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Home → Boats → Submarines → H Class → H31

H 31

Built By: Vickers (Barrow)
Build Group: H21
Fate: At the time that the German Battle Cruisers Scharnhorst and Prinz Eugen were expected to leave Breast, H31 was sent to form part of a circle of submarines around the French Port. H31 was escorted as far as the Wolfe Rock and left her escort on 19th December 1941.

Nothing more was seen or heard of H31 which was presumed lost in the Atlantic along the Northwest Coast of Spain. There were no survivors.
Alecto with submarines H47, H28, H31 and H50 alongside at Portland in 1942
Alecto with submarines H47, H28, H31 and H50 alongside at Portland in 1942
H31
H31

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Commanders
1922: Lieutenant   Ralph Adam Nicholson
1927: Lieutenant   William Richmond Fell
1929: Lieutenant   William Cowley Thomas
1930: Lieutenant   Hugh Geary Cooke
1939: Lieutenant   Peter Ronald Ward
1939: Lieutenant Commander   William Richmond Fell OBE
1940: Lieutenant   Richard Evelyn Coltart
1940: Lieutenant   Reginald Denis Whiteway-Wilkinson DSC
1940: Lieutenant   Malcolm David Wanklyn
1940: Lieutenant   Rowland John Hemingway
1941: Lieutenant   Frank Bridger Gibbs MID
1941: Lieutenant   Rowland John Hemingway DSC

Roll of Honour
33
 
Bailey, Joseph Stanley  C/KX 117457
Died: 24th Dec, 1941.
Stoker 1st Class Aged: 24
ADM104/127 P144 Service number is given as C/JX 227846
Bartlett, Edward  P/K 65556
Died: 24th Dec, 1941.
Stoker Petty Officer Aged: 39
Benson, Ronald  C/JX 277411
Died: 24th Dec, 1941.
Ordinary Telegraphist Aged: 22
ADM104/127 P282 Service number is given as C/JX 190448
Campbell, Peter Donald Nathaniel  (RNR)
Died: 24th Dec, 1941.
Sub Lieutenant Aged: 28
Carson, John Harris  P/SKX 224
Died: 24th Dec, 1941.
Stoker 2nd Class Aged: 20
Champion, Charles Henry Bernard  DSM P/JX 132918
Died: 24th Dec, 1941.
Able Seaman Aged: 28
Corry, James  D/KX 90385
Died: 24th Dec, 1941.
Leading Stoker Aged: 30
Crager, Alfred John  C/MX 76209
Died: 24th Dec, 1941.
Engine Room Artificer 5th Class Aged: 20
Doughty, Harold  P/SSX 23412
Died: 24th Dec, 1941.
Able Seaman Aged: 21
Dowdell, Frank Harold George  P/JX 161520
Died: 24th Dec, 1941.
Telegraphist Aged: 18
Ensby, Albert Edward  D/JX 212952
Died: 24th Dec, 1941.
Able Seaman Aged: 24
ADM104/130 P1209 Service number is given as D/JX 221299
Eynon, Maurice  (RNVR)
Died: 24th Dec, 1941.
Lieutenant Aged: 35
Fraser, Allan  C/MX 70093
Died: 24th Dec, 1941.
Engine Room Artificer 4th Class Aged: 23
Gibbs, Frank Bridger  MID
Died: 24th Dec, 1941.
Lieutenant Aged: 27
Commanding Officer
Goodman, Levi Thomas  P/J 67558
Died: 24th Dec, 1941.
Leading Seaman Aged: 41
Grainger, Joseph James  D/SKX 1220
Died: 24th Dec, 1941.
Stoker 2nd Class Aged: 20
Harley, William Leonard George  C/JX 190830
Died: 24th Dec, 1941.
Telegraphist Aged: 25
Holroyd, Wilfred  C/K 64818
Died: 24th Dec, 1941.
Leading Stoker Aged: 28
Hurley, John Bartle  P/JX 263581
Died: 24th Dec, 1941.
Able Seaman Aged: 20
ADM104/132 P1209 Service number is given as P/JX 203581
Jarvis, Eric Newton  C/M 38817
Died: 24th Dec, 1941.
Chief Engine Room Artificer Aged: 32
Jarvis, Kenneth Sylvester  C/JX 178820
Died: 24th Dec, 1941.
Able Seaman Aged: 23
Jones, Norman Cyril  C/SSX 34101
Died: 24th Dec, 1941.
Signalman Aged: 19
Maynard, Arthur Edward  C/SSX 32166
Died: 24th Dec, 1941.
Able Seaman Aged: 20
Merritt, Alexander Ian  (RNZN)
Died: 24th Dec, 1941.
Lieutenant Aged: 23
Morse, Robert Frederick  C/JX 233982
Died: 24th Dec, 1941.
Ordinary Signaller Aged: 20
Munns, Sidney William Thomas  C/J 91162
Died: 24th Dec, 1941.
Able Seaman Aged: 40
O, Wilfred Augustine  P/J 20699
Died: 24th Dec, 1941.
Leading Telegraphist Aged: 45
Richards, John Conway  P/JX 141477
Died: 24th Dec, 1941.
Able Seaman Aged: 22
Rollins, Stanley Edward  C/MX 92306
Died: 24th Dec, 1941.
Engine Room Artificer 4th Class Aged: 21
Smith, Alexander  P/JX 154288
Died: 24th Dec, 1941.
Able Seaman Aged: 26
Spencer, Dennis  C/JX 126519
Died: 24th Dec, 1941.
Petty Officer Aged: 31
Stamper, John McGregor  C/KX 91029
Died: 24th Dec, 1941.
Leading Stoker Aged: 23
Truckle, Major Thomas  C/JX 136099
Died: 24th Dec, 1941.
Petty Officer Aged: 33

Events

 19-04-1917   Laid Down
 16-11-1918   Launched
 21-02-1919   Completed
 18-07-1940   Sank UJ-126 in the North Sea
 24-12-1941   HMS H-31 sunk by mine in Bay of Biscay

In December 1941 news was received of a possible break out from Brest, by the German battleships Scharnhorst, Gneisenau and Prinz Eugen. In expectation of this eight submarines were sent to the area but although the breakout did not take place, H31 failed to return. The submarine had sailed from Falmouth on 19th December. She was requested to signal her position on the 24th but did not do so.
Comments

Comment by: Richard Waring on May 18th, 2022

Between 24 April to 13 June and 15 July to 31 August of 1941, HMS H31 was at HMS Ferret Londonderry for A/S Exercises.

My Grandfather & Grandmother had a Sailors Home for tea/lunch & the sailors from H31 were among them. My grandmother took it very hard when H31 was reported missing in 1942. They lived above the EBNI showroom in Strabane, Co. Tyrone. Grandfather oversaw the electrical supply to HMS Ferret. He was in the RN from 1915 until 1928 and then the RNR until 1938

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