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R-Class
Patrol submarine ordered on 28th
February 1929 from Vickers-Armstrong at Barrow
with HM Submarines REGENT and REGULUS. This
submarine was laid down on 24th July 1929 and
launched with HMS
REGENT AND REGULUS on 11th June 1930. She was
the 10th RN
warship to bear use
the name introduced in 1777 when given to a
captured US Brig and last used in
1909 until renamed ROLLICKER in 1929 so it
could be given to this submarine in
June 1930. Build was completed on 29th
January 1931 and she then
commissioned for service
in the 4th Submarine
Flotilla for service on the
China Station where she was deployed
until 1940. After a WARSHIP WEEK National
Savings
campaign in December 1941 this submarine was
adopted by the civil community
of Winchester, Hampshire.
B
a t t l
e H o n o u r s
MEDITERRANEAN
1941
H
e r a l d i c D a t a
Badge
:On
a Field White, a Fleur-de-Lys under a crown
all Gold.
M
o t t o
Pro
glora passim
: 'Everywhere for glory'
S u
m m a r
y o
f W a r S e r v i
c e
1 9 3 9
August
Deployed at Hong Kong with 4th Submarine
Flotille supported by HM Depot Ship
MEDWAY.
(Note: Other submarines in Flotilla included
HM Submarines RAINBOW,
REGENT
and REGULUS of the Class.)
Took passage to take-up war Station.
September
Deployed for Flotilla interception patrol
duties based at Hong Kong.
to
November
December
Transferred to
Singapore with
Flotilla .
1 9 4 0
January
Deployed at Singapore.
to
Nominated for refit by HM Dockyard.
April
May
Under refit.
to
Pennant Number for visual signalling
purposes changed to N62.
June
July
On completion transferred to 1st Submarine
Flotilla and took passage to Aden
August
Deployed at Aden for exercises.
September
Carried out exercises in Red
Sea
Passage to join Flotilla at Alexandria.
October
Deployed at Alexandria for interception patrol
south of Messina.
to November
December
Carried out two interception patrols in
eastern Mediterranean off coast of North
Africa
1 9 4 1
January
Commanding Officer Lieut Cdr Marsham, RN
7th
During patrol off Tobruk sustained damage from
depth charges by Italian torpedo boats
CLIO and CASTORE in defect of convoy being
attacked.
9th
Sank sailing vessel by surface gun action.
Returned to Alexandria for repair to
batteries.
February
On completion resumed operational service by
patrol off Calabria
8th
Carried out unsuccessful torpedo attacks on
both a mercantile and a submarine.
14th
Damaged tanker CESCO of 6,160 tons in a
torpedo attack.
(Note : This ship later sank.)
March
Deployed at Suda Bay for support of convoys
taking troops to Greece.
April
30th
Provided electric power supplies to HM Cruiser
YORK which had been damaged at
Suda
Bay
by an explosive motor boat launched from an
Italian destroyer.
(Note : This cruiser had been at anchor and
later beached to prevent sinking.
Later sustained damaged in an air raid at Suda Bay and disabled.)
May
Taken in tow by HM Netlayer PROTECTOR and
towed to Alexandria for repair.
to
Under temporary repair by at Alexandria and
later in drydock at Port Said to enable
June
passage to be made to Singapore for permanent
repair .
July
Passage to Singapore with call at Aden.
August
Taken in hand for repair and refit by HM
Dockyard, Singapore.
September
Under refit.
to
December
1 9 4 2
January
Refit work stopped and arrangements made for
tow away from area because of threat of
Japanese
invasion.
February
Taken in tow to Tanjon Priok
(Note : Much of the propulsion machinery was
left ashore in Singapore.
Joined Convoy SJ1 and towed to Trincomalee.
21st
Arrived in Ceylon
March
Arrangements made for repair work to be
completed at Bombay
to
Under repair by HM Dockyard, Bombay.
December
1 9 4 3
January
Under repair.
to
Nominated for service in East Indies on
completion of dockyard work.
November
December
Deployed at Trincomalee to work-up for
service.
1 9 4 5
January
Deployed at Trincomalee for work-up.
Nominated for East Indies Fleet anti-submarine
training duties.
February
Deployed at Bombay for anti-submarine training
of escorts in Indian Ocean.
to
June
July
Deployed at Mombasa
to
August
P o s
t W a
r N o t e s
HMS ROVER
returned to Ceylon after
VJ Day and was Paid-off. Laid-up until placed on
the Disposal List this
submarine
was sold for demolition by Messrs Joubert
on 30th
June 1946 and towed to the breaker’s yard in
Durban.
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