Syrtis (P 241)
Built By: | Cammell Laird (Mersey) |
Build Group: | S3 |
Fate: | Syrtis left Lerwick on 16th March 1944 for a patrol off the Norwegian Coast in Latitude 63° 36’ North. On 20th March 1944 the Submarine was ordered to an area in the vicinity of Bödo. records indicate that she carried out attacks on enemy vessels in the area on 22nd March. Syrtis was ordered to leave her Patrol Area on 28th March 1944 but failed to return to Lerwick as expected on 30th March 1944. An air search was carried out but no sign of the Submarine was found. Mines are now known to have been laid in the area in which HMS Syrtis was working and it is almost certain that HMS Syrtis was lost with all hands by striking a mine off Bödo sometime between 22nd and 28th March 1944. |
Related Pages
In September 1943 six in X-Craft were towed by six Submarines to attack German Capital Ships in the Kaa Fjord in Norway. In all (apart from the Towing Submarine Crew) forty-two X- Craft personnel took part in Operation Source, eighteen Passage Crew Members and twenty-four Operational Crew Members.
Roll of Honour |
49
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Died: 07-02-1944 | |||||
Blythe, Charles (RNR) | |||||
Lieutenant | Died: 07-02-1944 | Aged: 33 | |||
from Berwick-on-Tweed | |||||
HMS Syrtis was towing the X-Craft X22 in the Pentland Firth in bad weather when the Submarine was pooped and the First Lieutenant was washed overboard and was lost. On 7th July 1941 he was appointed to the Submarine Depot Ship HMS Medway (1st Submarine Flotilla) at Alexandria, Egypt for Submarines. He returned home with an appointment to HMS Dolphin for Submarines on 25th July 1941. His next appointment was to the Submarine Depot Ship HMS Cyclops for Submarine HMS Otway as Navigating Officer to date 9th March 1942. This was followed by an appointment to HMS Dolphin for Submarine HMS Shakespeare completing and as Navigating Officer on Commissioning to date 6th June 1942. On 15th October 1942 he was appointed to the Submarine Depot Ship HMS Forth at the Holy Loch for Submarine P614 as First Lieutenant and then to HMS Forth for Submarine HMS Syrtis as First Lieutenant. |
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Died: 28-03-1944 | |||||
Ainslie, John MacPherson (RNVR) | |||||
Lieutenant | Died: 28-03-1944 | Aged: 21 | |||
Aitken, Robert P/KX 83273 | |||||
Leading Stoker | Died: 28-03-1944 | Aged: 29 | |||
Alexander, Percy P/KX 158563 | |||||
Stoker 1st Class | Born: 10-03-1925 | Died: 28-03-1944 | Aged: 19 | ||
RN DoB 10/03/1924 | |||||
Allam, Harold Richard C/JX 156270 | |||||
Petty Officer | Born: 15-04-1918 | Died: 28-03-1944 | Aged: 25 | ||
Ashton, George Charles D/J 107365 | |||||
Leading Seaman | Died: 28-03-1944 | Aged: 36 | |||
Beardsley, Albert P/JX 159090 | |||||
Able Seaman | Died: 28-03-1944 | Aged: 21 | |||
Blackley, James Hamilton C/MX 504341 | |||||
Engine Room Artificer 4th Class | Died: 28-03-1944 | Aged: 19 | |||
Boyd, Richard Loudon C/JX 359213 | |||||
Telegraphist | Died: 28-03-1944 | Aged: 19 | |||
Burgess, George William D/KX 148044 | |||||
Stoker 1st Class | Died: 28-03-1944 | Aged: 21 | |||
Denne, Bernard Herbert C/KX 97606 | |||||
Stoker 1st Class | Died: 28-03-1944 | Aged: 23 | |||
Forsyth, Hugh Gemmell C/SSX 25989 | |||||
Able Seaman | Died: 28-03-1944 | Aged: 23 | |||
Fowler, Hugh Messer MID C/JX 152175 | |||||
Petty Officer | Died: 28-03-1944 | Aged: 28 | |||
Fyson, Donald Alexander (RNR) | |||||
Lieutenant | Died: 28-03-1944 | Aged: 23 | |||
Goldsmith, Bernard John P/MX 98856 | |||||
Engine Room Artificer 4th Class | Died: 28-03-1944 | Aged: 20 | |||
Green, John P/SSX 24927 | |||||
Able Seaman | Died: 28-03-1944 | Aged: 24 | |||
Hagerty, John Patrick C/JX 224730 | |||||
Telegraphist | Died: 28-03-1944 | Aged: 21 | |||
