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Narwhal (N 45)

Built By: Vickers (Barrow)
Build Group: G2
Fate: Narwhal left Blyth on 22nd July 1940. On the afternoon of 23rd July, an aircraft reported attacking a submarine in the area where Narwhal should have been. Narwhal did not report again, it was assumed this attack sank the submarine with all hands.
Narwhal
Narwhal
Narwhal
Narwhal

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Commanders
1935: Lieutenant Commander   John Ronald Stewart Brown
1939: Lieutenant Commander   Eric Roland John Oddie
1940: Lieutenant Commander   Ronald James Burch

1940 - 2nd Flotilla: HMS Forth, Rosyth.

Roll of Honour
61
Died: 23-07-1940
Ackery, John Esmond  DSC
Engineer Lieutenant Died: 23-07-1940 Aged: 27
Ackroyd, John Robert Lindley  D/J 77746
Telegraphist Died: 23-07-1940 Aged: 38
Andrews, Thomas Victor  C/MX 47587
Engine Room Artificer 2nd Class Died: 23-07-1940 Aged: 34
Austin, Edward Arthur  P/J 113448
Petty Officer Died: 23-07-1940 Aged: 30
Baillie, Alexander  D/SSX 13658
Telegraphist Died: 23-07-1940 Aged: 26
Blyth, Charles George  D/KX 86034
Stoker 1st Class Died: 23-07-1940 Aged: 23
Brooks, Kenneth  P/JX 136729
Able Seaman Died: 23-07-1940 Aged: 24
Brown, Alec  D/JX 127778
Able Seaman Died: 23-07-1940 Aged: 30
Buckland, Reginald Charles Sandercox  D/JX 133579
Able Seaman Died: 23-07-1940 Aged: 26
Burch, Ronald James  DSO
Lieutenant Commander Died: 23-07-1940 Aged: 33
Commanding Officer
Burton, John William  C/JX 128525
Able Seaman Died: 23-07-1940 Aged: 29
Cordery, Leslie  P/JX 139437
Leading Seaman Died: 23-07-1940 Aged: 22
Cringle, John  (RNVR)
Sub Lieutenant Died: 23-07-1940 Aged: 22
Davis, Herbert James  D/KX 86121
Stoker 1st Class Died: 23-07-1940 Aged: 24
Daw, Walter Sydney  D/J 70501
Signalman Died: 23-07-1940 Aged: 38
Denner, William Frederick James  DSM D/J 92099
Chief Petty Officer Died: 23-07-1940 Aged: 37
Duckham, Harry Roy  D/J 97177
Chief Petty Officer Telegraphist Died: 23-07-1940 Aged: 35
Earwaker, Alec Edmund Green  D/J 110566
Able Seaman Died: 23-07-1940 Aged: 32
Elvin, Herbert Constable  C/KX 79616
Leading Stoker Died: 23-07-1940 Aged: 30
Frost, Walter John  C/KX 86539
Stoker 1st Class Died: 23-07-1940 Aged: 29
Geeling, Edward Joseph  EAX 2943
Engine Room Artificer 4th Class Died: 23-07-1940 Aged: 27
Golding, Henry Myles  C/MX 61415
Engine Room Artificer 4th Class Died: 23-07-1940 Aged: 22
Govier, Frank Deveril  P/JX 138828
Able Seaman Died: 23-07-1940 Aged: 22
Grant, Frederick Charles John  P/JX 148163
Leading Seaman Died: 23-07-1940 Aged: 28
Green, Charles Sinclair  DSC
Lieutenant Died: 23-07-1940 Aged: 27
Grey, James William  C/MX 46477
Engine Room Artificer 2nd Class Died: 23-07-1940 Aged: 32
Hearn, Albert Edmund  P/L 14463
Petty Officer Steward Died: 23-07-1940 Aged: 35
Henderson, George Murdoch  D/MX 54091
Engine Room Artificer 3rd Class Died: 23-07-1940 Aged: 33
Hendy, William George Roy  P/KX 84936
Leading Stoker Died: 23-07-1940 Aged: 27
Horstead, Alfred Augustus  P/J 109737
Leading Seaman Died: 23-07-1940 Aged: 31
Huelin, Godfrey John  MID P/J 139939
Leading Seaman Died: 23-07-1940 Aged: 22
Jarvis, Albert Henry  D/J 113881
Petty Officer Died: 23-07-1940 Aged: 30
Johns, William Henry  D/MX 49194
Engine Room Artificer 4th Class Died: 23-07-1940 Aged: 23
Kitching, Henry Charles  C/KX 81233
Stoker 1st Class Died: 23-07-1940 Aged: 28
Lawson, George  D/KX 89654
Stoker 1st Class Died: 23-07-1940 Aged: 26
Marchant, William Cyril  MID C/JX 134145
Leading Telegraphist Died: 23-07-1940 Aged: 25
Marsden, Harry  D/SS 121369
Stoker 1st Class Died: 23-07-1940 Aged: 38
Mitchell, Robert George  P/MX 49772
Engine Room Artificer 2nd Class Died: 23-07-1940 Aged: 29
Moor, John  D/J 107308
Able Seaman Died: 23-07-1940 Aged: 32
Newell, Frank  P/J 108328
Able Seaman Died: 23-07-1940 Aged: 39
Parish, James Charles  MID C/KX 81304
Leading Stoker Died: 23-07-1940 Aged: 27
Prior, Thomas Watson Forster  D/KX 88321
Stoker 1st Class Died: 23-07-1940 Aged: 22
Quin, Charles George  MID C/JX 128912
Leading Seaman Died: 23-07-1940 Aged: 28
Richlieu, Thomas William  C/SSX 24993
Telegraphist Died: 23-07-1940 Aged: 19
Robinson, Norman  DSM D/J 105359
Petty Officer Died: 23-07-1940 Aged: 34
Ross, Adam  P/KX 77059
Stoker Petty Officer Died: 23-07-1940 Aged: 39
Simnett, Samuel  C/JX 130091
Leading Seaman Died: 23-07-1940 Aged: 28
Simpson, Frederick Edward  P/KX 91653
Stoker 1st Class Died: 23-07-1940 Aged: 21
Smith, Joseph  D/KX 76233
Stoker 1st Class Died: 23-07-1940 Aged: 32
Stearn, George Richard  P/J 71576
Able Seaman Died: 23-07-1940 Aged: 38
Stone, Clifford William  D/KX 82824
Stoker 1st Class Died: 23-07-1940 Aged: 25
Stubbington, William James  P/K 65986
Leading Stoker Died: 23-07-1940 Aged: 34
Twynam, Humfrey Reginald Woodriff  MID
Lieutenant Died: 23-07-1940 Aged: 23
Born Humphrey served as Humfrey
Vincer, George William  P/KX 80499
Stoker 1st Class Died: 23-07-1940 Aged: 27
Wells, George Harry  P/K 66454
Stoker Petty Officer Died: 23-07-1940 Aged: 36
Whalebone, Frederick John  DSM C/J 108318
Chief Petty Officer Died: 23-07-1940 Aged: 32
White, Stafford Radcliffe 
Lieutenant Commander Died: 23-07-1940 Aged: 31
Wilson, Aleck Neal  MID C/M 36173
Chief Engine Room Artificer Died: 23-07-1940 Aged: 34
Wood, Albert John  P/MX 47058
Petty Officer Cook Died: 23-07-1940 Aged: 32
Wood, Thomas Daniel  P/KX 82524
Stoker 1st Class Died: 23-07-1940 Aged: 27
Yates, Richard Michael  C/K 62531
Leading Stoker Born: 28-09-1905 Died: 23-07-1940 Aged: 34
RN DoB 28/09/1904

