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Porpoise (N 14)

Built By: Vickers (Barrow)
Build Group: G2
Fate: Possibly sunk off Penang by Japanese A/S aircraft on or about 11th January 1945.

On 3rd January 1945 the Submarine left Trincomalee in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) for her 23rd War Patrol (4th in the Far East) with orders to lay a minefield off Penang. On 9th Jan 1945, Lt. Cdr. H B Turner, DSC is understood to have reported by signal that he had successfully laid her mines off Penang. On 13th January 1945,

HMS Stygian was sent a signal informing her that Porpoise was in trouble 17 miles northwest of Pulo Perak). This information came from an Ultra decrypt (now in the National Archives in London) reporting that on 11th January a Nakajima B6N2 bomber had attacked a Submarine, dropping two 60kg bombs.

Further bombing attacks we made later but there was no further contact. Japanese records show that a submarine was spotted and bombed by aircraft in the vicinity of Penang. Although not destroyed in this attack, the submarine was wounded and leaking oil that left a trail for the Japanese anti-submarine forces to follow as they closed in for the kill.

HMS Porpoise was later declared overdue and then as lost with all hands.

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Porpoise
Porpoise
Porpoise
Porpoise
Rear view of Porpoise showing mine laying doors
Rear view of Porpoise showing mine laying doors
Commanders

1940 - 2nd Flotilla. HMS Forth, Rosyth.

The mines were carried on a single line of rails fitted on top of the pressure hull and enclosed by a non-watertight high casing. This extended from 65 feet from the bow to the stern doors. The rails ran down the centre line of the boat. This resulted in the periscopes and mast etc. being offset to starboard and special ballas being carred on the port side to balance weights.

Adoption

By Dr Peter Schofield

Adoption Plaque presented by the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to Workington to Commemorate the Adoption of HMS Porpoise during Warship Week Feb 28th 1942
Adoption Plaque presented by the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to Workington to Commemorate the Adoption of HMS Porpoise during Warship Week Feb 28th 1942

The adoption plaque is held at the Helena Thompson Museum, Workington. With an adoption target of £300,000 the town fell short raising £252,355 in war savings. The diamond shaped crest differed from the crest of the post war HMS Porpoise. Today's shapes date from 1940 when it was decided to give new ships a round frame. HMS Porpoise helped save Malta as Britain's first submarine tanker carrying supplies of aviation fuel and ammunition during the Luftwaffe attacks on convoys. Operating in the Far East, HMS Porpoise was sunk (with all hands) by Japanese aircraft in the Malacca Strait on 19 January 1945.

Lancashire Evening Post, Wednesday 3 March 1943 reported that Lt.-Cdr Leslie Bennington, Commander of the submarine HMS Porpoise is visiting Workington soon to accept the boroughs plaque recording that the Porpoise is the towns adopted vessel.

If Leslie Bennington accepted the presentation plaque from Workington and it was kept onboard Porpoise, then it would have been lost along with the submarine.

