P 222

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P 222

Built By:	Vickers (Barrow)
Build Group:	S3
Fate:	Submarine P222 failed to arrive at Algiers and was reported overdue on 21st December 1942. It was claimed that she was sunk by depth charge attack from the Italian torpedo boat De Fortunale on 12th December, south-east of Isola di Capri in position 40°29'N, 14°20'E. This is assumed to be reason for the submarine's loss with all hands on 12th December 1942.

P 222

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Commanders

1942:

Lieutenant Commander

Alexander James MacKenzie

1942: 8th Flotilla. HMS Maidstone, Gibraltar.

Patrolled off the French coast during the North Africa landings.

Carried out 5 patrols.

Roll of Honour


Absolom, Richard William P/J 102709
Absolom, Richard William P/J 102709		Died: 12th Dec, 1942.
	Leading Telegraphist	Aged: 36

Arkley, George William D/KX 86682		Born: 8th Oct, 1915.
Arkley, George William D/KX 86682		Died: 12th Dec, 1942.
	Stoker 1st Class	Aged: 27

Bibbs, Jack D/JX 237672
Bibbs, Jack D/JX 237672		Died: 12th Dec, 1942.
	Able Seaman	Aged: 22

Bird, Ernest Frank D/MX 54216
Bird, Ernest Frank D/MX 54216		Died: 12th Dec, 1942.
	Engine Room Artificer 3rd Class	Aged: 30

Brooks, Bertram Alfred C/J 106898
Brooks, Bertram Alfred C/J 106898		Died: 12th Dec, 1942.
	Chief Petty Officer	Aged: 35

Clarkson, George D/KX 148140
Clarkson, George D/KX 148140		Died: 12th Dec, 1942.
	Stoker 2nd Class	Aged: 20

Close, James Edward C/JX 155239
Close, James Edward C/JX 155239		Died: 12th Dec, 1942.
	Leading Signalman	Aged: 21

Cousins, Michael Anthony (RNVR)
Cousins, Michael Anthony (RNVR)		Died: 12th Dec, 1942.
	Sub Lieutenant	Aged: 21

Cusack, Stanley John George D/M 34913
Cusack, Stanley John George D/M 34913		Died: 12th Dec, 1942.
	Engine Room Artificer 1st Class	Aged: 39

Deakin, Ronald P/KX 82717
Deakin, Ronald P/KX 82717		Died: 12th Dec, 1942.
	Stoker Petty Officer	Aged: 28

Dunkinson, Frederick Walter Gates P/SSX 20876
Dunkinson, Frederick Walter Gates P/SSX 20876		Died: 12th Dec, 1942.
	Petty Officer	Aged: 24

Evans, Leslie Gordon C/J 203926
Evans, Leslie Gordon C/J 203926		Died: 12th Dec, 1942.
	Able Seaman	Aged: 21

Everett, Robin Leslie C/JX 319322
Everett, Robin Leslie C/JX 319322		Died: 12th Dec, 1942.
	Ordinary Seaman	Aged: 19

Finn, John Stephen C/SSX 28172
Finn, John Stephen C/SSX 28172		Died: 12th Dec, 1942.
	Able Seaman	Aged: 24

Fylan, Arthur Patrick P/JX 157042
Fylan, Arthur Patrick P/JX 157042		Died: 12th Dec, 1942.
	Able Seaman	Aged: 20

George, Alfred Douglas D/JX 145607
George, Alfred Douglas D/JX 145607		Died: 12th Dec, 1942.
	Able Seaman	Aged: 22

Giles, Fitzroy Andrew D/KX 86320
Giles, Fitzroy Andrew D/KX 86320		Died: 12th Dec, 1942.
	Stoker 1st Class	Aged: 25

Gillard, Stanley Edward D/JX 212988
Gillard, Stanley Edward D/JX 212988		Died: 12th Dec, 1942.
	Able Seaman	Aged: 21

Gowing, Frederick Basil D/KX 85886
Gowing, Frederick Basil D/KX 85886		Died: 12th Dec, 1942.
	Leading Stoker	Aged: 25

Hartley, William D/KX 85352
Hartley, William D/KX 85352		Died: 12th Dec, 1942.
	Chief Petty Officer	Aged: 27

Hemelryk, Anthony
Hemelryk, Anthony		Died: 12th Dec, 1942.
	Lieutenant	Aged: 21

Herbert, Donald Victor P/JX 154232
Herbert, Donald Victor P/JX 154232		Died: 12th Dec, 1942.
	Telegraphist	Aged: 21

Jones, Frederick Henry D/J 106630
Jones, Frederick Henry D/J 106630		Died: 12th Dec, 1942.
	Able Seaman	Aged: 36

Kerry, Alick P/JX 128667
Kerry, Alick P/JX 128667		Died: 12th Dec, 1942.
	Petty Officer Telegraphist	Aged: 32

Knox, William James P/JX 156418
Knox, William James P/JX 156418		Died: 12th Dec, 1942.
	Able Seaman	Aged: 20

Mackenzie, Alexander James
Mackenzie, Alexander James		Died: 12th Dec, 1942.
	Lieutenant Commander	Aged: 32

Manson, Alexander D/JX 144228
Manson, Alexander D/JX 144228		Died: 12th Dec, 1942.
	Able Seaman	Aged: 23

Morgan, John Edwin William C/JX 134896
Morgan, John Edwin William C/JX 134896		Died: 12th Dec, 1942.
	Petty Officer	Aged: 27

Morton, John Richard P/KX 93701
Morton, John Richard P/KX 93701		Died: 12th Dec, 1942.
	Leading Stoker	Aged: 26

Murray, Norman Bagwell D/MX 58058
Murray, Norman Bagwell D/MX 58058		Died: 12th Dec, 1942.
	Engine Room Artificer 3rd Class	Aged: 29

