3 Comments
Tetrarch (N77)
Built By: | Vickers (Barrow) |
Build Group: | T Group 1 |
Fate: | After leaving Alexandria on 17th October 1941 en-route home to the UK via Malta and Gibraltar, the Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Commander Greenway, was requested to carry out a short patrol off Cavioli Island after leaving Malta and before proceeding to Gibraltar. Her last recorded position was established with Submarine HMS P34 as being 37 Degrees 28 Minutes North, 12 Degrees 35 Minutes East in the Sicilian Channel on 27th October 1941. No more was heard from the submarine she was presumed to have been lost in a minefield either in the Sicilian Channel or off the Island of Cavioli on 27th October 1941. |
Tetrarch Found
Several wrecks in a limited perimeter, off Tabarka Tunisia, have been sonar-located and identified as "Submarine" from their sonar image alone. Out of a total of five British submarines, three have been identified as being A renewed analysis of the images has allowed the identification of Mine Wells on the Starboard Ballast Tank of this wreck (only the well nearest to the muzzle of Torpedo Tube 9 is clearly visible). The distortion on image 3 is due to the need to adjust the range and pivot of the picture so as to see the Mine Well and its Shutter (both being physically "near-flat" on the ballast tank).
Out of all the The astounding result of this identification is that the minefield that caused so many foundering's must have been laid earlier than the date when HMS Tetrarch was lost in late 1941. Therefore, the earlier assumption that the minefield might have been planted by the German 3S Flotilla, is to be totally dismissed. This minefield was installed by the Italian Navy because the 3S Flotilla started laying mines off the Tunisian coast in late 1942, at the earliest.
So far , no record has been found about an Italian minefield planted off Tabarka in late 1941 but this can be explained by the fact that many Italian records did not survive the war. The the overall sonar picture of the forward section of the submarine clearly shows that a portion of the prow is missing as a result of hitting a mine.
This document might be further elaborated, later. At this point in time it is sufficient to say that we now know where the Crew of HMS Tetrarch is resting. There were no survivors, Tabarka Wreck 2F is their tomb.
3 comments This form is for you to comment on, or add additional information to this page. Any questions will be deleted. If you wish to ask a question or otherwise contact the Branch or the Webmaster. Please use the Contact Us page or ask your question on our Facebook PageRoll of Honour
Name
Rank
Number
Hons
Age
Anderson, James
Stoker 1st Class
P/KX 92952
22
Bancroft, Arthur
Leading Seaman
D/J 98441
37
Bell, William George
Leading Stoker
C/KX 83886
MID*
26
Brown, Fred
Petty Officer
D/JX 126889
31
Brown, Hugh McDowell
Able Seaman (RNVR)
P/CD/X 1885
DSM
26
Campion, James Owen Parker
Stoker 1st Class
C/KX 98186
22
Chapman, Henry Coles
Leading Steward
C/L 14546
35
Cornish-Bowden, Edward John
Lieutenant
MID
23
Davies, Harold
Able Seaman
D/SSX 28076
21
Davies, William Joseph
Engine Room Artificer 4th Class
P/SMX 21
25
Deeley, Stanley
Stoker 1st Class
P/K 66174
36
Elliott, John
Chief Engine Room Artificer
P/M 37034
DSM
35
Evans, Eric Richard
Able Seaman
P/JX 167384
22
Evans, Wilfred Edgar
Sub Lieutenant (RNR)
MID
21
Greenway, George Henry
Lieutenant Commander
MID
32
Commanding Officer
Hall, George Albert
Able Seaman
P/JX 140549
