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Unbroken (P42)
| Built By: | Vickers (Barrow) |
| Build Group: | U Group 2 |
| Fate: | Scrapped in May 1950 at Gateshead. |
Unbroken (P42)
ex P42(ii) Served with Russian Navy as B2 from 1944-49
HMS Unbroken was part of the "Fighting Tenth" the Tenth Submarine Flotilla which was based in Malta during the war.
Adoption
By Dr Peter Schofield
 Warship Plaque presented by the Lord Commissioners of the Admiralty to Amersham Rural District Council to commemorate the adoption of HMS P42 (HMS Unbroken) during Warship Week, March 1942 |
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Held by Amersham Museum |
Bucks Herald, Friday 16 July 1943
In March last year the Amersham District Warship Week raised over half-a-million pounds and this amount provided a new submarine. A newly-built vessel, HMS Unbroken, was allotted to the district and was placed in commission soon afterwards. The commemorative plaques which mark the occasion, one of which will adorn the Amersham Rural District Council and the other to be installed in the submarine, should have been formally handed over during Wings for Victory Week, but difficulties arose which prevented the function being held. Arrangements for the ceremony are progressing and the handing over will, it is hoped be carried out shortly. In the meantime, HMS Unbroken has made naval war history, and under the command of 28-year old Alastair Mars, DSO, she has recorded a bag of four supply ships and a tanker, sunk in the Mediterranean, two cruisers put out of action, three attacks of railways and bridges and four other special operations. The vessel and her gallant crew have survived more than 300 depth charges all around the submarine.
Amersham and District Warship Week was held 14-21 March 1942, where they raised £540,216 in National Savings.
Events
| 30-12-1940 : | Laid Down |
| 04-11-1941 : | Launched |
| 29-01-1942 : | Completed |
| 21-04-1942 : | Lands two secret agents near Antibes (France) HMS Unbroken silently slipped towards the French coastline. On board were operatives from the Special Operations Executive (SOE), the Wartime intelligence agency tasked with espionage, reconnaissance and sabotage in occupied Europe. Under the daring command of Alistair Mars, HMS Unbroken successfully delivered the Wartime agents, led by Peter Churchill, to Antibes bay. Churchill was able to link up with the French Resistance and carry the fight to the Nazi occupiers. Led by Peter Churchill, the SOE agents used inflatable boats to paddle from the submarine in Antibes bay to the shore. From there they made their way to the French Resistance, bringing them directives, helping to improve their communications, and arranging help for those brave fighters who had been arrested. Peter Churchill’s exploits were later portrayed by Trevor Howard in the 1950 film "Odette". |
| 26-04-1942 : | HMS Unbroken damages the Italian sailing vessel Vale Formoso II with gunfire off Bordighera, Liguria, Italy. |
| 08-08-1942 : | HMS Unbroken fires two torpedoes at the Italian merchant Algerino off Capri. Both torpedoes missed their target. |
| 13-08-1942 : | HMS Unbroken torpedoes and damages the Italian heavy cruiser Bolzano and the Italian light cruiser Muzio Attendolo in the Ionian Sea off the north coast of Sicily. |
| 19-10-1942 : | HMS Unbroken torpedoes and damages the Italian merchant Titania north-west of Tripoi, Libya. |
| 19-01-1943 : | HMS Unbroken torpedoes and sinks the Italian merchant Edda near Gerba, Tunisia. |
| 03-03-1943 : | HMS Unbroken attacks the German destroyer Hermes with torpedoes about 20 nautical miles south of Cape Saprtivento. The torpedoes miss. |
| 04-03-1943 : | HMS Unbroken torpedoes and damages the German tanker Regina off Punta Stilo, Sicily, Italy. |
| 22-03-1943 : | HMS Unbroken torpedoes and sinks the Italian auxiliary minesweeper No. 17/Milano off Cape San Vito, Sicily, Italy. |
| 19-05-1943 : | HMS Unbroken torpedoes and sinks the Italian pilot vessel F 20/Enrica 3 nautical miles off Pizzo Calabro. |
| 21-05-1943 : | HMS Unbroken torpedoes and sinks the Italian merchant Bologna 8 nautical miles off Capo Vaticano. |
Comments
1 comment
| There is a memorial dedicated to P42 "Unbroken" and Peter Churchill's mission on the shore at Antibes Bay. Pictures are available online. Peter Sargeant Thu, 22 Apr 2021 |
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