Workington Warship Week was held 21-28 February 1942

Roll of Honour

75
Died: 11-01-1945
Adams, Albert Edney  DSC (Ex.M38365)
Warrant Engineer Died: 11-01-1945 Aged: 36
Ansell, Leonard Basil Albert  C/SSX 17588
Able Seaman Died: 11-01-1945 Aged: 27
Bolden, Jack  P/JX 275768
Able Seaman Died: 11-01-1945 Aged: 24
Brennan, James  D/JX 140144
Petty Officer Died: 11-01-1945 Aged: 27
Brockbank, Arthur Parker  C/LX 24620
Steward Died: 11-01-1945 Aged: 27
Bullen, Herbert  C/KX 166023
Stoker 1st Class Born: 03-06-1924 Died: 11-01-1945 Aged: 20
Carter, Jack  C/SSX 22808
Leading Signalman Died: 11-01-1945 Aged: 24
Chitty, Clement Arthur Charles  P/JX 217497
Able Seaman Died: 11-01-1945 Aged: 27
Clark, William Mason  D/MX 101709
Engine Room Artificer 4th Class Died: 11-01-1945 Aged: 37
Clarke, Kenneth Ezekiel  C/JX 544372
Able Seaman Died: 11-01-1945 Aged: 19
Cooper, Arthur  D/JX 365441
Able Seaman Died: 11-01-1945 Aged: 21
Coupe, Trevor  D/JX 202891
Leading Seaman Died: 11-01-1945 Aged: 25
Cowton, Alan Dodsworth  C/MX 97715
Engine Room Artificer 4th Class Died: 11-01-1945 Aged: 22
Crouchman, Victor Thomas  P/JX 179071
Able Seaman Died: 11-01-1945 Aged: 25
Draper, Arthur Douglas  DSM* MID P/KX 89439
Stoker Petty Officer Died: 11-01-1945 Aged: 26
Drew, Victor Henry Frank  (RNVR)
Lieutenant Died: 11-01-1945 Aged: 25
Dyall, Walter Frank  D/JX 421908
Able Seaman Died: 11-01-1945 Aged: 20
Edwards, Walter Gordon  D/JX 141920
Leading Telegraphist Died: 11-01-1945 Aged: 26
Fraser, James Norris McKay  P/MX 63827
Engine Room Artificer 3rd Class Died: 11-01-1945 Aged: 25
Gascoigne, William  P/JX 384495
Able Seaman Died: 11-01-1945 Aged: 21
Gibson, Adam  C/SSX 19866
Able Seaman Died: 11-01-1945 Aged: 26
Griffiths, Arthur Edward  D/JX 399217
Able Seaman Died: 11-01-1945 Aged: 20
Healey, Alfred  D/KX 82866
Petty Officer Stoker Died: 11-01-1945 Aged: 35
Henderson, Arthur  D/MX 75673
Engine Room Artificer 4th Class Died: 11-01-1945 Aged: 22
Henson, Leslie  P/KX 156695
Leading Stoker Died: 11-01-1945 Aged: 20
Hiscock, Wilfred Jack  DSM* P/MX 47948
Chief Engine Room Artificer Died: 11-01-1945 Aged: 30
Hood, Alfred Gerald  P/JX 177782
Able Seaman Died: 11-01-1945 Aged: 25
Hughes, Charles William Thomas  C/KX 123998
Stoker 1st Class Died: 11-01-1945 Aged: 20
Julian, Richard Ernest Bartholomew  C/JX 543451
Able Seaman Died: 11-01-1945 Aged: 19
Also as C/JX 543541 in CWGC/FWR
Kennedy, Mungo Hamilton McLeod 
Lieutenant Died: 11-01-1945 Aged: 22
Kerry, Lewis Lloyd  O/N P/JX 155610
Leading Telegraphist Died: 11-01-1945 Aged: 21
from New Cross, London
Lewis Kerry is reported to have died from meningitis in the 42nd General Hospital in Kantara in Egypt.

Joel Blamey, who was the Engineer of Porpoise, reported that Lewis Kerry had not been well for a number of days whilst at sea and died a few days after returning to harbour.

