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Thrasher (N 37)

Built By: Cammell Laird (Mersey)
Build Group: T 2
Fate: Scrapped in March 1947 at Briton Ferry.
Thrasher 1940
Thrasher 1940

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Commanders
1941: Lieutenant Commander   Patrick James Cowell DSC MID
1941: Lieutenant   Hugh Stirling Mackenzie
1941: Lieutenant   Peter Scawen Watkinson Roberts
1943: Lieutenant   Arthur Richard Hezlet DSC MID
1943: Lieutenant   Hugo Rowland Barnwell Newton DSC
1943: Lieutenant Commander   John Wentworth McCoy DSC
1944: Lieutenant Commander   Michael Frederic Roberts Ainslie DSO DSC MID
Related Pages
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Lieutenant Peter Scawen Watkinson Roberts

On February 16th, in daylight, HM Submarine Thrasher attacked and sank a heavily escorted supply ship she was at once attacked by depth-charges and was bombed by aircraft. The presence of two unexploded bombs in the gun-casing was discovered when after dark the submarine surfaced and began to roll. Lieutenant Roberts and Petty Officer Gould volunteered to remove the bombs, which were of a type unknown to them.

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Petty Officer Thomas William Gould

On February 16th, in daylight, HM Submarine Thrasher attacked and sank a heavily escorted supply ship she was at once attacked by depth-charges and was bombed by aircraft. The presence of two unexploded bombs in the gun-casing was discovered when after dark the submarine surfaced and began to roll. Lieutenant Roberts and Petty Officer Gould volunteered to remove the bombs, which were of a type unknown to them.

Read

The Lucky Thirteen

HM Submarine Thrasher was one of the most successful submarines of the Second World War. She was definitely the most decorated, being the only submarine to have two VCs among her host of decorations.

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Operation Source - September 1943

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
1
 
Choulerton, James Derrick  D/SSX 30564
Died: 28th May, 1944.
Able Seaman Aged: 26
from Sale, Manchester
Accidentally drowned in Wallasey Dock at Birkenhead in Cheshire

He was the son of James and Bertha Choulerton of Sale

Events

 14-11-1939   Laid Down
 28-11-1940   Launched
 14-05-1941   Completed
 17-07-1941   HMS Thrasher heavily damages the French fishing vessel Virgo Fidelis with gunfire in the Bay of Biscay off San Sebastian, Spain.
 15-08-1941   HMS Thrasher fires four torpedoes against the German transport Ankara off Cape Sunion, Greece. All torpedoes miss.
 20-08-1941   HMS Thrasher sinks the Greek sailing vessel San Stefano with gunfire off Cape Malea, Greece.
 28-10-1941   HMS Thrasher sinks the Italian sailing vessel Esperia with gunfire north-east of Benghazi, Libya.
 25-11-1941   HMS Thrasher torpedoes and sinks the Italian merchant Attilio Deffenu about 20 nautical miles east of Brindisi, Puglia, Italy.
 10-01-1942   HMS Thrasher torpedoes and sinks the Italian merchant Fedora about 35 nautical miles north-east of Cape Dukato, Greece.
 16-02-1942   On February 16th, in daylight, HM Submarine Thrasher attacked and sank a heavily escorted supply ship she was at once attacked by depth-charges and was bombed by aircraft. The presence of two unexploded bombs in the gun-casing was discovered when after dark the submarine surfaced and began to roll. Lieutenant Roberts and Petty Officer Gould volunteered to remove the bombs, which were of a type unknown to them for which they each received the VC.
 09-04-1942   HMS Thrasher torpedoes and sinks the Italian merchant Gala about 20 nautical miles west-south-west of Bengasi, Libya.
 13-04-1942   HMS Thrasher torpedoes and sinks the German army cargo ship Atlas south-west of Bengasi, Libya. She also sinks the Italian tug Pilo 210 with gunfire in roughly the same area.
 19-04-1942   HMS Thrasher attacks the German barge F 184 with gunfire west of Derna, Libya. Return fire forced Thrasher to break off the attack.
 19-05-1942   HMS Thrasher torpedoes and sinks the Italian merchant Penelope about 5 nautical miles north-west of Monopoli, Italy.
 23-06-1942   HMS Thrasher torpedoes and sinks the Italian merchant Sant Antonio in the Gulf of Sirte.
 29-06-1942   HMS Thrasher torpedoes and sinks the Italian sloop Diana north of Tobruk, Libya.
 26-07-1942   HMS Thrasher is bombed in error by a British Swordfish aircraft off Port Said, Egypt. She is under repair for about a month due to the damage sustained.
 04-09-1942   HMS Thrasher torpedoes and sinks the Italian merchant Padenna about 40 nautical miles north of Tobruk, Libya.
 12-10-1942   HMS Thrasher sinks a Greek sailing vessel with gunfire in the Aegean Sea, about 15 nautical miles east of Cape Drepano, Sithonia peninsula, Greece.
 13-10-1942   HMS Thrasher sinks a sailing vessel with gunfire in the Aegean Sea about 10 nautical miles south-west of Cape Pinnes, Athos peninsula, Greece.
 19-10-1942   HMS Thrasher sinks the Italian tug Roma with gunfire off Stampalia, Greece.
 20-10-1942   HMS Thrasher torpedoes and sinks the Italian merchant Lero between Symi and Rhodos Islands, Greece.
 22-01-1945   HMS Thrasher sinks four Japanese sailing vessels with gunfire of the west coast of Siam.
 27-01-1945   HMS Thrasher sinks three Japanese sailing vessels with gunfire of the west coast of Siam.
 28-01-1945   HMS Thrasher sinks three Japanese sailing vessels with gunfire of the west coast of Siam.
 16-03-1945   HMS Thrasher sinks a Japanese sailing vessel with gunfire of the west coast of Burma.
 18-03-1945   HMS Thrasher sinks a Japanese sailing vessel with gunfire of the west coast of Burma.
 19-03-1945   HMS Thrasher sinks three Japanese sailing vessels with gunfire of the west coast of Siam.
 22-06-1945   HMS Thrasher sinks three Japanese sailing vessels with gunfire off the west coast of Siam.
 25-07-1945   HMS Thrasher sinks a Japanese sailing vessel with gunfire north of the Strait of Malacca.
 27-07-1945   HMS Thrasher sinks four Japanese coasters and a Japanese sailing vessel with gunfire in the northern part of the Strait of Malacca.
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