| Built By: | Chatham Dockyard (Medway) |
| Build Group: | T 1 |
| Fate: | Scrapped in March 1947 at Briton Ferry. |
Lieutenant Commander Anthony Cecil Chapel Miers
Lieutenant Commander Miers sighted a northbound convoy of four troopships entering the South Corfu Channel and since they had been too far distant for him to attack initially, he decided to follow in the hope of catching them in Corfu Harbour.
| 21-11-1938 | Laid Down |
| 19-04-1940 | Launched |
| 14-01-1941 | Completed |
| 30-05-1941 | HMS Torbay sinks two sailing vessels with gunfire in the Aegean Sea. |
| 01-06-1941 | HMS Torbay sinks Greek sailing vessel with gunfire in the Doro Channel, Greece. |
| 03-06-1941 | HMS Torbay sinks a sailing vessel with gunfire off Mitylene, Lesbos, Greece. |
| 06-06-1941 | HMS Torbay damages the Vichy French tanker Alberta with gunfire of Cape Hellas. |
| 10-06-1941 | HMS Torbay makes three attack runs on an Italian convoy off the Dardenelles. The first attack at 0940 hours failed to produce any results, the second attack at 1043 hours resulted in a torpedo hit on the Italian tanker Utilitas. Unfortunately the torpedo failed to explode. In the third attack at 1208 hours the Italian tanker Giuseppina Ghirardi as torpedoed and sunk 8 nautical miles off Cape Hellas. |
| 11-06-1941 | HMS Torbay rams and sinks a Greek sailing vessel 15 nautical miles south off Mitylene, Lesbos, Greece. |
| 12-06-1941 | HMS Torbay sinks the Italian sailing vessel Gesu E Maria with gunfire off Skyros, Greece. |
| 30-06-1941 | HMS Torbay sinks a sailing vessel with gunfire off Cape Malea, Greece. |
| 02-07-1941 | HMS Torbay torpedoes and sinks the Italian merchant Citta di Tripoli in the Zea Channel, Greece. |
| 04-07-1941 | HMS Torbay sinks two German sailing vessels with gunfire in the Doro Channel. |
| 05-07-1941 | The Italian submarine Jantina was torpedoed and sunk in the Aegean south of Mykonos, Greece. |
| 06-07-1941 | British submarine Torbay sinks the Italian submarine Jantina |
| 08-07-1941 | Around 1130 hours HMS Torbay sinks the German sailing vessels L XIV and L I with gunfire and scuttling charges east of Kythera, Greece. |
| 09-07-1941 | HMS Torbay sinks the German sailing vessels L V, L XII and L VI, with gunfire and scuttling charges about 10 nautical miles north of Antikythera, Greece and damages the Italian oiler Strombo in the Zea Channel. |
| 12-08-1941 | HMS Torbay attacks an Italian convoy 4 nautical miles west of Benghazi, Libya. The four torpedoes fired against the Italian merchants Bosforo and Iseo all miss their targets and Torbay is heavily depth charged following this attack. |
| 16-08-1941 | HMS Torbay sinks the sailing vessel Evangelista with scuttling charges off Cape Matapan. |
| 10-09-1941 | HMS Torbay torpedoes and damages the German merchant Norburg inside Iraklion harbour, Crete. |
| 15-10-1941 | HMS Torbay bombards the port of Apollonia |
| 11-12-1941 | HMS Torbay sinks the Greek sailing vessel Sofia with gunfire north-west of Suda Bay, Crete. |
| 12-12-1941 | HMS Torbay sinks the Greek sailing vessel P III with gunfire north-west of Suda Bay, Crete. |
| 15-12-1941 | HMS Torbay sinks three Greek sailing vessels with gunfire off Cape Methene. |
| 22-12-1941 | HMS Torbay sinks a Greek sailing vessel with gunfire off Cape Methene.. |
| 23-12-1941 | HMS Torbay torpedoes and further damages the Italian destroyer Aviere at Navarino harbour. The Aviere was already grounded. |
| 27-02-1942 | HMS Torbay torpedoes and sinks the Italian merchant Lido about 15 nautical miles south of Antipaxe, Korfu, Greece. |
| 04-03-1942 | The HMS Torbay, under Commander Miers, followed an Axis convoy and succeeded in penetrating the heavily defended anchorage at Corfu. Torbay proceeded to fire torpedoes at two large transports and a destroyer - both transports were reported sunk - then retreated out to sea under very heavy depth charge attack. Torbay escaped successfully, and Miers was awarded the Victoria Cross for the exploit. |
| 05-03-1942 | HMS Torbay torpedoes and sinks the Italian merchant Maddalena G. off Korfu, Greece. |
| 09-04-1942 | HMS Torbay sinks the Italian auxiliary patrol vessel R 113/Avanguardista with gunfire off Patras, Greece. |
| 11-04-1942 | HMS Torbay sinks the Italian sailing vessel Gesu Crocifisso with gunfire north-west of Korfu. |
| 18-04-1942 | HMS Torbay torpedoes and sinks the German army cargo ship Bellona in the Ionian Sea about 50 nautical miles east-south-east of Capo Colonna, Italy. |
| 19-04-1942 | HMS Torbay sinks the German auxiliary submarine chaser 13 V 2/Delpa II with gunfire north of Crete. |
| 11-02-1943 | HMS Torbay sinks the Danish merchant Grete off Cape Oropesa, Spain. |
| 25-02-1943 | HMS Torbay damages the Italian auxiliary minesweeper Monte Argentario with gunfire off Ajaccio, Corsica, France. |
