| Built By: | Beardmore (Clyde) |
| Build Group: | E3 |
| Fate: | Scrapped in December 1921. |
8th Flotilla. Harwich.
1917 - Vulcan Flotilla. HMS Vulcan, Queenstown, Ireland.
1917 - Ambrose Flotilla. HMS Ambrose, Bantry Bay, Ireland.
1918 - Ambrose Flotilla. HMS Ambrose, Portsmouth.
Roll of Honour |
1
|
| Crust, George William |
|
|||||
| Leading Seaman | ||||||
| It is reported that he committed suicide. | ||||||
| 01-02-1915 | Laid Down |
| 30-03-1916 | Launched |
| 01-05-1916 | Completed |
| 21-08-1916 | Sank the UC10 under the command of Albrecht in the North Sea. |
| 01-05-1917 | Sank the U81 under the command of Weisbach in the Atlantic under conflicting circumstances. One claim is that U81's crew were carrying out their ablutions on the upper deck, one crew member using the bucket. Raikes is reputed to have stated ('I saved him the trouble of using toilet paper'), this has since been proved untrue. The second claim is that U81 was at action stations because the boat was engaged in sinking a steamer when E54's torpedo struck her. |
It is indeed a far cry from Blyth on the east coast of England to Kimberley in Griqualand West, South Africa, and a long span of time, over sixty-two years, since I was a boy-telegraphist (wireless operator) serving on HM Submarine J3 part of the tenth submarine flotilla stationed at Blyth.
During the bleak, heartbreaking days of early 1942, when beleaguered Malta was reeling under bombardment and blockade and Rommel was making his last desperate thrust towards Egypt, only one British submarine was operating in the western Mediterranean - the tiny, 600-ton Unbroken.
In twelve months in the Med, Unbroken sank over 30,000 tons of enemy shipping, took part in four secret operations, three successful gun actions, and survived a total of over 400 depth charges, as well as innumerable air and surface attacks.
This account of the 26-year-old Alastair Mars' command of this outstandingly successful submarine embraces her construction, sea trials and voyage to Gibraltar preparatory to her vital role in the Mediterranean. Once there, she was responsible for the destruction of two Italian cruisers and played a pivotal part in Operation Pedestal, the convoy that saved Malta from surrender.
Alastair Mars writes simply and without pretension, and his words evoke the claustrophobic yet heroic world of the submariner.
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It is indeed a far cry from Blyth on the east coast of England to Kimberley in Griqualand West, South Africa, and a long span of time, over sixty-two years, since I was a boy-telegraphist (wireless operator) serving on HM Submarine J3 part of the tenth submarine flotilla stationed at Blyth.
During the bleak, heartbreaking days of early 1942, when beleaguered Malta was reeling under bombardment and blockade and Rommel was making his last desperate thrust towards Egypt, only one British submarine was operating in the western Mediterranean - the tiny, 600-ton Unbroken.
In twelve months in the Med, Unbroken sank over 30,000 tons of enemy shipping, took part in four secret operations, three successful gun actions, and survived a total of over 400 depth charges, as well as innumerable air and surface attacks.
This account of the 26-year-old Alastair Mars' command of this outstandingly successful submarine embraces her construction, sea trials and voyage to Gibraltar preparatory to her vital role in the Mediterranean. Once there, she was responsible for the destruction of two Italian cruisers and played a pivotal part in Operation Pedestal, the convoy that saved Malta from surrender.
Alastair Mars writes simply and without pretension, and his words evoke the claustrophobic yet heroic world of the submariner.
13 pages added or updated in the last 1 month
Please help to maintain this site by reporting any Errors, Broken Links, Information or Site Issues on this page using this button
If you find this site useful, please consider supporting my work with a small Donation.
Please Note: Donations made using this option go directly to the site owner and not to the Submariners Association.
Thankyou for your support.
Comments
Comment by: Ian Wallace on October 9th, 2025
I can confirm that Leading Seaman Crust died by suicide. He used a signal gun that was available in the conning tower where he was on duty. The effect was to blow a large part of his head off. My wife's grandfather was responsible for cleaning parts of his brain up which were scattered over the conning tower. I understand this event happened while E54 was in harbour.
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