24
Heard, Harry
Leading Cook (S)
C/MX 57453
22
Hearnden, William Henry
Petty Officer
C/JX 142635
MID
38
Hepworth, Ernest
Leading Stoker
D/KX 84655
25
Hornsby, Edwin
Petty Officer Telegraphist
C/JX 133738
28
Houston, Robert Bell
Sub Lieutenant
Houston, Robert Bell Sub. Lieutenant (No BMD Information)
Jacobs, Arthur Roy
Stoker 1st Class
P/KX 90693
27
Jennings, Thomas Cyril
Stoker 1st Class
P/KX 90714
22
Jones, Llewelyn Wyn
Ordinary Seaman
D/JX 198346
24
Kennett, Douglas Frank
Able Seaman
P/JX 149114
20
Kerry, Douglas James
Telegraphist
C/JX 155603
20
Lickiss, Geoffrey Lucas
Leading Telegraphist
D/JX 134641
MID
26
Livingstone, Gordon Ross
Petty Officer Telegraphist
D/JX135448
MID
26
Lucas, Henry George
Leading Stoker
P/KX 92569
24
Martin, Sidney John
Telegraphist
D/JX 138482
25
McBride, James Nelson
Petty Officer
D/JX 137696
MID
25
Meyrick, Kenneth Walter McKenzie
Lieutenant
MID
From HMS/m Talisman
Molesworth, Charles Albert
Able Seaman
D/JX 135674
26
Morrison, Kenneth
Able Seaman
P/SSX 24391
21
Murdoch, Andrew
Stoker 1st Class
P/KX 92902
22
Newman, William James
Engine Room Artificer 1st Class
D/M 37676
34
Norris, Walter Thomas
Engine Room Artificer 3rd Class
C/MX 52906
MID
26
Northover, McKenna Tom
Yeoman of Signals
P/JX 132658
MID
28
Parsons, William
Engine Room Artificer 4th Class
D/MX 60248
25
Pearson, William
Stoker Petty Officer
D/K 55802
40
Pepper, William Edward
Leading Seaman
C/JX 145671
21
Phillips, Peter Royston
Engineer Lieutenant
MID
27
Quested, Harry Alfred
Leading Seaman
C/KX 86887
24
Richards, Brinley
Able Seaman
D/SSX 13791
28
Richards, Thomas Glyndwr
Stoker 1st Class
D/K 65509
35
Rowland, Jacob
Able Seaman
D/SSX 14877
MID
27
Scott, William
Stoker Petty Officer
D/KX 77897
34
Sharples, Gerard Flint
Able Seaman
D/JX 152776
20
Shinn, Victor Thomas
Engine Room Artificer 3rd Class
P/MX 49544
24
Simmons, John Frederick
Stoker 1st Class
P/JX 93419
21
Smith, Frank William
Able Seaman
C/JX 199511
23
Spencer, Kenneth H
Able Seaman (RNZN)
NZ 1345
22
Stavert, Douglas Riddell
Lieutenant
23
From HMS/m Unique
Stone, Cyril Percy
Stoker 2nd Class
C/LX 23652
25
CWGC has C/SKX 971
Tavolier, Leonard Enrico
Able Seaman
P/JX 183394
22
Taylor, Robert
Stoker 1st Class
P/KX 84702
25
Walmsley, Charles Henry
Lieutenant (RNR)
MID
27
From HMS/m Upright
Weetman, Arthur James
Leading Stoker
D/KX 83549
MID
26
CWGC has Weetman, Arthur D/KX 83542 (No James and Incorrect Number)
Whitehead, Charles Christopher Cyril
Leading Seaman
C/JX137530
24
Willcocks, Richard Burke
Ordinary Seaman
C/JX 199879
20
Wilson, Colin
Engine Room Artificer 4th Class
C/MX 76812
28
Winter, Ronald Heriot
Leading Stoker
P/KX 91395
22
Events
24-08-1938 : Laid Down 24-08-1938 : Launched 04-07-1939 : Completed 13-04-1940 : Tetrarch's first patrol was carried out in C9 - the Lillesand sector. The boat made what was thought to be an unsuccessful attack on a transport and as a result was depth-charged for 43 hours. Surfaced for 3 minutes in the middle of enemy vessels and fired torpedoes at A/S trawler 23-04-1940 : 18:30 Sighted a Southbound enemy convoy bearing 270, distance about 5 nautical miles. The convoy was made up of a large merchant vessel and three escorts. They are described as destroyers in the patrol report but they were not destroyers. The vessels were Ahrensburg on passage from Larvik to Fredrikshaven according to Rowher, escorted by T153, T155, F5, F8 and the minesweepers R33, R37 and R40
18:33 Tetrarch fired two torpedoes, range 4,000 yards, flat calm. Went deep and retired at high speed.
