Submarine
Depot Ship built by Vickers
Armstrong at Barrow and laid
down in April 1927. The
ship was launched on 19th July 1928 as the
10th RN ship to carry
the name, introduced in 1693 for a 3rd
Rate and was last used for a
destroyer
sold in 19221. The ship went to the China
Station early in
1940 and became the Depot Ship for the 4th
Submarine Flotilla at Hong Kong
until being transferred to the
Mediterranean
B
a t t l e H o n o
u r s
AIX 1758
- QUEBEC
1759 -
GRENADE -
MARTINIQUE
1780
H e
r a l d i c D a t a
Badge:
On a Field Silver, a Lion
black upon a Bridge Red.
(Note: The
Badge derives from the Arms and Seal
of
the Rochester Bridge Commissioners)
M
o t t o
In
medio Tutissmuss:
'Midway (Medway) you will be safest'
S
u m m a r y
o f W a
r S e r v i
c e
(for more
ship information,
go
to
Naval History Homepage
and
type name in Site Search
1
9 3 9
September
Under refit by HM Dockyard Singapore.
to
December
1
9 4 0
January
Under refit
to
February
March
On completion of post refit trials took
passage to Hong Kong.
Nominated for service in the Mediterranean
with submarine Flotilla.
April
2nd
Sailed from Hong Kong for passage to
Mediterranean with calls at Singapore,
Trincomalee and
Aden.
May
3rd
Arrived at
Alexandria
for support of submarine operations in
eastern
Mediterranean.
June
Deployment at Alexandria for support of
1st Submarine Flotilla in continuation
December
1 9 4 1
Support of Mediterranean submarines in
continuation at Alexandria.
1
9 4 2
January
Deployment at Alexandria in continuation.
to
April
May
Nominated for transfer to Beirut in the event of threat of invasion of
Egypt
by enemy forces.
Remained at Alexandria for submarine
support.
June
29th
Embarked stores and 1,135 personnel for
transfer to new base at
Beirut.
Took passage to Beirut escorted by cruiser and seven Fleet destroyers.
30th
Sunk by torpedoes fired from U372 off
Alexandria.
Only 30 personnel were lost.
(Casualty
List -
note
on casualties)
See HITLER'S
U-WAR by C Blair for details.
(Note:
During
later salvage operations 47 of the stock
of 90 torpedoes carried were recovered.
HM
Destroyers SIKH, ZULU, CROOME and
TETCOTT sank U372 on 4th August in
position 32.28N 34..37E.
47 personnel from the submarine were
rescued including a Lebanese civilian
whose
presence on board has never been explained
and may have been an Agent for German
intelligence.)
Later in 1942 HMS MEDWAY II was
commissioned at Beirut for submarine
support.
Accommodation was provided in HM Coastal
Minelayer MEDUSA for personnel
employed in facilities ashore. Later
support was transferred to Malta remaining
designated as HMS MEDWAY with
accommodation provided in HM Minesweeper
BAGSHOT.