Lewis Kerry was the son of Mr. G V Kerry MM & Mrs N Kerry, and the husband of Doreen Jessie Kerry
Lee, Arthur  P/MX 78168
Engine Room Artificer 4th Class Died: 11-01-1945 Aged: 24
Livingston, Alexander  P/KX 145231
Able Seaman Died: 11-01-1945 Aged: 22
Lucking, Cecil Jeffrey  P/KX 86421
Leading Stoker Died: 11-01-1945 Aged: 29
Malliband, Guy Gordon  P/KX 150619
Able Seaman Died: 11-01-1945 Aged: 20
Martin, Basil Hedley  D/JX 145032
Petty Officer Died: 11-01-1945 Aged: 24
Nash, John Raymond  D/JX 550070
Able Seaman Died: 11-01-1945 Aged: 19
Oliffe, John  D/J 101353
Able Seaman Died: 11-01-1945 Aged: 39
Oliver, Terance  P/MX 163832
Stoker 1st Class Died: 11-01-1945 Aged: 20
Palliaser, Harry  MID C/KX 135113
Leading Stoker Died: 11-01-1945 Aged: 22
Passmore, Jack  D/KX 149398
Petty Officer Telegraphist Died: 11-01-1945 Aged: 24
Proudfoot, Abraham Patterson  (RNVR) BEM P/UD/X 1324
Leading Seaman Died: 11-01-1945 Aged: 25
Ranken, Terence Alexander  D/JX 162760
Leading Telegraphist Died: 11-01-1945 Aged: 20
Richardson, Thomas Stanley  P/JX 163327
Able Seaman Died: 11-01-1945 Aged: 21
Roberts, Douglas David George  MID
Lieutenant Died: 11-01-1945 Aged: 24
Rogers, Phillip  P/JX 322506
Able Seaman Died: 11-01-1945 Aged: 25
Rogers, Richard  C/J 114288
Petty Officer Died: 11-01-1945 Aged: 36
Rowlands, George  C/SSX 28164
Able Seaman Died: 11-01-1945 Aged: 25
Sant, Albert William James  D/KX 155271
Leading Stoker Died: 11-01-1945 Aged: 20
Sherrif, John  P/JX 232707
Telegraphist Died: 11-01-1945 Aged: 22
Simpkins, George Alexander  P/JX 128626
Petty Officer Died: 11-01-1945 Aged: 34
Skeoch, James McKay  P/JX 407094
Able Seaman Died: 11-01-1945 Aged: 19
Smith, Albert George  D/KX 140733
Stoker 1st Class Died: 11-01-1945 Aged: 21
Smith, Frank  C/MX 50326
Petty Officer Cook Died: 11-01-1945 Aged: 31
Smith, John  D/MX 510996
Engine Room Artificer 4th Class Died: 11-01-1945 Aged: 31
At birth Smith, Jack
Smith, Leslie John  P/JX 377637
Able Seaman Died: 11-01-1945 Aged: 20
Smith, Philip Roy  P/KX 524286
Stoker 2nd Class Died: 11-01-1945 Aged: 19
Spencer, Edward Ronald  P/KX 137051
Leading Stoker Died: 11-01-1945 Aged: 22
Taylor, Edward Owen Malvern  (RNVR) MID
Lieutenant Died: 11-01-1945 Aged: 28
Thomas, Ralph  C/SSX 25692
Leading Seaman Died: 11-01-1945 Aged: 25
Trier, Colin Ernest  (RNVR)
Sub Lieutenant Died: 11-01-1945 Aged: 21
Turner, Hugh Bentley  DSC
Lieutenant Commander Died: 11-01-1945 Aged: 29
Tyler, Walter John  C/JX 188978
Able Seaman Died: 11-01-1945 Aged: 25
Vaughan, Frederick John  C/MX 55223
Engine Room Artificer 3rd Class Died: 11-01-1945 Aged: 22
Webb, John Herbert Thomas  P/KX 140877
Leading Stoker Died: 11-01-1945 Aged: 20
Webber, Grahame Mark  P/JX 300198
Telegraphist Died: 11-01-1945 Aged: 22
Weeden, William Henry  C/KX 141642
Stoker 1st Class Died: 11-01-1945 Aged: 20
Weston, James  D/KX 162600
Stoker 1st Class Died: 11-01-1945 Aged: 20
Whittaker, Robert  P/JX 385870
Able Seaman Died: 11-01-1945 Aged: 21
Wilkins, Arthur Francis  P/KX 162377
Stoker 1st Class Died: 11-01-1945 Aged: 20
Williams, Arthur Frederick Charles  D/JX 156792
Petty Officer Died: 11-01-1945 Aged: 22
Williams, Frederick Sidney  C/JX 193551
Stoker 1st Class Died: 11-01-1945 Aged: 25
Wimble, Will  C/KX 141189
Stoker 1st Class Died: 11-01-1945 Aged: 20
Woodward, Stanley  P/KX 147579
Leading Stoker Died: 11-01-1945 Aged: 32
Wright, James  C/KX 140927
Stoker 1st Class Died: 11-01-1945 Aged: 21

