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Tarpon (N17)
| Built By: | Scotts (Clyde) |
| Build Group: | T Group 1 |
| Fate: | HMS Tarpon left Portsmouth for Rosyth on 5th April 1940. She was diverted to patrol around Norway on 6th April 1940. Around 0600 hours on 10th April 1940 by the Tarpon encountered the German 'Q-ship' Schiff 40 (Schürbek) west of Jutland, Denmark in approximate position 56º43'N, 06º33'5"E. Tarpon attacked the German vessel with two torpedoes both of which missed. It is assumed that Tarpon was sunk with all hands by depth charges in a counter-attack by Schiff 40. Tarpon was reported overdue on 22nd April 1940. Tarpon was probably the first British submarine to be lost to depth charges in WW2. |
In March 2016 the wreck of HMS Tarpon was discovered 40 metres beneath the waves off the coast of Denmark.
The divers found some of the hatches open, the glass in the periscope shattered and severe destruction below the tower where it appeared to have been hit by a depth charge. There was also evidence of a battle, with two of its torpedo tubes empty. German naval records suggest the Tarpon had fired twice at a German merchant ship before being sunk in a devastating counterattack.
The submarine was discovered in March by a Danish war museum owner, Gert Normann Andersen, and a UK marine archaeologist, Dr Innes McCartney.
McCartney, a veteran submarine finder, who was on board the explorer ship when divers filmed the wreck stated:.
No one even knew it was there, It looked very bad. They had depth charged it on several occasions. The damage was so severe behind the conning tower it would have flooded in seconds.
There was also a crater on the seabed, a rare phenomenon apparently created by one of the powerful depth charges.
The submarine stood almost upright on the seabed and had attracted shoals of cod as well as ocean debris including ropes and fishing nets, some of which had to be cleared before filming.
Roll of Honour
| Name | Rank | Number | Hons | Age |
| Alexander, Arthur George | Able Seaman | P/J 93213 | 37 | |
| Allison, Francis | Stoker 1st Class | C/KX 83188 | 24 | |
| Andrew, Walter | Engine Room Artificer 3rd Class | D/MX 51926 | 26 | |
| Banfield, Edgar | Chief Petty Officer | D/J 77988 | 37 | |
| Barrett, George James | Leading Stoker | C/KX 80350 | 28 | |
| Beaumont, Alan Arthur | Able Seaman | P/JX 142308 | 21 | |
| Brewer, Alfred Cornelius | Telegraphist | P/J 109329 | 32 | |
| Cadby, Cyril George | Leading Signalman | D/JX 139976 | 22 | |
| Caldwell, Herbert James | Lieutenant Commander | 34 | ||
| Commanding Officer | ||||
| Cavaye, James | Petty Officer Cook | P/M 38605 | 34 | |
| Chadwick, George James | Telegraphist | P/JX 135579 | 24 | |
| Chilton, Stanley | Stoker 1st Class | D/KX 86850 | 23 | |
| Collins, Leslie Alban | Chief Petty Officer | C/J 103082 | 34 | |
| Davidson, James Kennedy | Able Seaman | P/SSX 14483 | 24 | |
| Davies, Thomas Eirwyn | Stoker 1st Class | D/KX 84743 | 24 | |
| Davies, Thomas Walter | Stoker 1st Class | C/KX 80223 | 30 | |
| Ede, William James Ewart | Petty Officer Telegraphist | P/J 114117 | 30 | |
| Endersby, Sidney Claude | Petty Officer | P/J 113098 | 30 | |
| Etheridge, George Davis | Chief Engine Room Artificer 1st Class | P/M 34444 | 36 | |
| Ferguson, John | Able Seaman | D/JX 164945 | 41 | |
| Ex.J35001 | ||||