| 26-02-1943 | HMS Torbay torpedoes and sinks the Spanish merchant Juan de Astigarraga off San Remo, Italy. Torbay also sinks the French merchant Oasis with scuttling charges about 30 nautical miles south of Cape Mele, Italy. Both ships were under German control. |
| 28-02-1943 | HMS Torbay torpedoes and sinks the Italian merchant Ischia off Portofino, Italy. |
| 03-03-1943 | HMS Torbay sinks the Italian sailing vessel Gesu Guiseppe E Maria with gunfire off Milazzo, Sicily, Italy. |
| 28-03-1943 | HMS Torbay torpedoes and sinks the French merchant Lillios off Cape Scalea, Italy. |
| 01-04-1943 | HMS Torbay sinks the Italian fishing vessel Madonna di Porto Salvo with gunfire 8 nautical miles off Punta Licosa, Italy. |
| 11-04-1943 | HMS Torbay claims the sinking of a sailing vessel with gunfire off Corfu, Greece. |
| 17-07-1943 | HMS Torbay sinks the Italian sailing vessel Pozzalo 5 nautical miles west of Civitavecchia, Italy. |
| 18-07-1943 | HMS Torbay sinks the Italian auxiliary patrol vessel V 90/San Girolamo with gunfire south-east of Giglio, Italy. |
| 23-07-1943 | HMS Torbay torpedoes and sinks the Italian Aderno off Civitavecchia, Italy. |
| 31-08-1943 | HMS Torbay sinks the Italian sailing vessel Columbo with gunfire 15 nautical miles west of Kos, Greece. |
| 02-09-1943 | HMS Torbay torpedoes and sinks the small Italian merchant Versilia off Paros Island, Greece. |
| 15-10-1943 | HMS Torbay torpedoes and sinks the small Italian merchant Tarquinia off Kalymnos, Greece and a Greek fishing vessel with gunfire east of Leros, Greece. Following these sinkings Torbay had an encounter with the German Q-ship GA 45. Torbay's periscope was sighted first by GA 45 which dropped 5 depth-charges very close. Later Torbay surfaced intending to dispose of GA 45 with her gun but the German vessel was very alert and opened an accurate fire as soon as the submarine surfaced and forced her to break off the action. She did not drop any further depth-charges which led Torbay to conclude that she was out of depth-charges. The submarine was not damaged during this encounter. |
| 16-10-1943 | HMS Torbay torpedoes and sinks the German troopship Kari and torpedoes and damages the Italian merchant (in German service) Trapani east of Naxos, Greece. |
| 21-11-1943 | HMS Torbay sinks a sailing vessel with gunfire west of Psathoura Island, Greece. |
| 22-11-1943 | HMS Torbay torpedoes and sinks a German floating dock north of Skiathos Island, Greece. |
| 26-11-1943 | HMS Torbay fires three torpedoes against the German merchant Salomea off Lemnos island, Greece. All three torpedoes missed. |
| 27-11-1943 | HMS Torbay torpedoes and sinks the German troop transport Palma off Karlovasi, Samos, Greece. |
| 25-12-1943 | HMS Torbay damages a sailing vessel with gunfire off Cape Stavros, Crete, Greece |
| 26-01-1944 | HMS Torbay fires 5 torpedoes against the German merchant Leda south of Amorgos Island, Greece. All torpedoes missed. |
| 31-01-1944 | HMS Torbay sinks a Greek sailing vessel with gunfire south of Lemnos Island, Greece. |
| 16-03-1945 | HMS Torbay damages a Japanese coaster with gunfire of the west coast of Siam. |
| 24-04-1945 | HMS Torbay sinks a Japanese coaster with gunfire off Sabang, Sumatra, Netherlands East Indies. |
| 30-04-1945 | HMS Torbay sinks two Japanese sailing vessels with scuttling charges in the Strait of Malacca. |
| Length overall | 275 ft |
| Beam | 26 ft 6 inch |
| Depth | 14 ft 3 inch |
| Displacement | 1327 tons (surface) |
| 1575 tons (submerged) | |
| Diving Depth | 300 ft |
| Speed | Surface 15.25 knots (design) |
| Surface 15.25 knots (service) | |
| Submerged 9 knots (design) | |
| Submerged8.75 knots (service) | |
| No. of shafts | 2 |
| Endurance | Surface: 7500 miles at 15.25 knots (design) |
| (ii) Surface: 8000 miles at 10 knots (service) | |
| Submerged: 80 miles at 4 knots (design) | |
| Submerged: 80 miles at 4 knots (service) | |
| Armament | (i) 8 21 inch bow tubes (2 external) |
| 2 x 21 inch amidship tubes | |
| (16 torpedoes carried) | |
| 1 x 4 inch gun | |
| (ii) 0.303 inch machine-guns | |
| Complement | (peacetime) 5 Officers and 51 Ratings |
| (wartime) 6 Officers and 56 Ratings | |
| Notes | (i) As an alternative load, Group 1 submarines could carry 18 mines |
| (ii) These were later replaced by, or supplemented by one 20mm Oerlikon cannon |
Alliance (P 417) |
|
| Class: | 1943 - 1977: Amphion Class |
| Built By: | |
| Build Group: | Amphion |
|
Fate: Mounted on jetty Dolphin II as part of Submarine Museum June 1981 |
|
The part played in the Cold War by the Royal Navy's submarines still retains a great degree of mystery and, in the traditions of the 'Silent Service,' remains largely shrouded in secrecy. Cold War Command brings us as close as is possible to the realities of commanding nuclear hunter-killer submarines, routinely tasked to hunt out and covertly follow Soviet submarines in order to destroy them should there be any outbreak of hostilities.
