Thorn (N 11)

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Thorn (N 11)

Built By:	Cammell Laird (Mersey)
Build Group:	T 2
Fate:	Believed to have been sunk 'With All Hands' on 6th August 1942 after an attack on an Italian convoy in the Mediterranean in position 34°25'N, 22°36'E. A Ju-88 aircraft had been seen to make a machine-gun attack ahead of the convoy. The Italian torpedo boat Pegaso then detected a contact and carried out a series of depth charge attacks. After seven attacks a large air bubble was seen, as was a large oil slick. HMS Thorn had been expected to arrive at Beirut but was declared overdue on 11th August 1942 when she did not arrive.

Thorn (N 11)

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Commanders

1941:

Lieutenant Commander

Robert Galliano Norfolk

Roll of Honour


Aitchison, Thomas McMillan DSM* C/KX 83016
Aitchison, Thomas McMillan DSM* C/KX 83016		Died: 7th Aug, 1943.
	Stoker Petty Officer	Aged: 27

Balshaw, Joseph William (RNVR) D/MD/X 2547
Balshaw, Joseph William (RNVR) D/MD/X 2547		Died: 7th Aug, 1943.
	Leading Seaman	Aged: 28

Barrow, James D/SSX 33705
Barrow, James D/SSX 33705		Died: 7th Aug, 1943.
	Able Seaman	Aged: 22

Bell, Albert P/KX 76158
Bell, Albert P/KX 76158		Died: 7th Aug, 1943.
	Stoker 1st Class	Aged: 36

Bell, Arthur Edwin Colin (RNVR)
Bell, Arthur Edwin Colin (RNVR)		Died: 7th Aug, 1943.
	Lieutenant	Aged: 24

Bond, Albert Godfrey P/JX 154890
Bond, Albert Godfrey P/JX 154890		Died: 7th Aug, 1943.
	Telegraphist	Aged: 20

Boon, Frederick D/JX 144535
Boon, Frederick D/JX 144535		Died: 7th Aug, 1943.
	Leading Seaman	Aged: 22

Brodie, Frank Harry D/JX 196780
Brodie, Frank Harry D/JX 196780		Died: 7th Aug, 1943.
	Able Seaman	Aged: 25

Burr, Walter Sidney C/KX 100265
Burr, Walter Sidney C/KX 100265		Died: 7th Aug, 1943.
	Leading Stoker	Aged: 21

Butcher, Henry Bernard Robert Burns MID D/JX 145695
Butcher, Henry Bernard Robert Burns MID D/JX 145695		Died: 7th Aug, 1943.
	Petty Officer	Aged: 22

Caffery, Patrick D/SKX 910
Caffery, Patrick D/SKX 910		Died: 7th Aug, 1943.
	Stoker 1st Class	Aged: 21

Chalcraft, Reginald John P/JX 235692
Chalcraft, Reginald John P/JX 235692		Died: 7th Aug, 1943.
	Able Seaman	Aged: 21

Cockwill, George Edward MID D/JX 212772
Cockwill, George Edward MID D/JX 212772		Died: 7th Aug, 1943.
	Able Seaman	Aged: 21

Collier, James D/SSX 19469		Born: 14th May, 1919.
Collier, James D/SSX 19469		Died: 7th Aug, 1943.
	Leading Seaman	Aged: 24

Crompton, Thomas D/JX 190274
Crompton, Thomas D/JX 190274		Died: 7th Aug, 1943.
	Able Seaman	Aged: 21

Davies, Leonard Frederick
Davies, Leonard Frederick		Died: 7th Aug, 1943.
	Warrant Engineer	Aged: 39

Detton, Frederick Cyril P/JX 85973
Detton, Frederick Cyril P/JX 85973		Died: 7th Aug, 1943.
	Leading Stoker	Aged: 27

Dodd, Kenneth P/JX 148360
Dodd, Kenneth P/JX 148360		Died: 7th Aug, 1943.
	Leading Seaman	Aged: 22

Eason, William James MID D/J 97357
Eason, William James MID D/J 97357		Died: 7th Aug, 1943.
	Chief Petty Officer	Aged: 38

Elphick, Charles Donald P/JX 137927
Elphick, Charles Donald P/JX 137927		Died: 7th Aug, 1943.
	Petty Officer Telegraphist	Aged: 25

Flockhart, Peter C/KX 113074
Flockhart, Peter C/KX 113074		Died: 7th Aug, 1943.
	Stoker 1st Class	Aged: 22

Freese, Joseph MID D/KX 85980
Freese, Joseph MID D/KX 85980		Died: 7th Aug, 1943.
	Petty Officer Stoker	Aged: 25

Gibbons, Frederick Bernard P/JX 189434
Gibbons, Frederick Bernard P/JX 189434		Died: 7th Aug, 1943.
	Able Seaman	Aged: 20

