| Built By: | Scotts (Clyde) |
| Build Group: | T 2 |
| Fate: | HMS Trooper sailed from the Base at Beirut on 28th September 1943 for a patrol off the west of the Dodocanese Islands. The Submarine failed to arrive back as expected on 17th October and was assumed to have been sunk by a mine on 10th Oct 1943. There were no survivors. |
| 1942: | Lieutenant | John Somerton Wraith | DSO DSC |
| 1943: | Lieutenant | Reginald Peter Webb | |
| 1943: | Lieutenant | Guy Stewart Chetwode Clarabut | DSO MID |
HMS Trooper was designated to take part in Operation Principle, a Chariot attack on Italian shipping in the Northern Sicilian port of Palermo. Operation Principle called for Trooper to carry three Chariots and their crews for an attack to start on the night of 2nd/3rd January 1943.
Of the three Chariots launched one had to abandon its attack and returned to sea from Palermo to be rescued by Submarine P46, later HMS Unruffled (Lieutenant J S Stevens DSO, Royal Navy in Command).
A second Chariot (No. XVI) made a successful attack resulting in damage to the 8,500-ton Merchant Vessel Viminale.
The third Chariot was unsuccessful in its attempts to attack shipping and was thwarted by the illness (and subsequent loss) of its No. 1 Crewman and rough weather. Of the six Crewmen two returned safely, three were taken Prisoner of War and one died.
James Freel was born in Duke Street, Hindpool in Barrow in Furness, Lancashire on 13th Dec 1919. He was the son of Mr Freel and Mrs. Theresa Freel. There were nine children in the family and included James Freel, sisters Teresa, Patricia (born 1915), Mona and Loretto (born 1931) and a brother Frank Freel (born 1925). James Freel attended the St. Mary's Roman Catholic Primary School in Barrow. After leaving School he joined the Royal Navy in 1936. He was drafted to the 33,900-ton Battleship HMS Rodney.
HMS Rodney was damaged in and was sent to the United States for repairs. Following his time in HMS Rodney he volunteered for 'Special Service' in 1942 and trained as a 'Charioteer'. He was drafted to Submarine P311 on 22nd Nov 1943 but was transferred to Submarine HMS Trooper.
On the night of 2nd/3rd Jan 1943 he was the No. 2 Crewman on Chariot No. XVI which was launched from Submarine HMS Trooper for an attack on Italian shipping in the port of Palermo. For a successful attack on the 8,500-ton Italian Troop Ship Viminale James Freel was awarded the Conspicuous Gallantry Medal, see London Gazette dated 14th Apr 1944
'For great gallantry in carrying out a daring attack at night, with "Human Torpedoes" on the strongly defended enemy base at Palermo. The operation was most hazardous. The defences of the harbour had to be penetrated and its whole length crossed without detection and the "Human Torpedoes" manoeuvred into position under the targets. An enemy cruiser was sunk and a transport much damaged'.
After the successful attack on the Viminale James Freel was arrested by the Italian police and was later held in a Prisoner of War Camp near Rome. He successfully escaped from captivity in September 1943 and after nearly two years living with Italian partisans, he made his way across to the American lines in Italy in December 1943 and returned home safely. He was later awarded a Mention in Dispatches, see London Gazette dated 29th Jun 1945,
'for courage, determination and devotion to duty'.
He was presented with a gold watch by the Apostleship of the Sea. After the War James Freel worked in ships supplying the British Antarctic bases and later worked in Perth in Western Australia. He later moved to Sydney in New South Wales with a Cement Piling Company where he died in 1965. He was buried in the Rookwood Cemetery in Sydney.
In 2005 his sister, Loreto Dwyer, arranged for him to be exhumed and cremated in Australia and returned home with his ashes. After a Memorial Mass in St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church in Duke Street, Barrow in Furness on 3rd December 2005 his ashes were interred in the same grave in the Thorncliffe Cemetery in Barrow as his mother, Mrs Theresa Freel, a former Mayor of Barrow in Furness.
NOTE: James Freel's & Memorabilia were later 'gifted' to the Barrow Submariners and are currently on display at the Dock Museum in Barrow
During the attempted attack on shipping at the Italian port of Palermo a problem arose with the diving equipment of his No. 2 crewman (L/Sea Carter). Sub Lieutenant Stevens dropped him off at a buoy whilst he attempted to complete his mission, but he was unsuccessful. He returned to the buoy, collected L/Sea Carter, and then returned to see where the team was successfully recovered by Submarine P46.
