Class

Orpheus (N 46)

Built By:	Beardmore (Clyde)
Build Group:	O2
Fate:	HMS Orpheus was declared overdue on 27th June 1940. The likely cause of her loss with all hands is that she was mined off Benghazi.

Orpheus in HK drydock abt. 1933

Shipâ€™s company 1935

Orpheus (N 46)

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Commanders

1933:	Lieutenant Commander	George Cunningham Paton Menzies
1938:	Lieutenant Commander	Charles James Blake
1940:	Lieutenant Commander	J A S Wise

1930-1931: Portsmouth.
1931-1939: China Station.
1939-1940 - 8th Flotilla: Lucia, Columbo.
1940-1942 - 1st Flotilla: Malta.

It should be noted that although some boats were attached to HMS Medway at Singapore, they often operated in a detached mode covering the China Station such as Hong Kong and even to the point of patrolling the Siberian Coast.

When on patrol, the daily fuel consumption for all overseas patrol classes, allowing 12 hours diving, 12 hours steaming at slow speed and eight hours charging, was given as 2.1 tons per day, except in Orpheus (the only vessel of the Odin Class to be fitted with a Vulcan clutch) where the consumption was 2.6 tons per day.

HMS Orpheus was based in the Far East with the 4th Submarine Flotilla at the outbreak of WWII. After completing five War Patrols in the Indian Ocean (one off Chagos, two off Chagos & the Maldives, one en-route to Madagascar from Colombo, Ceylon and a fifth one off Reunion) HMS Orpheus was also diverted to the Mediterranean in June 1940.

The Submarine went missing on her first Mediterranean War Patrol sometime after 2115 hours on 19th June 1940 when she sent her last signal. Orpheus was then en-route to Benghazi, Libya where she was to patrol until 1600 hours on 24th June 1940 and then return to Alexandria where she was due to arrive on 26th June 1940.

It has been claimed that HMS Orpheus was sunk on 19th June 1940 while on patrol about 25 nautical miles north of Tobruk, Libya in position 32º30'N, 24º00'E by the Italian destroyer Turbine but as this was before Orpheus sent her last signal this must be incorrect apart from the fact that Orpheus at that moment must still have been on passage to Benghazi. HMS Orpheus was declared overdue on 27th June 1940. The likely cause of her loss with all hands is that she was mined off Benghazi.

HMS Orpheus was the third submarine to be lost in the space of a week.

Roll of Honour

Allen, Donovan Joseph

D/JX 135712

Died: 27th Jun, 1940.

Aged: 24

Able Seaman

Allen, Stanley Charles

D/JX 140566

Died: 27th Jun, 1940.

Aged: 23

Leading Seaman

Armstrong, Joseph Durly

P/MX 46926

Died: 27th Jun, 1940.

Aged: 28

Engine Room Artificer 3rd Class

Ayers, William Frank

P/J 104425

Died: 27th Jun, 1940.

Aged: 35

Able Seaman

Bevis, Percy Aubrey

P/JX 127388

Died: 27th Jun, 1940.

Aged: 30

Leading Telegraphist

Biddulph, Percy

D/JX 135822

Died: 27th Jun, 1940.

Aged: 24

Petty Officer Telegraphist

Burtenshaw, Claude Wilfrid

D/KX 83687

Died: 27th Jun, 1940.

Aged: 30

Stoker 1st Class

Butler, Leonard William

D/KX 80445

Died: 27th Jun, 1940.

Aged: 28

Leading Stoker

Critchell, William James George

P/J 108154

Died: 27th Jun, 1940.

Aged: 33

Leading Seaman

Cross, Eric Keith

(Ex.Mx46621)

Died: 27th Jun, 1940.

Aged: 38

Warrant Engineer

Dance, James William

D/MX 46010

Died: 27th Jun, 1940.

Aged: 28

Engine Room Artificer 2nd Class

Davies, Cecil Thomas

Died: 27th Jun, 1940.

Aged: 29

Lieutenant

Dolton, Leslie Harold

P/KX 79513

Died: 27th Jun, 1940.

Aged: 30

Leading Stoker

Ellison, James William

C/JX 134273

Died: 27th Jun, 1940.

Aged: 25

Leading Telegraphist

Evans, Joseph Durly

C/JX 125744

Died: 27th Jun, 1940.

Aged: 29

Leading Signalman

Fawkes, Philip Francis

Died: 27th Jun, 1940.

Aged: 23

Lieutenant

Foreman, Charles Herbert Edwin

C/KX 87290

Died: 27th Jun, 1940.

Aged: 23

Leading Stoker

Forrester, William John

D/MX 51359

Died: 27th Jun, 1940.

Aged: 25

Leading Cook

Fox, Eric Sidney Stanley

C/JX 140025

Died: 27th Jun, 1940.

Aged: 21

Able Seaman

Gill, Robert Victor

P/MX 51228

Died: 27th Jun, 1940.

Aged: 26

Engine Room Artificer 3rd Class

Glanvill, Frank

D/JX 139363

Died: 27th Jun, 1940.

Aged: 22

Able Seaman

Hardaker, Gordon

C/J 113288

Died: 27th Jun, 1940.

