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Regulus (N 88)

Built By: Vickers (Barrow)
Build Group: R2
Fate: Lost, possibly mined in the Guild of Taranto 26 November 1940.

Regulus (N 88)

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Ex 88R Served in Chinese waters until being sent to the Mediterranean in 1940.

1930-1931: Portsmouth
1931-1935: Mediterranean.
1935-1940: China Station.
1937 - 4th Flotilla: HMS Medway, Hong Kong.
1938 - 4th Flotilla: HMS Medway, Hong Kong.
1939 - 4th Flotilla: HMS Medway, Singapore
1940 - 1st Flotilla: HMS Medway, Alexandria.
1940: Mediterranean.

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 and 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.

Roll of Honour

55
Baker, George Francis Charles
C/M 38805
Died: 26th Nov, 1940.
Aged: 31
Chief Engine Room Artificer
Bellamy, Leslie Waeghe
C/JX 141684
Died: 26th Nov, 1940.
Aged: 22
Able Seaman
Blair, William Albert
P/KX 86257
Died: 26th Nov, 1940.
Aged: 25
Stoker 1st Class
Brown, William
D/KX 88989
Died: 26th Nov, 1940.
Aged: 28
Stoker 1st Class
Bulger, Cecil
C/MX 48563
Died: 26th Nov, 1940.
Aged: 25
Engine Room Artificer 3rd Class
Burton, John Thomas
C/JX 13005
Died: 26th Nov, 1940.
Aged: 29
Petty Officer
Coe-Smith, Harry
C/JX 1282257
Died: 26th Nov, 1940.
Aged: 29
Chief Petty Officer
Born Smith, Harry. Served as Coe-Smith, Harry
Currie, Frederick Basil
Died: 26th Nov, 1940.
Aged: 32
Lieutenant Commander
Commanding Officer
Davis, Frederick James
P/KX 79005
Died: 26th Nov, 1940.
Aged: 33
Stoker Petty Officer
Dudd, Percy Charles George
D/SSX 17399
Died: 26th Nov, 1940.
Aged: 22
Able Seaman
Duffay, Owen Vernon Hugh
D/J 111996
Died: 26th Nov, 1940.
Aged: 32
Petty Officer
Fielden, William Ralph
(Ex.M18332)
Died: 26th Nov, 1940.
Aged: 40
Warrant Engineer
Forrester, George Wettin
C/KX 84677
Died: 26th Nov, 1940.
Aged: 25
Leading Stoker
Green, Anthony Moulton
Died: 26th Nov, 1940.
Aged: 24
Lieutenant
Hackett, Frederick George
C/J 96353
Died: 26th Nov, 1940.
Aged: 36
Able Seaman
Hitchcock, Ronald George
D/MX 45291
Died: 26th Nov, 1940.
Aged: 30
Engine Room Artificer 2nd Class
Hopcroft, Thomas George
C/JX 134065
Died: 26th Nov, 1940.
Aged: 26
Able Seaman
Horwood, Eric Stanley
C/M 38742
Died: 26th Nov, 1940.
Aged: 31
Engine Room Artificer 2nd Class
Johnson, Frederick
P/K 61069
Died: 26th Nov, 1940.
Aged: 25
Stoker Petty Officer
Jones, Stanley Frederick
D/JX 125397
Died: 26th Nov, 1940.
Aged: 30
Petty Officer
King, Alfred George
C/JX 111194
Died: 26th Nov, 1940.
Aged: 32
Leading Seaman
Kirby, Norman Vincent
C/JX 131229
Died: 26th Nov, 1940.
Aged: 29
Leading Signalman
Kirby, William Eric
P/JX 133601
Died: 26th Nov, 1940.
Aged: 27
Leading Telegraphist
Leech, Arthur James
D/JX 126602
Died: 26th Nov, 1940.
Aged: 30
Leading Seaman
Mack, Frank Cecil Howard
P/J 107637
Died: 26th Nov, 1940.
Aged: 33
Telegraphist
Mann, Donald Alfred William George
C/JX 134823
Died: 26th Nov, 1940.
Aged: 25
Petty Officer
Manton, Thomas
D/KX 80436
Died: 26th Nov, 1940.
Aged: 28
Stoker 1st Class
McAteer, Robert Bateson Pelan
D/MX 48386
Died: 26th Nov, 1940.
Aged: 28
Petty Officer Cook
McCombe, Ronald Booth
D/JX 134852
Died: 26th Nov, 1940.
Aged: 25
Petty Officer Telegraphist
McGhee, Edward
D/KX 81015
Died: 26th Nov, 1940.
Aged: 28
Leading Stoker
McMilling, James Andrew
C/JX 141127
Died: 26th Nov, 1940.
Aged: 21
Leading Seaman
Mitchell, Jack Hardy
C/JX 136589
Died: 26th Nov, 1940.
Aged: 25
Leading Telegraphist
Morton, Robert James
P/KX 82410
Died: 26th Nov, 1940.
Aged: 26
Stoker 1st Class
Mullens, John Henry
P/M 27287
Died: 26th Nov, 1940.
Aged: 38
Chief Engine Room Artificer
Muntz, Sir Gerard Philip Graves
Died: 26th Nov, 1940.
Aged: 23
Lieutenant
Norris, Phillips William George
D/JX 135340
Died: 26th Nov, 1940.
Aged: 25
Leading Seaman
Perry, William John
C/J 102887
Died: 26th Nov, 1940.
Aged: 37
Able Seaman
Pretty, Roy
C/SSX 17634
Died: 26th Nov, 1940.
Aged: 22
Able Seaman
Pringle, Norman
C/KX 77504
Died: 26th Nov, 1940.
Aged: 32
Stoker Petty Officer
Richardson, Joseph Benjamin Greenly
D/J 112709
Died: 26th Nov, 1940.
Aged: 31
Leading Seaman
Robertson, Andrew Middleton
C/KX 83546
Died: 26th Nov, 1940.
Aged: 30
Leading Stoker
Round, Oliver Charles
Died: 26th Nov, 1940.
Aged: 22
Lieutenant
Shaw, William
C/KX 87397
Died: 26th Nov, 1940.
Aged: 23
Stoker 1st Class
Smith, Ernest David
P/JX 128860
Died: 26th Nov, 1940.
Aged: 29
Leading Seaman
Smith, John Frederick
C/JX 129001
Died: 26th Nov, 1940.
Aged: 29
Petty Officer Telegraphist
Sylvester, Eric
C/KX 81691
Died: 26th Nov, 1940.
Aged: 27
Leading Stoker
Targett, Arthur Leslie John
P/J 94664
Died: 26th Nov, 1940.
Aged: 37
Petty Officer
Tulip, Thomas Edward
P/KX 85026
Died: 26th Nov, 1940.
Aged: 24
Leading Stoker
Twine, William
P/KX 84010
Died: 26th Nov, 1940.
Aged: 25
Stoker 1st Class
Walker, Maxwell
P/MX 49774
Died: 26th Nov, 1940.
Aged: 29
Engine Room Artificer 2nd Class
Wescott, Joseph Ernest
D/KX 80657
Died: 26th Nov, 1940.
Aged: 28
Leading Stoker
White, George Francis
P/JX 158379
Died: 26th Nov, 1940.
Aged: 35
Petty Officer
Ex.J100174
Whyte, John
P/KX 84416
Died: 26th Nov, 1940.
Aged: 25
Stoker 1st Class
Wilkinson, Walter Leslie
P/J 99821
Died: 26th Nov, 1940.
Aged: 36
Able Seaman
Worsley, James
P/KX 83976
Died: 26th Nov, 1940.
Aged: 27
Stoker 1st Class