Hallworth, John Bancroft P/JX 361955 | |||||
Able Seaman | Died: 28-03-1944 | Aged: 21 | |||
Harris, William Charles MID C/SSX 19504 | |||||
Able Seaman | Died: 28-03-1944 | Aged: 24 | |||
Henshall, Geoffrey D/SSX 22749 | |||||
Leading Seaman | Died: 28-03-1944 | Aged: 24 | |||
Hill, Royston Henry D/KX 153006 | |||||
Leading Stoker | Died: 28-03-1944 | Aged: 20 | |||
Holder, Frank D/KX 159521 | |||||
Stoker 1st Class | Died: 28-03-1944 | Aged: 19 | |||
Hosie, Andrew D/MX 64044 | |||||
Leading Cook | Died: 28-03-1944 | Aged: 24 | |||
Hull, Leslie P/KX 137032 | |||||
Leading Stoker | Died: 28-03-1944 | Aged: 21 | |||
Jamieson, William P/MX 88769 | |||||
Engine Room Artificer 4th Class | Died: 28-03-1944 | Aged: 21 | |||
Jupp, Michael Hugh DSC* | |||||
Lieutenant | Died: 28-03-1944 | Aged: 24 | |||
Kay, John Matthew D/JX 564161 | |||||
Ordinary Seaman | Died: 28-03-1944 | Aged: 19 | |||
Lynch, Denis Henry DSM (Ex. M45637) | |||||
Warrant Engineer | Died: 28-03-1944 | Aged: 34 | |||
Mackenzie, Donald D/J 107897 | |||||
Chief Petty Officer | Died: 28-03-1944 | Aged: 36 | |||
Malley, Leslie C/KX 82455 | |||||
Stoker Petty Officer | Died: 28-03-1944 | Aged: 29 | |||
McAllister, William P/KX 92004 | |||||
Leading Stoker | Died: 28-03-1944 | Aged: 27 | |||
McCarthy, Ronald Dowler P/JX 161391 | |||||
Signalman | Died: 28-03-1944 | Aged: 20 | |||
O'Carroll, Thomas Christopher D/SSX 28087 | |||||
Able Seaman | Died: 28-03-1944 | Aged: 23 | |||
Osman, Fred P/JX 130488 | |||||
Petty Officer | Died: 28-03-1944 | Aged: 32 | |||
Page, Sidney Edwin C/MX 53249 | |||||
Engine Room Artificer 4th Class | Died: 28-03-1944 | Aged: 22 | |||
Parker, William Thomas P/SSX 33340 | |||||
Leading Telegraphist | Died: 28-03-1944 | Aged: 23 | |||
Picknell, William George C/JX 154405 | |||||
Leading Seaman | Died: 28-03-1944 | Aged: 22 | |||
Powell, Robert Howard D/JX 145188 | |||||
Petty Officer Telegraphist | Died: 28-03-1944 | Aged: 24 | |||
Readman, John Henry P/JX 193267 | |||||
Able Seaman | Died: 28-03-1944 | Aged: 23 | |||
Richardson, Arthur D/JX 158363 | |||||
Able Seaman | Died: 28-03-1944 | Aged: 21 | |||
Shields, Thomas Henry C/JX 407347 | |||||
Ordinary Seaman | Died: 28-03-1944 | Aged: 18 | |||
Spratt, Frederick Edward | |||||
Lieutenant | Died: 28-03-1944 | Aged: 22 | |||
Steel, Sydney C/JX 193464 | |||||
Able Seaman | Died: 28-03-1944 | Aged: 26 | |||
Storey, Frederick Arthur P/JX 367602 | |||||
Able Seaman | Died: 28-03-1944 | Aged: 20 | |||
Stubbs, George John DSM P/MX 49527 | |||||
Chief Engine Room Artificer | Died: 28-03-1944 | Aged: 26 | |||
Willcocks, Arthur Charles Percy P/MX 98380 | |||||
Engine Room Artificer 4th Class | Died: 28-03-1944 | Aged: 23 | |||
Wilson, Leslie Edmund P/JX 217680 | |||||
Able Seaman | Died: 28-03-1944 | Aged: 24 | |||
Woodards, Frederick Charles C/KX 140770 | |||||
Stoker 1st Class | Died: 28-03-1944 | Aged: 19 | |||
Young, William P/KX 145666 | |||||
Stoker 1st Class | Died: 28-03-1944 | Aged: 21 | |||
Events
14-10-1941 | Laid Down |
04-02-1943 | Launched |
23-04-1943 | Completed |
22-03-1944 | HMS Syrtis sank Norwegian SS Narvik near Sleipnesodden, Helgeland with gunfire |
28-03-1944 | Mined & sunk HMS Syrtis left Lerwick on 16th March 1944 for a patrol off the Norwegian coast. On 20th March she was ordered to an area near Bodo, some 70 miles inside the Arctic Circle. Two days later she sank the steamer Narvik with gunfire. On the 28th a signal was sent to Syrtis ordering her to return to Lerwick. This signal was never acknowledged and the submarine failed to return. German reports indicate the sinking of a submarine in the Bodo area at the time by shore batteries, but the most likely cause of her loss is a mine. |
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