Naval History Homepage - and Site Search

 

 

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

 

HMS TAPIR - T-class Submarine

HM S/M Tapir (Navy Photos/Mark Teadham, click to enlarge) return to Contents List 
 

B a t t  l e   H o n o u r

 

 NORWAY 1945

 

Motto

 Arte percutimus: 'We shall shatter by craft'

 

First use by RN for this name and carried out work-up for operational use in January 1945. On completion she was deployed in Home waters and carried out patrols off Norway to intercept coastal traffic and to provide support for defence of convoys to and from North Russia against U-Boat attacks. During patrol NW of Bergen on 12th April 1945 this submarine detected a German submarine which was submerged but using SCHNORKEL to enable Diesel engine for propulsion. Alerted by this an attack using eight torpedoes was carried out,  One of these hit U486 which sank with no survivors.

 

After VE Day she was nominated for service with the British Pacific Fleet and took passage to join the submarines based in Subic Bay. Although part of the British Pacific Fleet on VJ Day no record of any patrol has been found. The Commanding Officer was Lieutenant J C Y Roxburgh, DSO, DSC* (Later Vice-Admiral KBE, CBE, DSO, DSC*) who had a long and equally distinguished post-war career.

 

back to Contents List
or Naval-History.Net

revised 30/11/10
further editing and formatting is required