Events

22-09-1931 Laid Down
30-07-1932 Launched
10-02-1937 Completed
16-04-1940 HMS Porpoise fires 6 torpedoes against the German submarine U-3 about 10 nautical miles south-west of Egersund, Norway. All torpedoes miss.
16-04-1940 Sank the U1
16-05-1940 HMS Porpoise lays minefield FD 11 (48 mines) off Kalvag, Norway.
14-06-1940 HMS Porpoise lays minefield FD 18 (50 mines) off the Ramsoyfjord, Norway.
29-07-1940 HMS Porpoise lays minefield FD 23 (50 mines) off southern Norway.
13-09-1940 HMS Porpoise lays minefield FD 26 (48 mines) in the Bay of Biscay north-west of La Rochelle, France.
07-03-1941 While enroute to Halifax, Canada, HMS Porpoise makes an unsuccessful torpedo attack on a submarine in the North Atlantic.
09-12-1941 HMS Porpoise torpedoes and heavy damages the Italian passenger/cargo ship Sebastiano Venier about 5 nautical miles south of Navarino. The Sebastiano Venier is transporting more then 1800 Allied POW's. Despite the bad weather almost 1700 of these are rescued.
11-01-1942 HMS Porpoise lays 50 mines off Suda Bay, Crete.
18-01-1942 HMS Porpoise torpedoes and sinks the Italian merchant Citta di Livorno about 15 nautical miles north-east of Cape Maleka, Crete.
12-08-1942 HMS Porpoise lays a minefield (46 mines) off Ras el Tin, Libya and torpedoes and sinks the Italian transport Ogaden 9 nautical miles from Ras el Tin, Libya.
15-08-1942 HMS Porpoise torpedoes and sinks the Italian merchant Lerici about 120 nautical miles north of Ras Amir, Libya.
19-08-1942 HMS Porpoise attacks the Italian merchant Iseo off Derna, Libya. All torpedoes miss. During the counter attack by the Italian escorts, Porpoise was damaged by depth charges from the torpedo boat Lince.
03-10-1942 HMS Porpoise lays a minefield (46 mines) west of Tobruk, Libya.
18-11-1942 HMS Porpoise torpedoes and sinks the Italian tanker Giulio Giordani about 45 nautical miles north-east of Misurata, Libya.
19-11-1942 HMS Porpoise fires a torpedo against the Italian auxiliary patrol vessel F 39/Fertilia off the Libyan coast. The torpedo missed.
23-11-1942 HMS Porpoise sinks the Italian auxiliary patrol vessel F 39/Fertilia with gunfire off Kerkennah, Tunisia.
06-07-1944 HMS Porpoise sinks a Japanese sailing vessel with gunfire in the Strait of Malacca. Also on this day she lays 30 mines off the mouth of the Deli river, Sumatra, Netherlands East Indies.
08-07-1944 HMS Porpoise lays 16 more mines of the mouth of the Deli river and 10 mines in the Strait of Malacca.
09-12-1944 HMS Porpoise lays minefield ML 019 with 50 mines off Penang.
10-12-1944 HMS Porpoise sinks a small Japanese sailing vessel in the Strait of Malacca.
09-01-1945 On or around this date HMS Porpoise lays mines off Penang.
19-01-1945 Last British submarine to be lost during WW2

On 2nd January 1945 HMS Porpoise left Trincomalee to lay mines in the vicinity of Penang. The signal received from the submarine confirming that this had been successfully carried out was the last contact made. Japanese records show that a submarine was spotted and bombed by aircraft in the vicinity of Penang. Although not destroyed in this attack, the submarine was wounded and leaking oil that left a trail for the Japanese anti-submarine forces to follow as they closed in for the kill.
Comments

Comment by: Hywel Thomas on September 6, 2020

My Uncle was Leading Seaman Ralph Thomas. He was from Machen and Rudry in South Wales. His name is listed on the Cenotaph at St James Church, Rudry Nr. Caerphilly.

He had joined up in 1938 and had served at the battle of Narvik on HMS Foxhound. He was one of the crew manning the launch from Foxhound with Capt Holland to Admiral Gensoult at Oran when some of the French fleet were sunk. I have some letters he wrote home days before his last mission with Porpoise in Jan 1945. Current records indicate Porpoise was bombed by Japanese bomber aircraft at least three times on 11th January 1945.

He was a keen sportsman, a good boxer and by all accounts a popular chap. I have nearly finished putting together quite a thorough account of his life, for the family, the Thomas clan. Well done for helping to keep their important legacy alive too.

Diolch yn Fawr.

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