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Thames (N 71)

Built By: Vickers (Barrow)
Build Group: River 1
Fate: HMS Thames was lost with all hands on 3rd August 1940.

The Submarine was on its first patrol in the North Sea following a refit. The cause of the loss is not known but may have been the result of striking a mine.
Thames
Thames (Pre War)
Starboard Engine of HMS Thames in works
The Barrow-built Thames which held the record surface speed for the period - 22.5 knots

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Commanders
1931: Commander   Claud Barrington Barry DSO
1939: Lieutenant Commander   Geoffrey Mainwaring Sladen
1939: Commander   Denis Vaughan Sprague
1940: Lieutenant Commander   W D Dunkerley

1932-1934: Portsmouth.
1934-1939: Mediterranean.
1939: Portsmouth.
1939 - 2nd Flotilla: HMS Forth, Dundee.
1939 - 2nd Flotilla: HMS Forth, Rosyth.
1940 - 2nd Flotilla: HMS Forth, Dundee.

1933 - Despatched to the Baltic to asses the boat in ice covered seas.

1938-1939 - Completed journey around Africa.

1939-1940 - Served in Home Waters. Carried out war patrols in the North Sea and off Norway.

Roll of Honour
62
Died: 03-08-1940
Abrams, William John Edward  P/J 108293
Petty Officer Died: 03-08-1940 Aged: 32
Arnold, Frederick John  P/KX 84332
Stoker 1st Class Died: 03-08-1940 Aged: 24
Baker, William John  C/M 39417
Engine Room Artificer 2nd Class Died: 03-08-1940 Aged: 30
Balshaw, Harold Ridiough  D/LX 21494
Leading Steward Died: 03-08-1940 Aged: 31
Bantick, William Charles George  C/KX 77712
Stoker 1st Class Died: 03-08-1940 Aged: 31
Barford, William Alfred  P/J 100888
Able Seaman Died: 03-08-1940 Aged: 36
Beach, Harry Richard  P/JX 134081
Leading Seaman Died: 03-08-1940 Aged: 26
Bell, Ernest Harry  C/KX 85441
Leading Stoker Died: 03-08-1940 Aged: 24
Bird, Frederick George  P/J 131057
Leading Seaman Died: 03-08-1940 Aged: 28
Clark, Reginald Arthur Weaver  D/JX 125057
Petty Officer Telegraphist Died: 03-08-1940 Aged: 30
Cummings, Abraham  D/KX 89724
Stoker 1st Class Died: 03-08-1940 Aged: 25
Cunningham, Henry  D/KX 77606
Leading Stoker Died: 03-08-1940 Aged: 34
Curtis, Harold Wilfred  P/J 17423
Petty Officer Born: 27-10-1896 Died: 03-08-1940 Aged: 43
RN DoB 27/10/1894
Dean, Edwin  D/KX 81956
Leading Stoker Died: 03-08-1940 Aged: 28
Dennison, George  P/JX 125285
Able Seaman Died: 03-08-1940 Aged: 30
Dowling, Bertie  P/KX 75699
Stoker Petty Officer Died: 03-08-1940 Aged: 32
Dunkerley, William Donald 
Lieutenant Commander Died: 03-08-1940 Aged: 32
Commanding Officer
Dyer, Arthur Henry  P/JX 136368
Able Seaman Died: 03-08-1940 Aged: 24
Edwards, Leonard  D/KX 79973
Stoker Petty Officer Died: 03-08-1940 Aged: 31
Flower, Herbert Charles  P/M 34522
Engine Room Artificer 1st Class Died: 03-08-1940 Aged: 36
Ford, Albert Joseph  C.M 47965
Engine Room Artificer 3rd Class Died: 03-08-1940 Aged: 25
Geard, Frederick Wiliam John  C/KX 86860
Stoker 1st Class Died: 03-08-1940 Aged: 24
Godtbill, Percy William  C/KX 88740
Stoker 1st Class Died: 03-08-1940 Aged: 23
Hall, Leonard Thomas  C/KX 85850
Leading Stoker Died: 03-08-1940 Aged: 25
Harbert, Harry George  C/J 107261
Able Seaman Died: 03-08-1940 Aged: 33
Harker, James Andrew  D/KX 80811
Stoker 1st Class Died: 03-08-1940 Aged: 28
Harris, Leonard George Roland  P/JX 136307
Able Seaman Died: 03-08-1940 Aged: 24
Hewett, John Parish  P/JX 134732
Leading Telegraphist Died: 03-08-1940 Aged: 25
Hindson, Joseph  P/KX 91139
Stoker 1st Class Died: 03-08-1940 Aged: 24
Howard, William Bertie  C/J 87254
Able Seaman Died: 03-08-1940 Aged: 38
Irvine, Douglas  D/KX 89066
Stoker 1st Class Died: 03-08-1940 Aged: 22
Johnston, Andrew Hunter  C/K 93627
