

to                            Nominated for training duties.

June

 

June                        On completion of post repair trials prepared at Rothesay for anti-submarine training of

                                convoy escorts based at Simonstown.

 

July                         Passage to Simonstown.

 

December              Deployed at Simonstown for training duties.

 

1 9 4 4

 

                                Anti-submarine training based at Simonstown in continuation.

                                Nominated to be withdrawn from service. Paid-off and transferred to Reserve status.

 

1 9 4 5

 

January                  Laid-up at Durban

to

August

 

P o s t   W a r   N o t e s

 

HMS  OTUS was placed on the Disposal List and in September 1946 was sold to R Scott in May 1946 and scuttled off Durban in September that year. In October 1962 this name was carried forward when it was given to a patrol submarine built at Greenock by Scotts.

 

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