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Parthian (N 75)

Built By: Chatham Dockyard (Medway)
Build Group: P
Fate: Lost after striking a mine in southern Adriatic on 6th August 1943.

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Parthian
Parthian
Parthian (N 75)
Parthian (N 75)
Parthian and Olympus
Parthian and Olympus
Commanders

1930-1931: Portsmouth.
1931-1940: China Station.
1940-1941 1st Flotilla: HMS Medway, Alexandria.
1941-1942: Refit in USA.
1942-1943: Mediterranean.

It should be noted that boats attached to 1st Flotilla in Alexandria were likely to spend much of their time at Malta even though Malta had been given up as a submarine base due to the air attacks. Although submarines did still operate from Malta during this period the 10th Flotilla was not recognised as such until September 1941.

1941 - Sinks or damages three transport of 12,600 tons.

July/October/November 1942 - Employed on the "Magic Carpet" run to Malta.

Adoption

By Dr Peter Schofield

Warship Week Plaque
Warship Week Plaque
Adoption Plaque presented by the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to the Borough of Boston, Lincolnshire. To commemorate the adoption of HMS Parthian during Warship Week, March 21st 1942
Adoption Plaque presented by the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to the Borough of Boston, Lincolnshire. To commemorate the adoption of HMS Parthian during Warship Week, March 21st 1942
Lincolnshire Standard and Boston Guardian, Saturday 2 May 1942
Lord Kindersley, president of the National Savings Committee, has sent the following letter to the Mayor of Boston: Dear Mr. Mayor I am writing to ask you to accept personally and to convey to all others who have contributed to the success of Boston Warship Week my warmest thanks and appreciation. This special effort, resulting in the adoption of HMS Parthian will not only force a closer link between the people of Boston and the Royal Navy, but will also provide a lasting record of their patriotism.

Although plaques were exchanged in early February 1943, the likelihood is that the presentation plaque never reached Parthian as she would have been on active service. Parthian was lost later that year. However, the presentation plaque remains.

Lincoln Standard and Boston Guardian, Saturday 27 November 1943
A Rural District Committee is making excellent progress in its efforts to stimulate the Savings Campaign in the country areas following the formation of the Committee as a separate organisation, with the task of raising the sum of £225,000 in savings in the thirteen weeks ending on the 31 January, 1944. This figure represents half the cost of replacing HMS Parthian, which was adopted by the town and district in Warship Week 1942, and was unfortunately lost earlier this year. A public meeting will be held at the Town Hall, Kirton. when Mr. H W Butcher, MP. will inaugurate the new Parthian campaign.

Boston Municipal District and Rural District Warship Week was held 14-21 March 1942 when £342,287 was raised in National Savings. Note: A second adoption plaque presented to the Rural District exists somewhere.

