1 Comment
Sunfish (N81)
| Built By: | Chatham Dockyard (Medway) |
| Build Group: | S Group 2 |
| Fate: | Bombed and sunk by a Liberator of No.86 Squadron, RAF on the 27th July 1944 while serving as Russian submarine V1 of the 9th Flottilla. |
Sunfish (N81)
Sunfish (N81)
HMS Sunfish was transferred to the Russians and recommised as V1
For a long time, the official story of her loss was that V1 had left her assigned transfer corridor and dived when the aircraft came in sight instead of staying on the surface and firing recognition signals as instructed.
However, the documents of the enquiries carried out by the Admiralty and the RAF about the incident show that it was actually the crew of the Liberator who was at fault, they were out of position and did not properly identify their target before attacking despite being warned about the presence of Allied submarines in their patrol area.
Roll of Honour
| Name | Rank | Number | Hons | Age |
| Ravensdale, Sidney | Petty Officer Telegraphist | D/J87505 | 42 | |
| RN liason accompanying Russian crew | ||||
Events
| 22-07-1935 : | Laid Down |
| 30-09-1936 : | Launched |
| 02-07-1937 : | Completed |
| 19-02-1940 : | HMS Sunfish fired four torpedoes at the German submarine U-14 about 30 nautical miles north-west of Helgoland, Germany. All torpedoes fired missed their target. |
| 09-04-1940 : | HMS Sunfish torpedoes and sinks the German merchant Amasis in the Kattegat. |
| 10-04-1940 : | HMS Sunfish torpedoes and sinks the German merchant Antares in the Kattegat. Earlier that day, around 1150 hours she missed the German merchant Hanau with a torpedo and around 1520 hours she missed a German auxiliary patrol vessel with two torpedoes. |
| 13-04-1940 : | HMS Sunfish torpedoes and damages the German Q-ship Schiff in the Kattegat. |
| 14-04-1940 : | HMS Sunfish torpedoes and sinks the German Schiff 35/Oldenburg in the Kattegat. |
| 05-12-1940 : | HMS Sunfish torpedoes and sinks the Finnish merchant Oscar Midling in Sildegapet, Norway. |
| 07-12-1940 : | HMS Sunfish torpedoes and damages the Norwegian merchant Dixie off Stadlandet, Norway. |
| 10-04-1944 : | Transferred to Soviet Navy |
| 27-07-1944 : | Bombed and sunk by a Liberator of No.86 Squadron, RAF. |
Comments
1 comment
| My grandfather cpo telegraphist Sidney Ravensdale was lost as he was accompanying the sub with the Russian crew when they were sunk by coastal raf mistake, he seemed to be only British person on board, don’t know why he was the only one who went L. Forrester Fri, 31 Aug 2018 |
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