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B
a t t l e H o n o u r s
VELEZ
MALAGA 1704 - ST VINCENT 1780 - THE SAINTES
1782 - NORWAY 1940 - MEDITERRANEAN 1940
Motto
Vigilans
de profundo:
'Watching from the deep'
First
submarine of the Class to be completed and
commissioned in 1938.
Although this name had been used for several
surface warships after being introduced in
1702 for a French Sloop of this name taken as
Prize this was its first use for a submarine.
During WW1 it was carried by three naval
auxiliaries one which was a Paddle survey ship
sold in 1919 for use at the Gravesend Sea
School.
In
September 1939 this submarine, commanded by Lieut
Cdr H P de C Steel,
was deployed for patrol off Norway. On 10th of
the month she challenged HM Submarine OXLEY
off Stavanger and when no reply was given
carried out a torpedo attack which resulted in
the sinking of HMS OXLEY, with only two
survivors. Her patrol deployment with the 2nd
Submarine Flotilla continued in the North Sea
into 1940 and in an attack on a convoy off
Norway in April she carried out an attack on a
convoy taking German troops for the landings.
Two transport ships and an escort were sunk
with loss of several hundred enemy personnel.
The next month during a separate patrol she
attacked and sank another transport off
Norway.
Transferred
to the Mediterranean in September 1940 and
under command of Lieutenant E F Pizey
she was deployed for interception patrols
based in Alexandria. Her successful career
continued by further sinkings
off Genoa soon after arrival and on a
subsequent patrol in October. She also carried
shore bombardment at Vado
and Savona. This submarine sailed for patrol
in the Straits of Otranto on 28th November
1940 and never returned. She is believed to
have attacked the Italian mercantile OLIMPIA
and escort off Durazzo
on 6th December but this cannot be confirmed.
Her unexplained loss may have been due to
counter attacks on this occasion or by mine or
attack by the Italian torpedo boat CLIO on
18th unless by a mine during the interim
period. Her Commanding Officer, when she was
lost without any survivors, was Lieut
Cdr G C I St B S
Watkins.
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