Affray (P421)
| Built By: | Cammell Laird (Mersey) |
| Build Group: | A2 |
| Fate: | Lost on 16th April 1951 through flooding caused by fractured snorkel in Hurd Deep, off Alderney |
Affray
HMS Affray as she was completed with Oerlikon 'bandstand' seen aft of the fin. Snort has yet to be fitted. The guard rails & stanchions are interesting - the authors failing memory recalls that the stanchions were left in place while at sea to provide identification during the Summer Wars where the fleet was divided into two opposing sides.
Roll of Honour
| Name | Rank | Number | Hons | Age |
| Allen, Osborn Harold | Engineer Lieutenant | 24 | ||
| Alston, James Hilton | Engineer Lieutenant | 31 | ||
| Andrews, Trever John | Sergeant (Royal Marine) | X 3263 (Ch) | 26 | |
| Commandos on passage to beach drop off..(SBS) | ||||
| Ashley, George Thomas Eric | Leading Stoker | P/KX 134325 | 28 | |
| Barlow, James Berytram | Leading Steward | D/LX 763226 | 22 | |
| Bartrup, Denis Graham | Electrical Mechanician 1st Class | P/MX 769278 | 24 | |
| Beddoes, David Benjamin | Steward | C/SLX 868218 | 19 | |
| Bennington, David Russell | Engine Room Artificer 2nd Class | D/MX 58857 | 27 | |
| Bilton, William | Senior Commissioning Engineer (Civilian) | 35 | ||
| Blackburn, John | Lieutenant | DSC* | 28 | |
| Commanding Officer | ||||
| Bridges, Oliver Alfred Maynard | Stoker Mechanic | D/SKX 832096 | 21 | |
| Burberry, Alfred Henry | Chief Petty Officer Stoker | C/JX 157156 | 28 | |
| Cardno, Robert John | Stoker Mechanic | C/KX 769554 | 24 | |
| Cole-Adams, Michael Christopher | Engineer Lieutenant | 23 | ||
| Cook, George David | Leading Seaman | D/JX 163572 | 27 | |
| Cooper, John Harold | Petty Officer | D/JX 371976 | 24 | |
| Curry, Roy | Stoker Mechanic | D/SKX 790241 | 22 | |
| Denny, Frederick Charles | Chief Petty Officer Electrician | MX 745978 | 29 | |
| Drury, Frederick | Stoker Mechanic | D/SKX 854592 | 21 | |
| Foster, Derrick James John | Lieutenant | 25 | ||
| Frew, Anthony Arthur | Sub Lieutenant | 21 | ||
| Garwood, Alan Robert | Sub Lieutenant | 21 | ||
| Gittins, Harold | Telegraphist | D/SSX 661493 | 20 | |
| Gostling, Bernard Paul | Stoker Mechanic | C/KX 832123 | 21 | |
| Green, Walter John | Leading Stoker | C/KX 162120 | 27 | |
| Greenwood, Jeffrey Langdon | Lieutenant | 22 | ||
| Harkness, William Ronald | Petty Officer | P/SSX 15914 | MID | 35 |
| Also as J/X 801036 | ||||
| Harris, Leonard Edwin Stanley | Stoker Mechanic | C/KX 841775 | 21 | |
| Hiles, Roy Gerald Graham | Stoker Mechanic | P/SKX 846398 | 21 | |
| Hodges, John Edwin Albert | Stoker Mechanic | P/SKX 850727 | 20 | |
| Hooper, Alfred Herbert George | Marine (Royal Marine) | X 6485 (Po | 21 | |
| Commando on passage to beach drop off..(SBS). Also as X 6483 (Po) | ||||
| Horwell, Eric | Electrical Mechanician 1st Class | D/SMX 834344 | 21 | |
| Howard-Johnston, Richard Geoffrey | Sub Lieutenant | 21 | ||
| Irven, Alan Harold | Telegraphist | C/JX 292902 | 25 | |
| Jarvis, Dennis William | Marine (Royal Marine) | X 4883 (Ch | 21 | |
| Commando on passage to beach drop off..(SBS) | ||||
| Kirkwood, William James | Lieutenant | 26 | ||
| Lansberry, Russell Cruddas | Lieutenant | 27 | ||
| Larter, Gordon Richard | Stoker Mechanic | P/SKX 852151 | 20 | |
| Leakey, George William | Able Seaman | C/JX 785105 | 22 | |
| Lees, Norman Charles Edwin | Engine Room Artificer 3rd Class | P/MX 93541 | 25 | |
| Lewis, William David | Stoker Mechanic | D/KX 842311 | DSM* | 28 |
| Linton, William Francis | Sub Lieutenant | 21 | ||
| Longstaff, William Anthony Comben | Sub Lieutenant | 21 | ||
| Mackenzie, Colin Ian | Sub Lieutenant | 21 | ||
| Mackenzie-Edwards, Roderick Petvin | Sub Lieutenant | 21 | ||
| McKenzie, John Labourne | Chief Engine Room Artificer | P/MX 57125 | DSM* | 38 |
| Also as P/MX 75125 | ||||
| Miller, James | Leading Stoker | D/SKX 803506 | 22 | |
| Nickalls, Hugh Antony Hylton | Sub Lieutenant | 21 | ||
| North, Richard Frank | Sub Lieutenant | 21 | ||