Newman, Robert Thompson C/MX 77055
Newman, Robert Thompson C/MX 77055		Died: 12th Dec, 1942.
	Engine Room Artificer 5th Class	Aged: 21

Parfitt, William Frederick P/J 100705
Parfitt, William Frederick P/J 100705		Died: 12th Dec, 1942.
	Petty Officer	Aged: 37

Paxton, Ronald William C/KX 139300
Paxton, Ronald William C/KX 139300		Died: 12th Dec, 1942.
	Stoker 1st Class	Aged: 19

Ricks, Peter Albert P/JX 157504
Ricks, Peter Albert P/JX 157504		Died: 12th Dec, 1942.
	Telegraphist	Aged: 20

Rogers, Bernard Vivian P/KX 93968
Rogers, Bernard Vivian P/KX 93968		Died: 12th Dec, 1942.
	Stoker 1st Class	Aged: 23

Salter, Albert John P/KX 90114
Salter, Albert John P/KX 90114		Died: 12th Dec, 1942.
	Leading Stoker	Aged: 26

Saunders, Horace Edward P/KX 120189
Saunders, Horace Edward P/KX 120189		Died: 12th Dec, 1942.
	Leading Stoker	Aged: 27

Scanlan, John P/KX 84238
Scanlan, John P/KX 84238		Died: 12th Dec, 1942.
	Leading Stoker	Aged: 29

Staines, Albert Frank C/JX 140820
Staines, Albert Frank C/JX 140820		Died: 12th Dec, 1942.
	Leading Seaman	Aged: 24

Stanley, Victor Alexander C/JX 327418
Stanley, Victor Alexander C/JX 327418		Died: 12th Dec, 1942.
	Ordinary Seaman	Aged: 20

Storr, James Wilfred P/JX 49736
Storr, James Wilfred P/JX 49736		Died: 12th Dec, 1942.
	Petty Officer Telegraphist	Aged: 42

Tancock, Sidney James D/JX 208452
Tancock, Sidney James D/JX 208452		Died: 12th Dec, 1942.
	Able Seaman	Aged: 22

Taylor, Anthony John Dalzell
Taylor, Anthony John Dalzell		Died: 12th Dec, 1942.
	Sub Lieutenant	Aged: 20

Taylor, Leonard Frederick DSC (Ex M38743)
Taylor, Leonard Frederick DSC (Ex M38743)		Died: 12th Dec, 1942.
	Warrant Engineer	Aged: 34

Wilcock, Thomas C/JX 290035
Wilcock, Thomas C/JX 290035		Died: 12th Dec, 1942.
	Able Seaman	Aged: 34

Wilkinson, Leonard P/MX 45394
Wilkinson, Leonard P/MX 45394		Died: 12th Dec, 1942.
	Engine Room Artificer 1st Class	Aged: 38

Windham, John Otto D/MX 46580		Born: 2nd Jun, 1911.
Windham, John Otto D/MX 46580		Died: 12th Dec, 1942.
	Engine Room Artificer 2nd Class	Aged: 31

Events

10-08-1940	Laid Down

20-09-1941	Launched

04-05-1942	Completed

27-07-1942	P222 intercepted the Vichy French merchant Mitidja off Cape Palos, Spain. The ship was boarded and escorted to Gibraltar by HMS Wrestler.

12-12-1942	HMS P222 sunk by depth charging. HMS P222 left Gib for patrol off Naples on 30th November 1942. Messages were received from her on 7th December, but after that no more was heard. P222 failed to arrive at Algiers on her due date of 21st December, and the Italians claimed to have sunk a submarine by depth charge on the 12th December. This is the most probable cause of the submarines loss but there has been no conformation.

Comments

Comment by: Anne Clifford on January 25th, 2024

I was so excited to find the Bio of my Grandfather Frederick William Simpson DS . Thank yo . I am his grand daughter from his second marriage.

Comment by: Claudio Perazzini on June 17th, 2021

Hi, my name is Claudio Perazzini and I am the son of Natale Perazzini, who was a sailor of the "Fortunale" torpedo boat that sank the P222 submarine.

War is something terrible, but if it happens, men must never lose their humanity. I can only say what my father told me "when, after an hour of searching, we found no survivors, all the crew lined up on the ship, saluted militarily and said a prayer for those dead sailors".

After the armistice with the allies, the sailors of the Fortunale voted and decided to continue the war alongside the US and British navies and this is history.

Sorry for possible mistakes, but I used an automatic translator.

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Length overall	217 ft
Beam	23 ft 6 inch
Depth	11 ft
Diving Depth	350 ft
Speed	Surface 15 knots (design)
	Surface 14.75 knots (service)
	Submerged 10 knots (design)
	Submerged 9 knots (service)
No. of shafts	2
Endurance	Surface: 6000 miles at 10 knots (design)
Armament (i)	6 x 21 inch bow tubes
	1 21 inch stern tube
	(13 torpedoes carried)
	1 x 3 inch gun
	3 x 0.303 inch machine-guns
	1 x 20mm Oerlikon cannon
Complement	5 Officers and 43 Ratings
Note	The armament of submarines of this class varied considerably. For example: 23 boats were fitted with the six bow tubes only; 18 vessels, intended to operate in the Far East, had their 3 inch guns replaced by 4 inch guns; whilst, in some boats, the Oerlikon cannon replaced, rather than supplemented, the three machine-guns.

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P 222

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Class:	1956 - 1988: Porpoise Class
Built By:	Vickers (Barrow)
Build Group:	P2
Fate:
March 1977 sold for scrap to Davies and Cann Ltd. Left under tow on May 5th 1977 for Plymouth.