HMS ''Thrasher'' (N37) was a
T-class submarine of the
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against ...
. She was laid down by
Cammell Laird & Co Limited,
Birkenhead
Birkenhead (; cy, Penbedw) is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral, Merseyside, England; historically, it was part of Cheshire until 1974. The town is on the Wirral Peninsula, along the south bank of the River Mersey, opposite Liver ...
, launched in November 1940, and had an active career in the
Mediterranean
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western Europe, Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa ...
and Pacific Far East.
Mediterranean
''Thrasher'' began her service by heavily damaging the French fishing vessel ''Virgo Fidelis'' in the
Bay of Biscay, while in transit to the
Mediterranean
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western Europe, Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa ...
. The ''Virgo Fidelis'' was beached, but declared a total loss. Once in the Mediterranean she sank a number of ships, including three Greek sailing vessels, one of which was the ''San Stefano''; the Italian sailing vessel ''Esperia''; the Italian merchants ''Attilio Deffenu'', ''Fedora'', ''Gala'', ''Penelope'', ''Lero'', ''Sant'Antonio'' and ''Padenna''; the German army cargo ship ''Atlas''; the Italian tugs ''Pilo'' and ''Roma''; and the . She also unsuccessfully attacked the German transport ''Ankara'' and the German merchant ''Arkadia''. She also attacked the German barge ''F 184'', but was forced to withdraw due to return fire. In July 1942, ''Thrasher'' was bombed in error by a British
Fairey Swordfish
The Fairey Swordfish is a biplane torpedo bomber, designed by the Fairey Aviation Company. Originating in the early 1930s, the Swordfish, nicknamed "Stringbag", was principally operated by the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy. It was also us ...
aircraft off
Port Said,
Egypt
Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Medit ...
, causing damage that took a month to repair.
''Thrasher'' sank of enemy shipping during the Mediterranean campaign.
[
]
Double VC
On 16 February 1942 north of Crete
Crete ( el, Κρήτη, translit=, Modern: , Ancient: ) is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the 88th largest island in the world and the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, after Sicily, Sardinia, Cyprus, ...
, ''Thrasher'', was attacked after sinking a supply ship. After surfacing later, two unexploded bombs were discovered in the gun-casing. Lieutenant Peter Scawen Watkinson Roberts and Petty Officer Thomas William Gould removed the first one without too much difficulty, but the second was lying in a very confined space and they had to approach it lying full length. Gould lay on his back with the bomb in his arms while Roberts dragged him along by the shoulders. It was 50 minutes before they got the bomb clear and dropped it over the side. As a result of their heroic actions which likely saved ''Thrasher'', both men were awarded the Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British Armed Forces and may be awarded posthumously. It was previously ...
. The citation read "The King has been Graciously pleased to approve of the grant of the Victoria Cross for great valour while serving in HM Submarine ''Thrasher'' to Lieutenant Peter Scawen Watkinson Roberts, RN and Petty Officer Thomas William Gould.
"On February 16th, in daylight, HM Submarine ''Thrasher'' attacked and sank a heavily escorted supply ship. She was at once attacked by depth-charges and was bombed by aircraft. The presence of two unexploded bombs in the gun-casing was discovered when after dark the submarine surfaced and began to roll. Lieutenant Roberts and Petty Officer Gould volunteered to remove the bombs, which were of a type unknown to them. The danger in dealing with the second bomb was very great. To reach it they had to go through the casing, which was so low that they had to lie at full length to move in it. Through this narrow space, in complete darkness, they pushed and dragged the bomb for a distance of some 20 feet until it could be lowered over the side. Every time the bomb was moved there was a loud twanging noise as of a broken spring which added nothing to their peace of mind. This deed was more gallant as HM Submarine ''Thrasher's'' presence was known to the enemy; she was close to the enemy coast and in waters where his patrols were known to be active day and night. There was a very great chance, and they knew it, that the submarine might have to crash-dive while they were under the casing. Had this happened they must have been drowned."
Far East
''Thrasher'' was assigned to the Far East in the early part of 1945. She sank 20 sailing vessels and four coasters before the end of the war.[HMS Thrasher]
Uboat.net
She survived the war and was broken up for scrap at one of the yards of Thos. W. Ward
Thos. W. Ward Ltd was a Sheffield, Yorkshire, steel, engineering and cement business, which began as coal and coke merchants. It expanded into recycling metal for Sheffield's steel industry, and then the supply and manufacture of machinery.
I ...
, Briton Ferry, Wales on 9 March 1947.
References
Bibliography
*
*
*
External links
IWM Interview with Hugh Mackenzie, who commanded HMS ''Thrasher'' from 1941 to 1943
{{DEFAULTSORT:Thrasher (N37)
British T-class submarines of the Royal Navy
Ships built on the River Mersey
1940 ships
World War II submarines of the United Kingdom