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Tarpon (N 17)

Built By: Scotts (Clyde)
Build Group: T 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 the Tarpon encountered the German 'Q-ship' Schiff 40 west of Jutland, Denmark.

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.
Tarpon (N 17)
Tarpon (N 17)

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Commanders
1938: Commander   Robert Cecil Somers Garwood
1940: Lieutenant Commander   Herbert James Caldwell

1940: Home Station.

Was part of the submarine force which was in the Kattegat and off the coast of Norway during the German invasion of Norway

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
53
Died: 10-04-1940
Alexander, Arthur George  P/J 93213
Able Seaman Died: 10-04-1940 Aged: 37
Allison, Francis  C/KX 83188
Stoker 1st Class Died: 10-04-1940 Aged: 24
Andrew, Walter  D/MX 51926
Engine Room Artificer 3rd Class Died: 10-04-1940 Aged: 26
Banfield, Edgar  D/J 77988
Chief Petty Officer Died: 10-04-1940 Aged: 37
Barrett, George James  C/KX 80350
Leading Stoker Died: 10-04-1940 Aged: 28
Beaumont, Alan Arthur  P/JX 142308
Able Seaman Died: 10-04-1940 Aged: 21
Brewer, Alfred Cornelius  P/J 109329
Telegraphist Died: 10-04-1940 Aged: 32
Cadby, Cyril George  D/JX 139976
Leading Signalman Died: 10-04-1940 Aged: 22
Caldwell, Herbert James 
Lieutenant Commander Died: 10-04-1940 Aged: 34
Commanding Officer
Cavaye, James  P/M 38605
Petty Officer Cook Died: 10-04-1940 Aged: 34
Chadwick, George James  P/JX 135579
Telegraphist Died: 10-04-1940 Aged: 24
Chilton, Stanley  D/KX 86850
Stoker 1st Class Died: 10-04-1940 Aged: 23
Collins, Leslie Alban  C/J 103082
Chief Petty Officer Died: 10-04-1940 Aged: 34
Davidson, James Kennedy  P/SSX 14483
Able Seaman Died: 10-04-1940 Aged: 24
Davies, Thomas Eirwyn  D/KX 84743
Stoker 1st Class Died: 10-04-1940 Aged: 24
Davies, Thomas Walter  C/KX 80223
Stoker 1st Class Died: 10-04-1940 Aged: 30
Ede, William James Ewart  P/J 114117
Petty Officer Telegraphist Died: 10-04-1940 Aged: 30
Endersby, Sidney Claude  P/J 113098
Petty Officer Died: 10-04-1940 Aged: 30
Etheridge, George Davis  P/M 34444
Chief Engine Room Artificer 1st Class Died: 10-04-1940 Aged: 36
Ferguson, John  D/JX 164945
Able Seaman Died: 10-04-1940 Aged: 41
Ex.J35001
Fleming, William Henry  C/JX 128503
Petty Officer Died: 10-04-1940 Aged: 28
Gathergood, Joseph Albert  C/KX 98416
Leading Stoker Died: 10-04-1940 Aged: 43
Ex.K24737
Globe, Sydney  C/K 65252
Stoker 1st Class Died: 10-04-1940 Aged: 35
Goodall, Thomas  C/JX 138369
Able Seaman Died: 10-04-1940 Aged: 23
Gregory, Albert Edward  C/JX 126436
Petty Officer Died: 10-04-1940 Aged: 29
Hammersley, Arthur Frank Cullimore  D/MX 46764
Engine Room Artificer 2nd Class Died: 10-04-1940 Aged: 32
Harrison, Thomas Carty  D/J 107568
Able Seaman Died: 10-04-1940 Aged: 32
Hart, George Albert  C/J 113010
Able Seaman Died: 10-04-1940 Aged: 32
Harvey, Leslie James  D/JX 136108
Leading Telegraphist Died: 10-04-1940 Aged: 24
Hills, Arthur Alfred  D/J 108275
Able Seaman Died: 10-04-1940 Aged: 33
Hoggett, Harry John Rosce  P/M 27357
Chief Engine Room Artificer Died: 10-04-1940 Aged: 38
Holliday, William  C/LX 21265
Leading Steward Died: 10-04-1940 Aged: 28
Hubbard, Frank Philip David  P/J 45401
Able Seaman Died: 10-04-1940 Aged: 39
Jope, William Birtwhistle  D/KX 91430
Stoker 1st Class Died: 10-04-1940 Aged: 20
Kellond, Reginald  D/M 38362
Engine Room Artificer 3rd Class Died: 10-04-1940 Aged: 31
Kettle, Lawrence Henry 
Lieutenant Died: 10-04-1940 Aged: 26
Leonard, William  C/KX 83072
Leading Stoker Died: 10-04-1940 Aged: 25
Luff, Ronald  P/KX 83269
Stoker 1st Class Died: 10-04-1940 Aged: 29
Paterson, James George Wallace  P/M 39375
Chief Engine Room Artificer Died: 10-04-1940 Aged: 30
Perkins, Leslie William  C/JX 131917
Leading Telegraphist Died: 10-04-1940 Aged: 28
Raggett, Archibald Fred  P/K 57325
Chief Stoker Died: 10-04-1940 Aged: 39
Sherry, Rodney William 
Warrant Engineer Died: 10-04-1940 Aged: 40
Ex.M14953
Smith, John  C/J 105724
Leading Seaman Died: 10-04-1940 Aged: 33
Snell, Stanley Raymond  D/KX 89519
Stoker 1st Class Died: 10-04-1940 Aged: 24
Spurden, Ernest George Victor  C/J 127480
Leading Seaman Died: 10-04-1940 Aged: 30
Tatlock, James  C/SSX 16071
Able Seaman Died: 10-04-1940 Aged: 23
Templeton, George Edward  D/K 64242
Stoker 1st Class Died: 10-04-1940 Aged: 34
Thomas, William Ninian Crichton  D/KX 86588
Stoker 1st Class Died: 10-04-1940 Aged: 23
Trott, Philip Michael John  D/KX 81624
Stoker 1st Class Died: 10-04-1940 Aged: 26
Walker, Roderic John  C/KX 83031
Leading Stoker Died: 10-04-1940 Aged: 25
Walsh, Harold  P/KX 76676
Stoker Petty Officer Died: 10-04-1940 Aged: 34
Weatherall, Hugh Derek Andre 
Sub Lieutenant Died: 10-04-1940 Aged: 21
Wren, Charles Bate Limpright  (RNR)
Lieutenant Commander Died: 10-04-1940 Aged: 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

Comment by: Hazel Parkes on January 15, 2019

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)

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