Stoker 1st Class Died: 03-08-1940 Aged: 20
Kane, Frederick  D/KX 78870
Stoker 1st Class Died: 03-08-1940 Aged: 36
Keyzar, Herbert Fasham  P/M 34527
Chief Engine Room Artificer Died: 03-08-1940 Aged: 37
Lee, John Edwin  D/MX 49596
Engine Room Artificer 3rd Class Died: 03-08-1940 Aged: 35
Marner, James Harold  P/JX 127383
Leading Seaman Died: 03-08-1940 Aged: 29
Millson, Reginald Victor  P/JX 137273
Able Seaman Died: 03-08-1940 Aged: 23
Moody, Eric Robinson  P/JX 145045
Able Seaman Died: 03-08-1940 Aged: 20
Morris, Fenton Harry 
Lieutenant Died: 03-08-1940 Aged: 23
Mott, Herbert Edwin  D/J 53601
Chief Petty Officer Died: 03-08-1940 Aged: 39
Murgatroyd, Stanley Edward  D/J 114755
Petty Officer Died: 03-08-1940 Aged: 31
Newell, Daniel Edward Treymain  (RNR)
Lieutenant Died: 03-08-1940 Aged: 29
O'Brien, Brian Eoghan 
Lieutenant Commander Engineer Died: 03-08-1940 Aged: 33
Owen, Robert  C/MX 46269
Engine Room Artificer 1st Class Died: 03-08-1940 Aged: 35
Painter, Cyril Frederick Maguer  D/MX 52618
Engine Room Artificer 3rd Class Died: 03-08-1940 Aged: 32
Parker, John Kelson  P/MX 54368
Engine Room Artificer 3rd Class Died: 03-08-1940 Aged: 28
Parratt, Melvyn Bertram  D/J 134827
Able Seaman Died: 03-08-1940 Aged: 25
Peterson, Archibald James  P/JX 164967
Leading Signalman Died: 03-08-1940 Aged: 35
Ex.J96670
Ryan, Thomas Richard  C/KX 83436
Stoker 1st Class Died: 03-08-1940 Aged: 25
Shepherdson, George Russell  D/J 107545
Able Seaman Died: 03-08-1940 Aged: 33
Southwell, Albert Wilfred  D/MX 48279
Petty Officer Cook Died: 03-08-1940 Aged: 29
Stokes, John  P/K 64755
Stoker 1st Class Died: 03-08-1940 Aged: 36
Stribbling, William Arthur  C/J 107755
Telegraphist Died: 03-08-1940 Aged: 33
Talbot, Francis Robert Cecil 
Lieutenant Died: 03-08-1940 Aged: 26
Taylor, Arthur  D/KX 89784
Stoker 1st Class Died: 03-08-1940 Aged: 22
Taylor, Norman  P/JX 148934
Telegraphist Died: 03-08-1940 Aged: 19
Timms, Francis John  C/J 101687
Able Seaman Died: 03-08-1940 Aged: 34
Tindall, Ernest James  C/J 106647
Petty Officer Telegraphist Died: 03-08-1940 Aged: 33
Trebilcock, Robert Cecil  P/JX 139160
Leading Seaman Died: 03-08-1940 Aged: 23
Waite, Frank  D/K 58562
Stoker Petty Officer Died: 03-08-1940 Aged: 39
Weeks, Charles Henry  D/J 115433
Able Seaman Died: 03-08-1940 Aged: 37
Worrall, John Edward Wesney  (RNR)
Lieutenant Died: 03-08-1940 Aged: 21

Events

 06-01-1931   Laid Down
 26-01-1932   Launched
 14-09-1932   Completed
 04-07-1940   Cdr Denis Vaughan Sprague, RN, the Commanding Officer of Thames died at Devonport.

In the early hours of Wednesday 3rd July 1940, all French Naval vessels at Plymouth were taken into Royal Navy control. The crew of the French Submarine Surcouf resisted the takeover and in the confusion, the Commander was shot, and he died later in hospital.
 26-07-1940   HMS Thames torpedoes and sinks the German torpedo boat Luchs in the North Sea.
 03-08-1940   HMS Thames was on her first war patrol when she went missing. She had sailed from Dundee on 22nd July to patrol in the North Sea. On the 22nd July Thames successfully attacked the German torpedo boat Luchs just west of the Skagerrak. The Luchs was acting as part of a screen for the battle cruiser Gneisenau, which is believed to been her original target, and that the Luchs had manoeuvred between the submarine and the battle cruiser just as the former fired her torpedoes. The shortened range and the ensuing explosions may have been the cause of the loss of the Thames although the favoured opinion is that the submarine struck a mine on the night of 2nd/3rd August.
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