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Home → Boats → Submarines → U Class → P38

P 38

Built By: Vickers (Barrow)
Build Group: U2
Fate: On 23rd February 1942 Submarine P38 was detected off the Tunisian coast by the Italian Torpedo Boat Circe which made a depth charge attack which blew the submarine to the surface.

There was then a gunfire attack by the Italian Destroyer Antoniotto Usodimare after which P38 submerged again.

Further depth charge attacks were made by both Antoniotto Usodimare and Emmanuel Pessagno which, again, brought Submarine P38 to the surface before sinking for the last time.

Submarine P38 was lost with all hands.

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Commanders
1941: Lieutenant   Rowland John Hemingway DSC

1942: 10th Flotilla. Malta

February 1942, Patrol off Ras el Hamra in company with P34, P39 and Una.

Roll of Honour
32
Atkinson, Leonard
D/JX 238569
Died: 23rd Feb, 1942.
Aged: 24
Able Seaman
Beckett, Stanley Walter
P/J 112814
Died: 23rd Feb, 1942.
Aged: 33
Petty Officer Telegraphist
Benfield, George Edward
P/JX 128783
Died: 23rd Feb, 1942.
Aged: 31
Petty Officer
Brightman, Leonard
C/J 97384
Born: 22nd Dec, 1904.
Died: 23rd Feb, 1942.
Aged: 37
Able Seaman
Brown, Leonard James
C/KX 96835
Died: 23rd Feb, 1942.
Aged: 20
Stoker 1st Class
Butler, Samuel
D/JX 188247
Died: 23rd Feb, 1942.
Aged: 22
Able Seaman
Durnell, Clarence William
D/MX 75078
Died: 23rd Feb, 1942.
Aged: 20
Engine Room Artificer 5th Class
Edwell, Ernest Robert
C/J 101500
Died: 23rd Feb, 1942.
Aged: 36
Leading Seaman
Eustace, David Airy
Died: 23rd Feb, 1942.
Aged: 21
Lieutenant
Ferguson, Arthur James
P/JX 153630
Died: 23rd Feb, 1942.
Aged: 20
Telegraphist
Gover, Richard Eustace
C/JX 190485
Died: 23rd Feb, 1942.
Aged: 20
Able Seaman
Gray, Alan Moir
Died: 23rd Feb, 1942.
Aged: 20
Sub Lieutenant
Guest, George
D/KX 90669
Died: 23rd Feb, 1942.
Aged: 27
Leading Stoker
Hallsworth, Arthur Sidney
D/JX 186407
Died: 23rd Feb, 1942.
Aged: 20
Able Seaman
Hemingway, Rowland John DSC
Died: 23rd Feb, 1942.
Aged: 28
Lieutenant
Jackson, William
D/SKX 1233
Died: 23rd Feb, 1942.
Aged: 19
Stoker 2nd Class
Kerr, Walter Thomas
P/KX 81825
Died: 23rd Feb, 1942.
Aged: 31
Stoker Petty Officer
Lawler, Peter John Alfred
C/JX 221120
Died: 23rd Feb, 1942.
Aged: 27
Able Seaman
Marrable, Donald Leonard
C/MX 50282
Died: 23rd Feb, 1942.
Aged: 30
Engine Room Artificer 2nd Class
Mercer, Cornelius Abraham George
D/KX 148281
Died: 23rd Feb, 1942.
Aged: 21
Leading Telegraphist
Merkel, Phillip Thomas
P/JX 130551
Died: 23rd Feb, 1942.
Aged: 29
Petty Officer
Pidgeon, Stephen Arthur
Born: 29th Jul, 1913.
Died: 23rd Feb, 1942.
Aged: 28
From: Melbourne Australia
Lieutenant
Porteous, Kenneth
C/KX 92187
Died: 23rd Feb, 1942.
Aged: 24
Stoker 1st Class
Robinson, Alfred Henry
C/JX 133890
Died: 23rd Feb, 1942.
Aged: 27
Leading Telegraphist
Ronald, George Henry
C/SSX 26013
Died: 23rd Feb, 1942.
Aged: 22
Able Seaman
Salter, Charles Henry
P/JX 145845
Died: 23rd Feb, 1942.
Aged: 21
Able Seaman
Schroeder, John Charles
C/M 35645
Died: 23rd Feb, 1942.
Aged: 37
Chief Engine Room Artificer
Scouse, Eric Oscar
P/JX 139585
Died: 23rd Feb, 1942.
Aged: 25
Able Seaman
Shipley, Philip
C/KX 111361
Died: 23rd Feb, 1942.
Aged: 20
Stoker 1st Class
Turnbull, Frederick
C/SSX 20030
Died: 23rd Feb, 1942.
Aged: 24
Able Seaman
Wallace, John
C/KX 75404
Died: 23rd Feb, 1942.
Aged: 34
Leading Stoker
Weaver, James Thomas
D/SSX 29182
Died: 23rd Feb, 1942.
Aged: 20
Signalman

Events

 02-09-1940   Laid Down
 09-07-1941   Launched
 17-10-1941   Completed
 15-02-1942   HMS P38 torpedoes and sinks Italian merchant Ariosto off Tunisia. 138 Allied POW's are lost
 23-02-1942   HMS P38 left Malta on 16th February 1942 to intercept a convoy off Tripoli. By the 23rd she was in position as the convoy hove into view. Amongst the convoy was the Italian destroyer Circe.

At 0800 the Circe reported contact with a submarine and the warships turned to attack. A periscope was sighted but was quickly replaced by bubbles as the submarine dived realising it had been spotted.

At 1050 after a flurry of attacks HMS P38 rose stern first out of the water, her propellers turning wildly, before crashing back beneath the waves. A large patch of oil appeared on the surface as well as debris - clear evidence of the submarines destruction.
U2 Specification
Length overall  195 ft 6 inch
Beam  15 ft 9 inch
Depth  15 ft 10 inch
Displacement   648 tons (surface)
  735 tons (submerged)
Diving Depth  200 ft
Speed  11.5 knots (surface)
  9 knots (submerged)
No. of shafts  2
Endurance  Surface: 4050 miles at 10 knots (design)
  Submerged: 23 miles at 8 knots or 170 miles at 2.5 knots (design)
Armament  4 x 21 inch bow tubes (8 torpedoes carried)
  1 x 3 inch gun
  3 x 0.303 inch machine-guns
Complement  4 Officers, 29 Others.
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