Events

 29-05-1934   Laid Down
 29-08-1935   Launched
 28-02-1936   Completed
 04-04-1940   HMS Narwhal lays minefield FD 1 (50 mines) in the North Sea.
 13-04-1940   HMS Narwhal lays minefield FD 5 (50 mines) in the Kattegat.
 01-05-1940   HMS Narwhal torpedoes and sinks the German troop transport Buenos Aires and torpedoes and damages the German troop transport Bahia Castillo in the Kattegat about 20 nautical miles north of Anholt, Denmark.
 01-05-1940   HMS Narwhal lays minefield FD 6 (50 mines) in the Kattegat.
 11-05-1940   HMS Narwhal lays minefield FD 12 (50 mines) off Bud, Norway.
 03-06-1940   HMS Narwhal lays minefield FD 16 (50 mines) off Jaederens Point, Norway.
 12-06-1940   HMS Narwhal lays minefield FD 19 (50 mines) off Haugesund, Norway.
 04-07-1940   HMS Narwhal lays minefield FD 21 (50 mines) north of Kristiansund, Norway.
 22-07-1940   HMS Narwhal left the Humber on 22 July for a minelaying mission off Norway, she fails to return

On the afternoon of 23rd July she should have passed through (German) grid square 4856, where an aircraft reported attacking a submarine. This was believed to be Porpoise by the Germans but as Narwhal did not report again, it was assumed this attack sank her.
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Seal (N 37) Grampus (N 56)