| Fleming, William Henry | Petty Officer | C/JX 128503 | 28 | |
| Gathergood, Joseph Albert | Leading Stoker | C/KX 98416 | 43 | |
| Ex.K24737 | ||||
| Globe, Sydney | Stoker 1st Class | C/K 65252 | 35 | |
| Goodall, Thomas | Able Seaman | C/JX 138369 | 23 | |
| Gregory, Albert Edward | Petty Officer | C/JX 126436 | 29 | |
| Hammersley, Arthur Frank Cullimore | Engine Room Artificer 2nd Class | D/MX 46764 | 32 | |
| Harrison, Thomas Carty | Able Seaman | D/J 107568 | 32 | |
| Hart, George Albert | Able Seaman | C/J 113010 | 32 | |
| Harvey, Leslie James | Leading Telegraphist | D/JX 136108 | 24 | |
| Hills, Arthur Alfred | Able Seaman | D/J 108275 | 33 | |
| Hoggett, Harry John Rosce | Chief Engine Room Artificer | P/M 27357 | 38 | |
| Holliday, William | Leading Steward | C/LX 21265 | 28 | |
| Hubbard, Frank Philip David | Able Seaman | P/J 45401 | 39 | |
| Jope, William Birtwhistle | Stoker 1st Class | D/KX 91430 | 20 | |
| Kellond, Reginald | Engine Room Artificer 3rd Class | D/M 38362 | 31 | |
| Kettle, Lawrence Henry | Lieutenant | 26 | ||
| Leonard, William | Leading Stoker | C/KX 83072 | 25 | |
| Luff, Ronald | Stoker 1st Class | P/KX 83269 | 29 | |
| Paterson, James George Wallace | Chief Engine Room Artificer | P/M 39375 | 30 | |
| Perkins, Leslie William | Leading Telegraphist | C/JX 131917 | 28 | |
| Raggett, Archibald Fred | Chief Stoker | P/K 57325 | 39 | |
| Sherry, Rodney William | Warrant Engineer | 40 | ||
| Ex.M14953 | ||||
| Smith, John | Leading Seaman | C/J 105724 | 33 | |
| Snell, Stanley Raymond | Stoker 1st Class | D/KX 89519 | 24 | |
| Spurden, Ernest George Victor | Leading Seaman | C/J 127480 | 30 | |
| Tatlock, James | Able Seaman | C/SSX 16071 | 23 | |
| Templeton, George Edward | Stoker 1st Class | D/K 64242 | 34 | |
| Thomas, William Ninian Crichton | Stoker 1st Class | D/KX 86588 | 23 | |
| Trott, Philip Michael John | Stoker 1st Class | D/KX 81624 | 26 | |
| Walker, Roderic John | Leading Stoker | C/KX 83031 | 25 | |
| Walsh, Harold | Stoker Petty Officer | P/KX 76676 | 34 | |
| Weatherall, Hugh Derek Andre | Sub Lieutenant | 21 | ||
| Wren, Charles Bate Limpright | Lieutenant Commander (RNR) | 31 | ||
Events
| 05-10-1937 : | Laid Down |
| 07-10-1938 : | Launched |
| 08-03-1940 : | Completed |
| 10-04-1940 : | Lost. On 5th April 1940 HMS Tarpon left Portsmouth for Rosyth in company with HMS Severn. The following day they were ordered to Norway. On the 10th Tarpon was signaled to take up a new position. Unknown to the Admiralty the submarine had already been lost. Post War German records showed that Tarpon attacked the Q-ship Schiff 40 at 0724: the first torpedo missed as did a second. The Q-ship picked up the Tarpon on her sonar and her periscope was sighted, depth charges were dropped. The counter attack went on most of the morning until finally at 1252 a pattern of depth charges brought wreckage to the surface. The Schiff remained on the scene until 0500 the next morning secure in the knowledge that she had sunk the submarine. |
Comments
1 comment
| My grandmother Eliza Howarth ne Tatlock lost her son James Tatlock on the HMS Tarpon no c/ssx.16071 .She was notified on 29th may 1940 he was presumed dead as all hope had been given up. Its a comfort to read the informatio about his final resting place. Thankyou. Anne Parkes ( neice) Hazel Parkes Tue, 15 Jan 2019 |
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