HMS Splendid (P228)

For other ships with the same name, see HMS Splendid.
HMS Splendid
History
Class and type: S class submarine
Name: HMS Splendid
Builder: Chatham Dockyard
Laid down: 7 March 1941
Launched: 13 January 1942
Commissioned: 8 August 1942
Motto: Splendidly Audacious
Fate: Scuttled 21 April 1943
Badge:
General characteristics
Displacement:
  • 814-872 tons surfaced
  • 990 tons submerged
Length: 217 ft (66 m)
Beam: 23 ft 6 in (7.16 m)
Draught: 11 ft (3.4 m)
Speed:
  • 14.75 knots surfaced
  • 8 knots submerged
Complement: 48 officers and men
Armament:
  • 6 × forward 21-inch torpedo tubes, one aft
  • 13 torpedoes
  • one three-inch gun (four-inch on later boats)
  • one 20 mm cannon
  • three .303-calibre machine gun

HMS Splendid was an S class submarine of the Royal Navy, and part of the Third Group built of that class. She was built at Chatham Dockyard and launched on 13 January 1942.

Career

Ship's Company of HMS/m Trident, Algiers, 7 - 10 February 1943 (IWM A16011)

She served in the Mediterranean, based at Malta, under the command of Lieutenant Ian McGeoch. During her career, she sank the Italian auxiliary submarine chaser San Paolo, the Italian merchants Luigi Favorita, Devoli, and XXI Aprile, the small Italian merchant Commercio, the Italian auxiliary minesweeper No. 107 / Cleopatra, and the Italian tanker Giorgio.

Splendid also sank the Italian Soldati class destroyer Aviere. Aviere, and her sister ship Camicia Nera, were escorting the German transport ship Ankara. Splendid attacked the Ankara, but missed her. Splendid also sank the Italian merchant Emma, despite her being heavily escorted by the Italian torpedo boats Groppo, Uragano and Clio. The German merchant Sienna (the former French Astrée) was missed in the same attack. Splendid also torpedoed and damaged the Italian destroyer Velite.[1]

Sinking

Splendid left port in Malta on 17 April 1943 to patrol the waters off Naples and Corsica. She was detected on 21 April by the German destroyer Hermes (formerly the British-built Greek destroyer Vasilefs Georgios) and damaged by depth charges. She was forced to surface and surrender. The crew scuttled her before abandoning her to prevent her capture. Five officers, including the CO, and 25 ratings were picked up by the destroyer, 18 men were lost with the ship.[2]

References

  1. ↑ HMS Splendid, Uboat.net
  2. ↑ Submarine losses 1904 to present day, RN Submarine Museum, Gosport

Publications

Coordinates: 43°34′N 9°37′E / 43.567°N 9.617°E / 43.567; 9.617

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