Events

17-07-1929  Laid Down
11-06-1930  Launched
07-12-1930  Completed
06-12-1940  HMS Regulus had left Alexandria on 18th November 1940 for a patrol in the Adriatic. Her failure to return on 6th December signalled her loss with all hands. It is believed that she stuck a mine in the Straits of Taranto, although the Italians claimed to have sunk a submarine on 26th November; the former explanation is believed more likely.

Official
R2 Specification
Comments

Comment by: Ken Usher on March 16th, 2023

Ernest Smith, LS, on HMS Regulus, was my great uncle (who I never knew as I was born in 1961), but heard some great dits about him from my late dad. I was always told that she was sunk, but it seems that she struck a mine.

Would be interested in finding out more about the ship, if possible. Also have a photo of Ernie in rig. PS I'm an ex-skimmer and served as a sparker in the RNR on mine sweepers and on Ark Royal in 1987 for several months (continuous service) so my only direct link with the Submarine service was HMS Drake STC (2nd Sub Sqn) for basic comms training.

WIth thanks, Yours Aye, Ken

Comment by: Gerard Molyneux on October 31st, 2017

My Uncle was one of the crew members lost and I was told that the submarine had not been repainted after being in the Far East, which made them an easy target for the Italian air force.

This was confirmed by a interpreter, who had listened in to the Italian messages and she had relayed this information to my family many years later during a dinner party.

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