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Third
THAMES-Class of Fleet Submarines ordered on
30th December 1932 from
Vickers-Armstrong at Barrow and laid
down on 15th
March 1933. This submarine was launched on
15th March 1934 and was the 7th RN
warship to use the name introduced in 1796 for
a 5th Rate 38 gun ship. It was
used in 1904 for a Base Ship until renamed
COLUMBINE in 1913. Two minesweepers
requisition during WW1 also carried this
name.
Build was completed on 12th April 1935. In
November 1938 she was
deployed in the Mediterranean with the1st
Submarine Flotilla based at Malta.
H
e r a l d i c
D a t a
Badge:
On a Field Blue a signet ring Gold.
M
o t t o
'Be
strong'
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 in
Malta with 1st
Submarine Flotilla.
Nominated for transfer to Freetown for convoy defence duties.
September
Arrived at Freetown and deployed as part of
the Ocean Escort for convoys to Indian Ocean
to
(Note: This was primarily due to threat of
attacks by commerce raiders.)
December
1 9 4
0
January
Freetown deployment in continuation.
to
Nominated for transfer to Home waters and took
passage for service in North Sea.
March
Commanding Officer: Lieut Cdr Ingram.
April
On arrival in UK nominated
for support of planned British minelaying
operations to prevent
use
of Norwegian Leads by enemy iron ore traffic
(Operation WILFRED)
9th
Took up station in North Sea for interception
of German interference to WILFRED.
Remained in North Sea for interception patrol
and support of allied operations after German
landings in Norway.
(HM Submarines SEVERN, SEALION, SPEARFISH,
PORPOISE, NARWHAL, TRIDENT,
TRUANT, TAKU, TETRARCH, and French RUBIS were
also deployed.)
May
North Sea deployment in continuation.
Pennant Number for visual signalling purposes
changed to N12.
June
21st
Carried out successful torpedo attack on
German battleship GNEISENAU and cruiser HIPPER
on passage from Trondheim for attacks on
Atlantic convoys
Torpedo hit bows of GNEISENAU which was forced
to return to harbour and enemy operation
was abandoned.
(Note: Repair lasted six months.)
July
Deployed for interception patrol in North Sea.
Carried out erroneous torpedo attack on HM
Submarine TRUANT during patrol which
fortunately missed.
August
North Sea deployment in continuation
to
December
1 9 4
1
January
Home waters deployment for interception in
continuation.
to
(Service in Bay of Biscay for surveillance of
enemy warship movements to be confirmed.)
May
Transferred to Mediterranean.
June
Deployed with HM Submarine SEVERN and three
Dutch submarines in 8th Submarine
Flotilla based at Gibraltar for interception
of enemy convoys in western Mediterranean
(Note: HM Depot Ship MAIDSTONE provided
support.)
1st
Sank mercantile of 3,076 tons but another
later
attack fails.
2nd
Carried out two unsuccessful torpedo attacks
on mercantiles
8th
Carried out two torpedo attacks only on of
which was successful
16th
Sank sailing vessel of 3, 431 tons (?),
possibly by surface gunfire.
July
Flotilla duties at Gibraltar in continuation
August
Deployed as part of escort for homeward convoy
HGG70 during passage from Gibraltar to
Liverpool.
September
Deployed for operations to intercept U-Boats
active against Atlantic traffic
(Note: This was as a result of success in
decyphering enemy wireless signals in GCHQ.)
28th
Surprised two U-Boats being re-fuelled in
Tarafal Bay, Cape Verde Islands and carried
out
torpedo attack which regrettably failed when
weapons exploded prematurely .
October
Gibraltar deployment in continuation.
to
November
December
Carried out transport of stores to Malta and
interception patrol duties.
1 9 4
2
January
Gibraltar deployment in continuation.
to
March
April
Nominated for transport of essential supplies
to Malta.
(Note: Further details are available in MALTA
CONVOYS by R Woodman.)
16th
Passage from Gibraltar with fuel and
ammunition.
19th
Arrived in Malta.
Taken in hand for repair to forward
hydroplanes
26th
Sailed from Malta for return passage to
Gibraltar.
May
Gibraltar duties in continuation.
to
June
July
Deployed at Gibraltar with HM Submarines
SAFARI, P222 and PARTHIAN of 8th Flotilla..
Carried out transport of stores to Malta and
returned with passengers in rotation with HMS
PARTHIAN.
Commanding Officer: Lieut. Brookes.
August
Malta stores transfer in continuation with HM
Submarines OTUS and RORQUAL.
to
September
October
10th
Carried out unsuccessful attack on U605.
Deployed with HM Submarines PARTHIAN,
THRASHER* and TRAVELLER* for
transport of stores to Malta.
(* Submarines on passage to join 1st Flotilla
in eastern Mediterranean which also
carried stores.)
November
Malta stores transport in continuation.
December
Flotilla interception duties in continuation
at Gibraltar
1 9 4
3
January
Nominated for refit.
to
Under refit.
December
On completion of post refit trials and
working-up for operational service deployed in
Home
waters.
1 9 4
4
January
Nominated for service in Eastern Fleet based
at Trincomalee
to
Passage to join 2nd Submarine Flotilla in
Indian Ocean
May
On arrival deployed for interception patrols.
Nominated for deployment with HM Submarine
TANTIVY for support of planned Fleet
operation.
June
Deployed with HMS TANTIVY to provide air-sea
rescue duties during air attacks on Port
Blair in Andamans by HM Aircraft Carrier
ILLUSTRIOUS (Operation PEDAL).
During patrol carried out torpedo attack which
damaged a mercantile.
July
Flotilla deployment in continuation.
to
November
December
Embarked SOE personnel who were landed in
Andamans for covert operation (Operation
HATCH).
1 9 4
5
January
Flotilla deployment for interception patrol
and support of covert operations
to
Commanding Officer: Lieut R H Bull RN
February
March
Carried out interception patrol during which a
small mercantile and junk were sunk by
to
surface gunfire.
April
On release retuned to Trincomalee.
May
9th
Sailed from Trincomalee for final patrol with
two SOE parties who were to be landed in
the Andaman Islands for covert operations.
(Note: This was her 36th war patrol.)
Second SOE landing operation cancelled after
defect in hydrophone equipment
Passage to Mombasa for repairs.
June
Arrived at Kilindini.
Taken in hand for repair.
July
On completion remained in area.
August
Paid off in Durban and reduced to Reserve
status after VJ Day.
P o s
t W a r N o t e s
HMS CLYDE
was placed on the Disposal
List and sold to Joubert
on 30th June
1946 for demolition. Later that
year
she was towed
to the breakers yard in Durban. The name was
reintroduced after 1947 when used by
the
RNVR training ship in Glasgow (Ex HMS
CRICHTON).
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