HMS Simoom (P225)
Simoom on the surface
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History | |
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United Kingdom | |
Name | Simoom |
Ordered | 2 September 1940 |
Builder | Cammell Laird, Birkenhead |
Laid down | 14 July 1941 |
Launched | 12 October 1942 |
Commissioned | 30 December 1942 |
Fate | Sunk, 4–19 November 1943 |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | S-class submarine |
Displacement |
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Length | 217 ft (66.1 m) |
Beam | 23 ft 9 in (7.2 m) |
Draught | 14 ft 8 in (4.5 m) |
Installed power |
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Propulsion |
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Speed |
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Range | 6,000 nmi (11,000 km; 6,900 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) (surfaced); 120 nmi (220 km; 140 mi) at 3 knots (5.6 km/h; 3.5 mph) |
Test depth | 300 ft (91.4 m) (submerged) |
Complement | 48 |
Sensors and processing systems |
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Armament |
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HMS Simoom was a third-batch
After an initial patrol off Norway, Simoom sailed to Gibraltar, then to Algiers, French North Africa. From there, she conducted four patrols and attacked several ships, but only sank an Italian destroyer. Simoom then visited several ports in the eastern Mediterranean, then departed Port Said for a patrol off Turkey. She did not return from this patrol, and it is considered most likely that she hit a mine and sank. Her wreck was discovered in 2016 off Tenedos, Turkey.
Design and description
The
For surface running, the boats were powered by two 950-
The boats were armed with seven
Construction and career
HMS Simoom was a third-group S-class submarine and was ordered by the
After training, Simoom departed port on 15 February 1943 for a patrol off
Algiers
On 4 June 1943, Simoom, now under the command of Lieutenant Geoffrey D. N. Milner, departed Algiers to patrol west of Sardinia and Corsica. Her patrol was again uneventful, and she returned to port on 17 June having sighted only a few aircraft and no ships.[7]
Simoom's next patrol started on 28 June, when she patrolled in the
Simoom again departed Algiers on 4 August for a patrol in the Gulf of Genoa; on 8 August, she unsuccessfully attacked a merchant ship with three torpedoes. The next day, the boat sighted the Italian cruiser Giuseppe Garibaldi along with several light cruisers and destroyers; she fired three torpedoes at Giuseppe Garibaldi, but again missed. The torpedoes, however, instead sank the Italian Oriani-class destroyer Vincenzo Gioberti (it) with the loss of 171 men.[9] Simoom was then counter-attacked with depth charges, but she evaded damage and returned to Algiers on 13 August after having been recalled.[7]
On 3 September, the submarine commenced another patrol in the western Mediterranean, with orders to act as a directional radio beacon during Operation Avalanche, the Allied landings near Salerno. Simoom's participation was not necessary, and she did not carry out the operation. On 15 September, the boat launched two torpedoes at the German transport KT 11, but missed. She then ended her patrol in Algiers on 22 September.[7]
Sinking
From 3 to 17 October 1943, Simoom sailed to
Out of 15 torpedoes fired by Simoom during her career, all missed their intended targets, but three torpedoes hit and sank the Italian destroyer Vincenzo Gioberti instead.[7]
Summary of raiding history
During her service with the Royal Navy, Simoom sank one Italian destroyer of 1,685 tons.[7]
Date | Name of ship | Tonnage | Nationality | Fate and location |
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9 August 1943 | Vincenzo Gioberti | 1,685 | Kingdom of Italy | Torpedoed and sank at 44°04′N 09°32′E / 44.067°N 9.533°E |
Citations
- ^ Akermann, p. 341
- ^ a b McCartney, p. 7
- ^ Bagnasco, p. 110
- ^ Chesneau, pp. 51–52
- ^ Akermann, pp. 341, 345
- ^ a b Akermann, p. 340
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "HMS Simoom (P 225)". uboat.net. Retrieved 12 March 2019.
- ^ Akermann, p. 348
- ^ Akermann, p. 351
- ^ ISBN 0828321183.
- ISBN 9781510731677.
- ^ Heden, p. 244
References
- Akermann, Paul (2002). Encyclopaedia of British Submarines 1901–1955 (reprint of the 1989 ed.). Penzance, Cornwall: Periscope Publishing. ISBN 978-1-904381-05-1.
- Bagnasco, Erminio (1977). Submarines of World War Two. Annapolis, Maryland: ISBN 978-0-87021-962-7.
- Chesneau, Roger, ed. (1980). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946. Greenwich, UK: ISBN 978-0-85177-146-5.
- ISBN 978-1-86176-281-8.
- Heden, Karl Eric (2006). Sunken Ships, World War II: U.S. Naval Chronology Including Submarine Losses of the United States, England, Germany, Japan, Italy. History Reference Center: Branden Books. ISBN 0828321183.
- ISBN 978-1-84603-007-9.