| Pane, Peter Ronald | Able Seaman | C/JX 819786 | 19 | |
| Parker, George | Engine Room Artificer 2nd Class | D/MX 66713 | 37 | |
| Pearson, Dennis Harry | Petty Officer | P/JX 371671 | 23 | |
| Preston, Robin Jocelyn | Sub Lieutenant | 21 | ||
| Ramplin, Alan | Stoker Mechanic | P/SKX 871876 | 20 | |
| Rewcastle, Antony Giles Candon | Sub Lieutenant | 21 | ||
| Rutter, Jack | Radio Electrical Mechanician | D/SMX 770424 | 22 | |
| Shaw, Frederick Miguel | Engineer Lieutenant | 24 | ||
| Shergold, Edward Norman | Corporal (Royal Marine) | X 5874 (Po) | 23 | |
| Commando on passage to beach drop off..(SBS) | ||||
| Smith, Francis Robert | Cook | C/MX 58198 | 30 | |
| Smith, John Douglas | Stoker Mechanic | C/KX 835006 | 24 | |
| Smith, Ronald Benjamin Brinkley | Leading Seaman | C/JX 157783 | 28 | |
| Stewart, Aanthony John | Able Seaman | P/JX 712811 | 22 | |
| Strachan, John Gordon | Sub Lieutenant | 21 | ||
| Taylor, Maurice George Edwin C. | Engine Room Artificer 3rd Class | P/MX 715933 | 25 | |
| Temple, Norman | Stoker Mechanic | C/KX 527942 | 25 | |
| Thirkettle, John George | Petty Officer Stoker | C/KX 100698 | 29 | |
| Treleaven, John Monckton | Engineer Lieutenant | 23 | ||
| Trimby, Victor George | Leading Stoker | P/MX 816151 | 22 | |
| Tugman, Robin Terry | Sub Lieutenant | 21 | ||
| Vincent, Roy | Steward | C/SLX 771525 | 21 | |
| Welch, Albert George | Engineer Lieutenant | 23 | ||
| Whitbread, Reginald Arthur | Chief Petty Officer Stoker | P/KX 82925 | 37 | |
| Wood, Herbert James | Leading Electrical Mechanician | C/MX 745821 | 26 | |
| Woods, Frederick George | Petty Officer Telegraphist | P/JX 136971 | MID | 34 |
| Worsfold, Benjamin James | Leading Telegraphist | P/JX 371780 | 24 | |
Events
| 16-01-1944 : | Laid Down |
| 12-04-1945 : | Launched |
| 02-05-1946 : | Completed |
| 16-04-1951 : | HMS Affray left Portsmouth to take part in Exercise Training Spring with a training class of young officers aboard, her orders being to make a daily report between 9am and 10am each morning and to land a party of Royal Marines on any suitable beach in the patrol area during the night. On the morning of the 17th Affray failed to report her position as required and rescue vessels were immediately put on alert as repeated attempts to call up the submarine failed. It was known that she had intended to dive 30 miles south of the Isle of Wight, so the search was concentrated off the island but the exact position of Affray was unknown. A number of vessels involved in the search reported faint Asdic signals and the submarine Ambush decoded a message stating, WE ARE TRAPPED ON THE BOTTOM but the Affray still could not be found. On the evening of the 19th the Admiralty regretfully called off the search. While the search for survivors was now fruitless the search for the Affray was to continue. In the middle of June, after nine weeks of searching, an underwater camera focused on the submarine's nameplate. Her final position proved to be 37 miles from her known diving position. She was lying on an even keel on the edge of a series of underwater chasms known as Hurd’s Deep in the English Channel. Divers could find no evidence of collision damage but noted that her radar aerial and periscope were raised, indicating that she must have been submerged when she foundered. Both hydroplanes were in the rise position indicating that attempts to raise the submarine must have been in operation before being finally defeated by the incoming water. A reason for the disaster was however soon found when the snort mast was examined. A clean break was discovered 3 feet above the deck leading to the conclusion that metal fatigue had caused the loss, allowing water into the boat through a 10-inch hole. This was confirmed by tests carried out on the recovered mast at Portsmouth, all assertions as to a collision being quashed. Exactly what caused the snorkel to shear at the time it did will in all likelihood never be known. |
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