Dan Conley takes the reader through his early career in diesel submarines, prior to his transition to the complex and very demanding three-dimensional world of operating nuclear submarines; he describes the Royal Navy's shortcomings in ship and weapons procurement and delivers many insights into the procurement failures which led to the effective bankrupting of the Defence budget in the first decade of the 21st century. In command of the hunter killer submarines Courageous and Valiant in the 1980s, he achieved exceptional success against Soviet submarines at the height of the Cold War. He was also involved in the initial deployment of the Trident nuclear weapon system, and divulges hitherto un-revealed facets of nuclear weapons strategy and policy during this period.
This gripping read takes you onboard a nuclear submarine and into the depths of the ocean, and relays the excitement and apprehensions experienced by British submariners confronted by a massive Soviet Navy.
20 pages added or updated in the last Array month
Please help to maintain this site by reporting any Errors, Broken Links, Information or Site Issues on this page using this button
If you find this site useful, please consider supporting my work with a small Donation.
Please Note: Donations made using this option go directly to the site owner and not to the Submariners Association.
Thankyou for your support.
| Length overall | 275 ft |
| Beam | 26 ft 6 inch |
| Depth | 14 ft 3 inch |
| Displacement | 1327 tons (surface) |
| 1575 tons (submerged) | |
| Diving Depth | 300 ft |
| Speed | Surface 15.25 knots (design) |
| Surface 15.25 knots (service) | |
| Submerged 9 knots (design) | |
| Submerged8.75 knots (service) | |
| No. of shafts | 2 |
| Endurance | Surface: 7500 miles at 15.25 knots (design) |
| (ii) Surface: 8000 miles at 10 knots (service) | |
| Submerged: 80 miles at 4 knots (design) | |
| Submerged: 80 miles at 4 knots (service) | |
| Armament | (i) 8 21 inch bow tubes (2 external) |
| 2 x 21 inch amidship tubes | |
| (16 torpedoes carried) | |
| 1 x 4 inch gun | |
| (ii) 0.303 inch machine-guns | |
| Complement | (peacetime) 5 Officers and 51 Ratings |
| (wartime) 6 Officers and 56 Ratings | |
| Notes | (i) As an alternative load, Group 1 submarines could carry 18 mines |
| (ii) These were later replaced by, or supplemented by one 20mm Oerlikon cannon |
Alliance (P 417) |
|
| Class: | 1943 - 1977: Amphion Class |
| Built By: | |
| Build Group: | Amphion |
|
Fate: Mounted on jetty Dolphin II as part of Submarine Museum June 1981 |
|
The part played in the Cold War by the Royal Navy's submarines still retains a great degree of mystery and, in the traditions of the 'Silent Service,' remains largely shrouded in secrecy. Cold War Command brings us as close as is possible to the realities of commanding nuclear hunter-killer submarines, routinely tasked to hunt out and covertly follow Soviet submarines in order to destroy them should there be any outbreak of hostilities.
Dan Conley takes the reader through his early career in diesel submarines, prior to his transition to the complex and very demanding three-dimensional world of operating nuclear submarines; he describes the Royal Navy's shortcomings in ship and weapons procurement and delivers many insights into the procurement failures which led to the effective bankrupting of the Defence budget in the first decade of the 21st century. In command of the hunter killer submarines Courageous and Valiant in the 1980s, he achieved exceptional success against Soviet submarines at the height of the Cold War. He was also involved in the initial deployment of the Trident nuclear weapon system, and divulges hitherto un-revealed facets of nuclear weapons strategy and policy during this period.
This gripping read takes you onboard a nuclear submarine and into the depths of the ocean, and relays the excitement and apprehensions experienced by British submariners confronted by a massive Soviet Navy.
20 pages added or updated in the last Array month
Please help to maintain this site by reporting any Errors, Broken Links, Information or Site Issues on this page using this button
If you find this site useful, please consider supporting my work with a small Donation.
Please Note: Donations made using this option go directly to the site owner and not to the Submariners Association.
Thankyou for your support.
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