| Built By: | Vickers (Barrow) |
| Build Group: | U2 |
| Fate: | Submarine P32 was on patrol off Tripoli on 18th August 1942 when a convoy of five ships was sighted. The Commanding Officer attempted to dive under a minefield to give himself a better chance of attacking but the Submarine hit a mine that exploded, sending Submarine P32 to the bottom. Eight men in the fore-ends were killed by the collision and twenty-two survived the bottoming. Three of the crew including the Captain made an escape from the Conning Tower whilst the remainder attempted an escape from the Engine Room. Only two of the Crew made a successful escape. Lt Abdy and CPO Kirk survived as POWs. |
The submarine left Malta on 12 August 1941 for a patrol area near Tripoli. Six days later, she sighted a small Italian convoy of five merchant ships protected by destroyers and torpedo boats heading towards the port. P32 and two other U-class submarines attempted to attack the convoy. HMS P33 was almost certainly sunk in the attempt, whilst HMS Unique managed to sink an Italian merchant ship, SS Esperia two days later.
P32 was not in a good position to make an attack, and so attempted to improve it by running underneath a moored minefield. Believing that she had cleared the minefield, the commanding officer, Lieutenant D A B Abdy ordered the submarine to rise to periscope depth to resume the attack.
A mine, either part of the minefield, or laid by an allied aircraft, exploded against her port side and flooded the portion of the boat forward of the control room, killing the eight crew members in that part of the vessel. The submarine developed a severe list and sank to the seabed.
Most of the 24 survivors retired to the engine room to attempt a DSEA escape. However Abdy, the coxswain Petty Officer Kirk, and ERA Martin attempted to escape using the conning tower. Martin was killed in the attempt but the other two men survived and were picked up by an Italian ship. No other crew members survived. Abdy and Kirk were exchanged for Italian prisoners of war in 1943.
Arebi diving team Tripoli-Libya discovered several parts of the P32 submarines bow (port side) about 15 nautical miles east-north-east of Tripoli, at a depth of about 200 feet. The hull was twisted towards the outside, evidence that the explosion appears to have come from inside the submarine.
Roll of Honour |
30
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| Ballard, Frederick |
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| Able Seaman | ||||||
| Banks, William James Thomas |
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| Stoker Petty Officer | ||||||
| Barnett, Arthur |
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| Telegraphist | ||||||
| Barrow, Wallace Charles |
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| Petty Officer | ||||||
| Bates, Colin |
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| Stoker 1st Class | ||||||
| Bowman, Leslie Wilson |
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| Stoker Petty Officer | ||||||
| Breeds, Ronald Mark |
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| Able Seaman | ||||||
| Chapman, Victor Frank |
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| Leading Seaman | ||||||
| Cooper, Sidney Wesley |
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| Engine Room Artificer 3rd Class | ||||||
| Corn, Charles Foster |
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| Able Seaman | ||||||
| Edwards, Harold |
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| Leading Stoker | ||||||
| Giles, Arthur |
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| Chief Engine Room Artificer | ||||||
| Hargreaves, Eric |
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| Leading Signalman | ||||||
| Honeysett, Frederick Robert John |
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| Telegraphist | ||||||
| Kelly, Patrick |
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| Stoker 1st Class | ||||||
| Lyons, Thomas |
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| Telegraphist | ||||||
| Martin, William Henry |
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| Engine Room Artificer 2nd Class | ||||||
| McLane, William |
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| Ordinary Seaman | ||||||
| Millar, Michael Fitzadam |
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| Sub Lieutenant | ||||||
| Morris, Richard Lionel Stanley |
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| Lieutenant | ||||||
| Print, George Edward |
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| Leading Seaman | ||||||
| Roberts, James Thomas |
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| Ordinary Seaman | ||||||
| Scard, Ronald James |
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| Stoker 1st Class | ||||||
| Smithard, Richard MacLean |
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| Sub Lieutenant | ||||||
| Stewart, William Ross |
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| Leading Seaman | ||||||
| Styles, William John |
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| Ordinary Seaman | ||||||
| Waddington, Frederick James |
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| Able Seaman | ||||||
| Walford, Denis Eustace DSM |
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| Petty Officer Telegraphist | ||||||
| Wallen, Fred |
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| Stoker 1st Class | ||||||
| Winter, James |
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| Able Seaman | ||||||
By the time the Holland's and the A class submarines had come from the berths at Barrow and entered service, the Royal Navy's Submarine Service - every man a volunteer, by the way - had become accustomed to dicing with death.
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By the time the Holland's and the A class submarines had come from the berths at Barrow and entered service, the Royal Navy's Submarine Service - every man a volunteer, by the way - had become accustomed to dicing with death.
Discover and Record Your Personal Roots and Heritage: Everything from Accessing Archives, Public Record Offices and Using the Internet
13 pages added or updated in the last 2 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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