Aged: 31

Chief Petty Officer Telegraphist

Hawkins, Albert Henry

D/KX 86050

Died: 27th Jun, 1940.

Aged: 23

Stoker 1st Class

Jones, William Charles

C/K 65765

Died: 27th Jun, 1940.

Aged: 33

Stoker Petty Officer

Kellaway, Leslie Reginald

D/JX 130873

Died: 27th Jun, 1940.

Aged: 29

Able Seaman

Kemp, William Henry

P/KX 80758

Died: 27th Jun, 1940.

Aged: 28

Leading Stoker

Kitson, James

C/MX 46150

Died: 27th Jun, 1940.

Aged: 36

Engine Room Artificer 1st Class

Lumby, Roy

P/KX 76361

Died: 27th Jun, 1940.

Aged: 32

Stoker 1st Class

Manuel, William John

C/J 112460

Died: 27th Jun, 1940.

Aged: 31

Petty Officer

Martin, George Gilbert

C/JX 152148

Died: 27th Jun, 1940.

Aged: 24

Petty Officer

McGrath, Michael

D/SSX 17773

Died: 27th Jun, 1940.

Aged: 24

Able Seaman

McLean, Arthur Wedmore

P/KX 80825

Died: 27th Jun, 1940.

Aged: 28

Leading Stoker

McLoughlin, Noel

D/KX 80968

Died: 27th Jun, 1940.

Aged: 27

Stoker 1st Class

McNally, James Edward

C.KX 88352

Died: 27th Jun, 1940.

Aged: 22

Leading Stoker

North, William

D/JX 136514

Died: 27th Jun, 1940.

Aged: 25

Leading Seaman

Pallister, Harry

P/KX 85505

Died: 27th Jun, 1940.

Aged: 28

Leading Stoker

Penfound, Leonard Charles Henry

D/M 38828

Died: 27th Jun, 1940.

Aged: 30

Chief Engine Room Artificer

Perry, Edwin George

P/JX 131807

Born: 27th Dec, 1912.

Died: 27th Jun, 1940.

Aged: 27

Able Seaman

Phelps, Richard Henry

P/KX 79196

Died: 27th Jun, 1940.

Aged: 33

Stoker Petty Officer

Pickthall, Thomas

D/KX 90145

Died: 27th Jun, 1940.

Aged: 23

Stoker 1st Class

Powell, William John

C/JX 128451

Died: 27th Jun, 1940.

Aged: 30

Able Seaman

Reeson, Frank

C/JX 129337

Died: 27th Jun, 1940.

Aged: 28

Leading Seaman

Roberts, Harold Maynard

D/M 38395

Died: 27th Jun, 1940.

Aged: 31

Engine Room Artificer 2nd Class

Robertson, Frank Sheed

D/KX 85172

Died: 27th Jun, 1940.

Aged: 24

Leading Stoker

Salt, Bert Frederick

C/JX 139996

Died: 27th Jun, 1940.

Aged: 22

Leading Seaman

Scott, Thomas Norman

P/J 84952

Died: 27th Jun, 1940.

Aged: 37

Chief Petty Officer

Strawbridge, Reginald John James

D/J 107440

Died: 27th Jun, 1940.

Aged: 33

Telegraphist

Symonds, John Davey

Died: 27th Jun, 1940.

Aged: 21

Sub Lieutenant

Tott, Frederick Reginald

P/J 101298

Died: 27th Jun, 1940.

Aged: 34

Petty Officer

Venning, Leslie Charles

D/KX 86974

Died: 27th Jun, 1940.

Aged: 23

Stoker 1st Class

Waddell, Robert

C/SSX 16268

Died: 27th Jun, 1940.

Aged: 24

Able Seaman

Watts, Ernest Henry

P/KX 82231

Died: 27th Jun, 1940.

Aged: 26

Leading Stoker

Wise, James Anthony Surtees

Died: 27th Jun, 1940.

Aged: 32

Lieutenant Commander

Commanding Officer

Wood, Frank Herbert

D/JX 136989

Died: 27th Jun, 1940.

Aged: 24

Leading Seaman

Events

14-04-1927	Laid Down

26-02-1929	Launched

23-09-1930	Completed

27-06-1940	Declared overdue. The likely cause of her loss with all hands is that she was mined off Benghazi.

Official

O2 Specification

Length overall	283 ft 6 inch
Beam	30 ft
Depth	16 ft 11 7/8 inch
Displacement	1781 tons (surface)
	2038 tons (submerged)
Diving Depth	500 ft
Speed	Surface 17 to 17.5 knots (design) 17.5 knots (service) / Submerged 9 knots (design) 8 knots (service)
No. of shafts	2
Propeller	3 blades, 6ft 5in dia
Endurance	Surface: 14000 miles at 8 knots (design)
	Surface: 1400 miles at 8 knots (service)
	Submerged: 60 miles at 4 knots (design)
	Submerged: 8 miles at 8 knots, 52 miles at 4 knots (service)
Armament	6 x 21 inch bow tubes
	2 x 21 inch stern tubes
	(14 torpedoes carried)
	1 x 4 inch gun
Complement	53

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