Roll of Honour

67
Died: 06-08-1943
Adamson, Henry George Owen  C/JX 145339
Telegraphist Born: 24-02-1920 Died: 06-08-1943 Aged: 23
Aldred, Alfred Herbert  C/J 97729
Able Seaman Died: 06-08-1943 Aged: 39
Barnsdale, Charles Frederick  P/JX 203397
Able Seaman Died: 06-08-1943 Aged: 26
Bond, Richard Henry  P/JX 144731
Petty Officer Died: 06-08-1943 Aged: 23
Bullen, Walter  D/SSX 16368
Able Seaman Died: 06-08-1943 Aged: 29
Chalmers, John  P/KX 79304
Stoker Petty Officer Died: 06-08-1943 Aged: 36
Clasper, Henry  C/KX 106419
Stoker 1st Class Died: 06-08-1943 Aged: 27
Cleary, James Patterson  P/SSX 26433
Leading Seaman Died: 06-08-1943 Aged: 23
Crane, Gladwin  C/JX 156254
Petty Officer Died: 06-08-1943 Aged: 22
Currell, Ronald Ernest William  DSM C/KX 107159
Stoker 1st Class Died: 06-08-1943 Aged: 23
Denby, Eric  P/SSX 15134
Petty Officer Died: 06-08-1943 Aged: 29
Dennis, Frank  DSM P/JX 12663
Petty Officer Died: 06-08-1943 Aged: 22
Doran, Edward James  D/JX 161271
Able Seaman Died: 06-08-1943 Aged: 20
Elnor, Edward  P/KX 134891
Stoker 1st Class Born: 01-04-1921 Died: 06-08-1943 Aged: 22
Ethell, Frederick  C/JX 147570
Leading Telegraphist Died: 06-08-1943 Aged: 23
Fay, Owen Clement  C/KX 134852
Stoker 1st Class Died: 06-08-1943 Aged: 20
Ford, Peter  D/JX 151156
Yeoman of Signals Died: 06-08-1943 Aged: 22
Forster, Lawrence  C/SSX 27324
Leading Seaman Died: 06-08-1943 Aged: 22
Gibson, Henry  D/SSX 28717
Able Seaman Died: 06-08-1943 Aged: 22
Gibson, Wesley  D/JX 149209
Able Seaman Died: 06-08-1943 Aged: 23
Gilliam, Frederick  P/KX 136124
Stoker 1st Class Died: 06-08-1943 Aged: 24
Goodwin, John Charles  C/JX 164968
Petty Officer Died: 06-08-1943 Aged: 40
Also had Service Number Ex.J86924
Goodwin, John Frederick  (RNVR)
Sub Lieutenant Died: 06-08-1943 Aged: 24
Grainger, David  P/SSX 22974
Able Seaman Died: 06-08-1943 Aged: 23
Green, Harold  C/JX 130775
Petty Officer Telegraphist Died: 06-08-1943 Aged: 31
Hall, Ernest Marland  P/MX 88746
Engine Room Artificer 4th Class Died: 06-08-1943 Aged: 26
Hannah, Walter Sidney  C/KX 136677
Stoker 1st Class Died: 06-08-1943 Aged: 20
Hanson, Walter  D/KX 93319
Stoker 1st Class Died: 06-08-1943 Aged: 23
Haywood, Frederick Clifford  P/KX 135578
Stoker 1st Class Died: 06-08-1943 Aged: 23
Heaton, James  DSM C/JX 223596
Able Seaman Died: 06-08-1943 Aged: 25
Heenan, Thomas Michael Halpin  C/JX 208177
Able Seaman Died: 06-08-1943 Aged: 27
Hetherington, Ronald  D/JX 257390
Able Seaman Died: 06-08-1943 Aged: 32
Hill, Bryan David  P/JX 146413
Able Seaman Died: 06-08-1943 Aged: 23
Holman, Harold  C/KX 134907
Stoker 1st Class Died: 06-08-1943 Aged: 21
Imrie, Douglas  P/SSX 20542
Able Seaman Died: 06-08-1943 Aged: 24
Jacob, Lionel Claude Nathaniel  C/SMX 19
Engine Room Artificer 4th Class Died: 06-08-1943 Aged: 28
Jones, Edward Thomas  P/JX 234590
Able Seaman Died: 06-08-1943 Aged: 22
Jones, James  D/KX 114491
Stoker 1st Class Died: 06-08-1943 Aged: 23
Jones, Samuel  D/KX 130579
Stoker 2nd Class Died: 06-08-1943 Aged: 21
Keenan, Peter  P/MX 49153
Petty Officer Cook Died: 06-08-1943 Aged: 29
Lightfoot, Frank  C/KX 80765
Petty Officer Died: 06-08-1943 Aged: 22
McCabe, John  MID P/SSX 23239
Able Seaman Died: 06-08-1943 Aged: 23
McCaig, James  D/LX 26009
Leading Steward Died: 06-08-1943 Aged: 23
Official number in ADM140_133 is D/SLX 20
Nunn, Albert  D/MX 59141
Engine Room Artificer 4th Class Died: 06-08-1943 Aged: 23
Palmer, George Walter  C/JX 162289
Telegraphist Died: 06-08-1943 Aged: 20
Pardoe, Cyril Astell  (RNR)
Lieutenant Died: 06-08-1943 Aged: 31
Parker, Kenneth Henry  D/JX 208617
Able Seaman Died: 06-08-1943 Aged: 23
Potter, Dennis Walter  P/MX 78677
Engine Room Artificer 4th Class Died: 06-08-1943 Aged: 22
Price, Alfred Kenneth  MID D/KX 85715
Petty Officer Died: 06-08-1943 Aged: 27
Rumble, Joseph  P/SSX 16820
Petty Officer Died: 06-08-1943 Aged: 27
Smithson, John  P/JX 235991
Able Seaman Died: 06-08-1943 Aged: 21
Speed, Frederick Alexander  (RNZN) NZ 3753
Able Seaman Died: 06-08-1943 Aged: 21
Starkey, James Edward  C/JX 232123
Ordinary Telegraphist Died: 06-08-1943 Aged: 23
Stewart, Frederick Arthur John  C/KX 113741
Stoker 1st Class Died: 06-08-1943 Aged: 26
Sykes, John Cleveland  D/MX 56722
Engine Room Artificer 3rd Class Died: 06-08-1943 Aged: 30
Tallis, Reginald George  P/KX 93121
Leading Stoker Died: 06-08-1943 Aged: 26
Toogood, John William  P/KX 132374
Stoker 1st Class Died: 06-08-1943 Aged: 30
Von Bergen, Mark Allen 
Lieutenant Died: 06-08-1943 Aged: 22
Walker, John Timothy Ryder 
Sub Lieutenant Died: 06-08-1943 Aged: 23
Wallis, Morris Stanley  D/M 38846
Engine Room Artificer 1st Class Died: 06-08-1943 Aged: 33
Webb, Frederick James  P/JX 282232
Able Seaman Died: 06-08-1943 Aged: 20
Weir, James Collins  P/JX 156663
Leading Telegraphist Died: 06-08-1943 Aged: 20
Wheble, Roy De la Force  MID D/MX 56474
Engine Room Artificer 3rd Class Died: 06-08-1943 Aged: 25
Whincup, Albert Lewis  C/KX 94539
Leading Stoker Died: 06-08-1943 Aged: 27
Wilson, John Robert  P/SSX 24567
Leading Seaman Died: 06-08-1943 Aged: 23
Wolfe, George Alex  C/MX 76034
Engine Room Artificer 3rd Class Died: 06-08-1943 Aged: 23
Worthington, Frederick  P/KX 111894
Stoker 1st Class Died: 06-08-1943 Aged: 23

Events

30-06-1928 Laid Down
26-06-1929 Launched
13-01-1931 Completed
20-06-1940 Scored the first hit in the Mediterranean when sinking the Italian submarine Diamante off Tobruk
20-07-1940 HMS Parthian landed an agent on Crete
30-08-1940 Unsuccessful attack on Italian cruiser force
25-06-1941 HMS Parthian torpedoes and sinks the French submarine Souffleur during the Syrian campaign.
06-08-1943 Mined & sunk in Mediterranean

In July HMS Parthian sailed from Malta for a patrol in the southern Adriatic. On the 26th she was ordered to patrol off Capo Otranto. This order was cancelled on the 28th when a new patrol area was given. The submarine was signalled on 6th August to leave the patrol. This signal was not acknowledged and not further contact was made with the submarine. Parthian was due to arrive at Beirut on 11th August, her failure to do so was probably caused by a mine on or around 6th August.
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