1837: Returned to periscope depth. Three escorting destroyers were seen approaching down the torpedo tracks a high speed. One of the destroyers was only 1500 yards away. Tetrarch went to 300 feet at full speed. Trim lost. Mills temporarily lost control and the boat dived to 400'
At 20:00 hours A/S trawlers joined in the hunt for Tetrarch
22:22 Surfaced, sighted two trawlers 1,000 yards away bearing down fast. Two torpedoes were fired. One one torpedo hit the UB boat. German sources indicate just three survivors.
Tetrarch was kept down at night and was therefore unable to charge batteries. Tetrarch eventually surfaced at 2130 hours on 24 April 1940 and set course back to Rosyth20-05-1940 : HMS Tetrarch captures the Danish fishing vessel Emmanuel and sinks the Danish fishing vessel Terieven with scuttling charges in the North Sea west of Denmark. 16-06-1940 : HMS Tetrarch torpedoes and sinks the German tanker Samland south-west of Lista, Norway. 04-11-1940 : HMS Tetrarch torpedoes and sinks the Italian merchant Snia Amba off Benghazi, Libya. 12-04-1941 : HMS Tetrarch torpedoes and sinks the Italian tanker Persiano about 30 nautical miles north-west of Tripoli, Libya. 18-05-1941 : HMS Tetrarch torpedoes and sinks the Italian merchant Giovinezza off Bengasi, Libya. 22-07-1941 : HMS Tetrarch claims to have damaged a sailing vessel with gunfire in the Aegean off Karlovassi. 25-07-1941 : HMS Tetrarch attacks the Greek tanker Olympos off Gaidero Island, Greece. The vessel is not hit. 27-07-1941 : HMS Tetrarch sinks the Italian sailing vessel Nicita with gunfire 5 nautical miles south of Kos, Greece. 23-08-1941 : HMS Tetrarch sinks the Italian sailing vessels V 72/Fratelli Garre and V 113/Francesco Garre with gunfire in the Gulf of Syrte. 26-09-1941 : HMS Tetrarch torpedoes sinks the Italian merchant Citta di Bastia in the Aegean Sea about 18 nautical miles south of Milos Island, Greece. 27-09-1941 : HMS Tetrarch sinks the Greek sailing vessel Panagiotis Kramottos with gunfire south-west of Milos Island, Greece. 28-09-1941 : HMS Tetrarch torpedoes and damages the German merchant Yalova in the Aegean Sea south of Agios Giorgios Island. 27-11-1941 : HMS Tetrarch left Malta on 26th October 1941 bound for Gibraltar. The route she was to take meant her passing through a known minefield. On Monday 27th she communicated with P34 who was in the same area. This was the last contact with the submarine. It is believed that she struck a mine on 27th. Comments
Good evening. I would like to say a big thank you for the information you have given here. I am researching my family and my uncle was leading seaman C/JX 145671 William Edward Pepper, lost on Tetrarch. I have read some conflicting reports that the wreck off Tabarka cannot be Tetrarch.
Thank you again Patrick Pepper
Thank you. My uncle McKenna Tom Northover went down with HMS Tetrarch. I have the various regrets from the King , "mentioned in dispatches" etc that my Aunt gave me before she died. A sad part of history, he was 28 years old.
Unfortunately, the above claim of a submarine graveyard at Tabarka is groundless. This has already been exposed as a hoax. None of these submarines ever operated in the Tabarka area. HMS Tetrarch route was along the southwest coast of Sicily (where she was to cross two Italian minefields) and hence to patrol off Cavoli Island (Sardinia) before proceeding to Gibraltar. Tabarka was only a fishing village at the time and held no interest to the belligerents.