Gossman, Dennis Herbert C/JX 149240		Born: 27th Apr, 1920.
Gossman, Dennis Herbert C/JX 149240		Died: 7th Aug, 1943.
	Petty Officer	Aged: 23

Hatchard, Arthur James DSM P/JX 125830
Hatchard, Arthur James DSM P/JX 125830		Died: 7th Aug, 1943.
	Petty Officer	Aged: 31

Hawksworth, Arthur St George
Hawksworth, Arthur St George		Died: 7th Aug, 1943.
	Lieutenant	Aged: 26

Hay, John (RNVR) MID D/KX 118044
Hay, John (RNVR) MID D/KX 118044		Died: 7th Aug, 1943.
	Stoker 1st Class	Aged: 24

Hayes, Patrick DSM D/K 58034
Hayes, Patrick DSM D/K 58034		Died: 7th Aug, 1943.
	Chief Stoker	Aged: 41

Hayler, Claude Levi D/JX 199995
Hayler, Claude Levi D/JX 199995		Died: 7th Aug, 1943.
	Ordinary Seaman	Aged: 24

Hayward, Leslie Edward DSM D/JX 150478
Hayward, Leslie Edward DSM D/JX 150478		Died: 7th Aug, 1943.
	Leading Telegraphist	Aged: 22

Henden, Frederick William Henry C/J 105303
Henden, Frederick William Henry C/J 105303		Died: 7th Aug, 1943.
	Petty Officer	Aged: 36

Incledon, Lewis John
Incledon, Lewis John		Died: 7th Aug, 1943.
	Sub Lieutenant	Aged: 21

Jones, Charles (Johnny) P/JX 220357
Jones, Charles (Johnny) P/JX 220357		Died: 7th Aug, 1943.
	Able Seaman	Aged: 20

Laird, James Burton C/SSX 20927
Laird, James Burton C/SSX 20927		Died: 7th Aug, 1943.
	Able Seaman	Aged: 22

Magness, William Stanley MID D/JX 137447
Magness, William Stanley MID D/JX 137447		Died: 7th Aug, 1943.
	Petty Officer	Aged: 26

Maples, Cyril P/JX 157413
Maples, Cyril P/JX 157413		Died: 7th Aug, 1943.
	Leading Telegraphist	Aged: 21

McCarthy, Dennis P/KX 110877
McCarthy, Dennis P/KX 110877		Died: 7th Aug, 1943.
	Stoker 1st Class	Aged: 22

McInnes, Colin C/MX 73106
McInnes, Colin C/MX 73106		Died: 7th Aug, 1943.
	Engine Room Artificer 4th Class	Aged: 39

Milburn, John Joseph D/KX 129666
Milburn, John Joseph D/KX 129666		Died: 7th Aug, 1943.
	Stoker 1st Class	Aged: 20

Milliken, Thomas Eric D/LX 21430
Milliken, Thomas Eric D/LX 21430		Died: 7th Aug, 1943.
	Petty Officer Steward	Aged: 29

Mitchell, Thomas P/SSX 21743
Mitchell, Thomas P/SSX 21743		Died: 7th Aug, 1943.
	Able Seaman	Aged: 22

Moorcroft, Reginald George MID P/MX 47791
Moorcroft, Reginald George MID P/MX 47791		Died: 7th Aug, 1943.
	Engine Room Artificer 3rd Class	Aged: 28

Newland, John Leonard C/KX 88353
Newland, John Leonard C/KX 88353		Died: 7th Aug, 1943.
	Leading Stoker	Aged: 25

Norfolk, Robert Galliano DSO
Norfolk, Robert Galliano DSO		Died: 7th Aug, 1943.
	Lieutenant Commander	Aged: 33

Nuttall, Wilkin D/MX 60274
Nuttall, Wilkin D/MX 60274		Died: 7th Aug, 1943.
	Engine Room Artificer 4th Class	Aged: 22

Parker, Chester James (RNVR)
Parker, Chester James (RNVR)		Died: 7th Aug, 1943.
	Lieutenant	Aged: 26

Paterson, James Alexander C/KX 97396
Paterson, James Alexander C/KX 97396		Died: 7th Aug, 1943.
	Stoker 1st Class	Aged: 21

Paul, Charles Neville P/MX 50840
Paul, Charles Neville P/MX 50840		Died: 7th Aug, 1943.
	Leading Cook	Aged: 28

Pope, John Edmund C/KX 111806
Pope, John Edmund C/KX 111806		Died: 7th Aug, 1943.
	Stoker 1st Class	Aged: 21

Porter, Reginald Edward P/JX 223838
Porter, Reginald Edward P/JX 223838		Died: 7th Aug, 1943.
	Able Seaman	Aged: 21