Twenty-four-year-old Harold Cook was lost during Operation Principle. He died on 2nd January 1943. He was the son of Herbert and Edith Millicent Cook of Leigh on Sea, Essex.
AB Worthy was taken Prisoner of War. He was later awarded a Mention in Dispatches
'For great gallantry in carrying out a daring attack at night, with "Human Torpedoes" on the strongly defended enemy base at Palerm . The operation was most hazardous. The defences of the harbour had to be penetrated and its whole length crossed without detection and the "Human Torpedoes" manoeuvred into position under the targets. An enemy cruiser was sunk and a transport much damaged'. He was awarded a second Mention in Dispatches - see London Gazette dated 29th Jun 1945 'for courage, determination and devotion to duty'
Greek diver and researcher Kostas Thoktaridis and his team found Trooper after many attempts and countless hours of meticulous research, eventually discovering the wreck lying at a depth of more than 800ft between the islands of Ikaria and Donousa in the Icarian Sea, part of the Aegean Sea in the approaches to Athens.
The loss of Trooper and her 64 crew in October 1943 was not in vain. Their dangerous mission to deliver three agents, the last people to get out of the submarine alive, proved fruitful, with valuable military information gathered and money and a radio delivered to the Greek underground.
The Royal Navy's Wreck Advisory Group analysed video footage to confirm the wreck, which was found in early October 2024.
The dive teams reported that it is likely the submarine was sunk by a German EMF-type mine, instantly breaking the boat into three pieces. The bow and stern lie on the seabed in close proximity, while the submarine's conning tower has broken off and is located much further away.
Roll of Honour |
64
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| Adam, Peter Milne |
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| Stoker Petty Officer | ||||||
| Anderson, Alexander William |
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| Sub Lieutenant | ||||||
| Bengough, Ivor Donald |
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| Stoker Petty Officer | ||||||
| Brotherton, Alan |
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| Stoker 1st Class | ||||||
| Carling, Thomas Matthew |
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| Able Seaman | ||||||
| Carroll, Leonard |
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| Stoker 1st Class | ||||||
| Charnock, Frank |
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| Leading Seaman | ||||||
| Chivers, Ronald Stephen |
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| Able Seaman | ||||||
| Colville, John |
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| Able Seaman | ||||||
| Cope, Henry Charles |
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| Signalman | ||||||
| Cornelius, John |
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| Engine Room Artificer 4th Class | ||||||
| Crossland, Frank |
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| Telegraphist | ||||||
| Curry, Thomas Arkless |
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| Leading Stoker | ||||||
| Davies, Glanville Yorwerth |
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| Stoker 1st Class | ||||||
| Farnell, John Belton (RNVR) |
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| Able Seaman | ||||||
| Fenn, William Charles England DSM |
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| Chief Engine Room Artificer | ||||||
| Fisher, Francis Edward |
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| Able Seaman | ||||||
| Fleming, Samuel |
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| Able Seaman | ||||||
| Forster, Michael |
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| Engine Room Artificer 4th Class | ||||||
| Fry, William Victor DSM |
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| Engine Room Artificer 3rd Class | ||||||
| Furnell, Ernest Clifford |
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| Able Seaman | ||||||
| Gilbert, James Bishop |
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| Petty Officer | ||||||
| Grant, Leslie Alexander Stuart DSC |
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| Lieutenant | ||||||
| Greatwood, Kenneth Neil |
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| Able Seaman | ||||||
| Hind, George William |
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| Able Seaman | ||||||
| Horton, Harold Graham |
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| Leading Stoker | ||||||
| Jones, Richard |
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| Able Seaman | ||||||
| Lancaster, Owen Felton DSC |
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| Engineer Lieutenant | ||||||
| Lawson, Clement Colborne |
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| Leading Stoker | ||||||
| Legg, Alfred Frank |
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| Leading Stoker | ||||||
| Lloyd, Henry Roberts |
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| Able Seaman | ||||||
| Mather, James |
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| Engine Room Artificer 4th Class | ||||||
| Meek, Frank Henry |
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| Stoker 1st Class | ||||||
| Mercer, Stanley |
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| Steward | ||||||
| Mills, Ronald William |
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| Leading Stoker | ||||||
| Mott, Henry Arthur MID |
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| Leading Stoker | ||||||
| Peters, Maurice |
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| Engine Room Artificer 4th Class | ||||||
| Ribbans, Stuart Ernest |
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| Petty Officer Telegraphist | ||||||