Price, Thomas DSM P/M 22637
Price, Thomas DSM P/M 22637		Died: 7th Aug, 1943.
	Chief Engine Room Artificer	Aged: 41

Reeson, Robert Charles C/KX 94382
Reeson, Robert Charles C/KX 94382		Died: 7th Aug, 1943.
	Leading Stoker	Aged: 22

Smithson, John Albert D/KX 92434
Smithson, John Albert D/KX 92434		Died: 7th Aug, 1943.
	Leading Stoker	Aged: 23

Torr, Herbert MID P/J 112475
Torr, Herbert MID P/J 112475		Died: 7th Aug, 1943.
	Yeoman of Signals	Aged: 33

Upton, Walter William Gilmore MID P/SSX 22533
Upton, Walter William Gilmore MID P/SSX 22533		Died: 7th Aug, 1943.
	Able Seaman	Aged: 24

Webb, Frederick Albert John D/JX199782
Webb, Frederick Albert John D/JX199782		Died: 7th Aug, 1943.
	Able Seaman	Aged: 22

Webster, George Walter D/MX 58988
Webster, George Walter D/MX 58988		Died: 7th Aug, 1943.
	Engine Room Artificer 3rd Class	Aged: 24

Wood, Bernard John C/KX 138477
Wood, Bernard John C/KX 138477		Died: 7th Aug, 1943.
	Stoker 1st Class	Aged: 18

Wood, Eric Albert P/MX 51717
Wood, Eric Albert P/MX 51717		Died: 7th Aug, 1943.
	Chief Engine Room Artificer	Aged: 33

Yardley, Kenneth James D/JX 160490
Yardley, Kenneth James D/JX 160490		Died: 7th Aug, 1943.
	Ordinary Seaman	Aged: 20
	CWGC has D/JX 160450

Events

20-01-1940	Laid Down

18-03-1941	Launched

26-08-1941	Completed

30-12-1941	HMS Thorn torpedoes and sinks the German tanker Campina about 5 nautical miles west off Cape Dukato.

28-01-1942	HMS Thorn torpedoes and sinks the Italian tanker Ninuccia off Cape Planka, Yugoslavia.

30-01-1942	The Italian submarine Medusa was sunk in the Adriatic near Promontore, Istria, Italy by the British submarine HMS Thorn.

05-03-1942	HMS Thorn sinks the Italian auxiliary patrol vessel AS 91/Ottavia with gunfire of Kefalonia, Greece.

07-05-1942	HMS Thorn fires four torpedoes against an Italian convoy in the central Mediterranean about 180 nautical miles north-west of Benghazi, Libya. All torpedoes missed their targets.

03-08-1942	HMS Thorn torpedoes and sinks the Italian transport ship Monviso 8 nautical miles from Sidi Sueicher, Libya.

06-08-1942	Lost. On the 7th August 1942 HMS Thorn encountered the Italian torpedo boat Pegaso, escorting the steamer Istria from Benghazi, 30 miles south west of Gaudhos Island, off southern Crete. At 1255 an escorting aircraft was seen to machine-gun the seas surface and Pegaso moved in to investigate. Just four minutes after the aircraft's attack the Pegaso picked-up a contact and carried out seven attacks after which contact was lost. HMS Thorn failed to return from the patrol and is believed to have been lost in this attack.

Comments

Comment by: Nicholas Kenneth Yardley Fowler, M.D. on February 25th, 2022

My mother’s brother, my uncle, was Kenneth James Yardley. He died on the Thorn on that fateful day in August of 1942. I never knew him as I was born a few years later. His mother was tormented for the rest of her life.

Comment by: Kirsteen Nash on May 31st, 2021

My father was Able seaman Charles Jones who survived the torpedoing with spinal injuries.

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Length overall	275 ft
Beam	26 ft 6 inch
Depth	14 ft 3 inch
Displacement	1327 tons (surface)
	1575 tons (submerged)
Diving Depth	300 ft
Speed	Surface 15.25 knots (design)
	Surface 15.25 knots (service)
	Submerged 9 knots (design)
	Submerged 8.75 knots (service)
No. of shafts	2
Endurance	Surface: 7500 miles at 15.25 knots (design)
	(ii) Surface: 8000 miles at 10 knots (service)
	Submerged: 80 miles at 4 knots (design)
	Submerged: 80 miles at 4 knots (service)
Armament	(i) 8 x 21 inch bow tubes (2 external)
	2 x 21 inch amidship tubes
	(16 torpedoes carried)
	1 x 4 inch gun
	(ii) 0.303 inch machine-guns
Complement	56
Notes	(i) As an alternative load, Group 1 submarines could carry 18 mines.
	(ii) These were later replaced by, or supplemented by one 20mm Oerlikon cannon.

RN Subs

Thorn (N 11)

Commanders

Roll of Honour

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T 2 Specification

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