| Robinson, Ronald Norman DSM |
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| Leading Stoker | ||||||
| Ruston, Benjamin Thomas DSM* |
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| Leading Seaman | ||||||
| Ryder, John Stuart (RANVR) |
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| Sub Lieutenant | ||||||
| Sainsbury, George William |
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| Stoker 1st Class | ||||||
| Seddon, Denis |
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| Stoker 1st Class | ||||||
| Shoebridge, Septimus Hyde |
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| Leading Telegraphist | ||||||
| Skinner, Horace |
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| Leading Cook | ||||||
| Sleep, Ralph Bassett DSM |
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| Petty Officer | ||||||
| Smethurst, Frank |
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| Able Seaman | ||||||
| Stillwell, Cecil James |
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| Leading Cook | ||||||
| Stobbie, James |
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| Telegraphist | ||||||
| Stott, Edgar |
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| Engine Room Artificer 4th Class | ||||||
| Sumner, Henry Graham (RNVR) |
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| Sub Lieutenant | ||||||
| Tame, David William Lewis |
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| Stoker 1st Class | ||||||
| Taylor, Raymond Edward |
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| Stoker 1st Class | ||||||
| Thompson, Leonard |
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| Leading Telegraphist | ||||||
| Tripp, Frederick Wilfred |
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| Able Seaman | ||||||
| Walker, Douglas Bland |
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| Able Seaman | ||||||
| Ward, Frederick Alfred Charles Green |
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| Able Seaman | ||||||
| Watson, James Alexander DSM** |
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| Petty Officer | ||||||
| Whatley, Emrys |
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| Able Seaman | ||||||
| Whiting, Jack Bernard |
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| Stoker Petty Officer | ||||||
| Whittle, William Bartholomew MID |
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| Able Seaman | ||||||
| Williams, Leonard |
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| Leading Seaman | ||||||
| Wraith, John Somerton DSO* |
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| Lieutenant | ||||||
| Yeoman, Robert Ainslie |
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| Petty Officer | ||||||
| 26-03-1940 | Laid Down |
| 05-03-1942 | Launched |
| 29-08-1942 | Completed |
| 10-03-1943 | HMS Trooper torpedoes and sinks the Italian tanker Rosario 4 nautical miles off Punta Milazzo. |
| 15-03-1943 | HMS Trooper fires 4 torpedoes against the Italian merchant Belluno about 30 nautical miles south of Isola di Capri, Italy. All torpedoes missed. |
| 17-03-1943 | HMS Trooper torpedoes and sinks the Italian merchant Forli south of Naples, Italy. |
| 29-07-1943 | Italian submarine Pietro Micca was torpedoed and sunk at the entrance to Adriatic, in the Strait of Otranto by the British HMS Trooper |
| 05-09-1943 | HMS Trooper sinks a sailing vessel with gunfire off Skiathos, Greece. Trooper also damages two other enemy vessels with gunfire. |
| 10-10-1943 | HMS Trooper sailed from the Base at Beirut on 28th September 1943 for a patrol off the west of the Dodocanese Islands. The Submarine failed to arrive back as expected on 17th October and was assumed to have been sunk by a mine on 10th Oct 1943. There were no survivors. |
| 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) | |
| Submerged 8.75 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 x 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 | 56 |
| 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. |
| A Submarine at War |
David Renwick Grant This book encapsulates the life of a wartime submarine. It includes photographs and diary entries, log extracts and sailing orders and exciting personal accounts. Written by a relative of one of the crew, it gives a different flavour to that found in the several excellent books already published by wartime submariners, and now mostly out of print. It is also a salute to all World War Two submariners. |
| Class: | 1959 - 1998: Oberon Class |
| Built By: | Scotts (Clyde) |
| Build Group: | O2a |
| Fate: | |
| Otus is now on display in Germany having been purchased from Pounds. | |
11 pages added or updated in the last Array month
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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) | |
| Submerged 8.75 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 x 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 | 56 |
| 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. |
| A Submarine at War |
|
David Renwick Grant This book encapsulates the life of a wartime submarine. It includes photographs and diary entries, log extracts and sailing orders and exciting personal accounts. Written by a relative of one of the crew, it gives a different flavour to that found in the several excellent books already published by wartime submariners, and now mostly out of print. It is also a salute to all World War Two submariners. |
| Class: | 1959 - 1998: Oberon Class |
| Built By: | Scotts (Clyde) |
| Build Group: | O2a |
| Fate: | |
| Otus is now on display in Germany having been purchased from Pounds. | |
11 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. Or you can make a big one if you like :)
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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