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Vandal (P 64)

Built By: Vickers (Barrow)
Build Group: U2
Fate: The shortest living vessel built at Barrow foundered during trials in the Firth of Clyde on 24th February 1943.

The wreck was located in June 1994 but the cause of her loss remains unknown.
Vandal (P 64)
Vandal (P 64)

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Commanders
1942: Lieutenant   John Stirling Bridger

Ex P53

Roll of Honour

37
Allerton, Kenneth
P/JX 157650
Died: 24th Feb, 1943.
Aged: 20
Able Seaman
Allinson, Joseph William
C/JX 156964
Died: 24th Feb, 1943.
Aged: 21
Able Seaman
Andrews, William Charles
C/MX 92171
Died: 24th Feb, 1943.
Aged: 22
Engine Room Artificer 4th Class
Aries, William Ronald
C/JX 159515
Died: 24th Feb, 1943.
Aged: 20
Able Seaman
Berry, Walter William Palmer
D/JX 151217
Died: 24th Feb, 1943.
Aged: 22
Leading Signalman
Bettany, Abraham
D/JX 287881
Died: 24th Feb, 1943.
Aged: 21
Able Seaman
Bridger, John Stirling
Died: 24th Feb, 1943.
Aged: 26
Lieutenant
Commanding Officer
Coffee, Joseph William
C/SSX 30251
Died: 24th Feb, 1943.
Aged: 22
Able Seaman
Coulthard, Robert George
C/JX 166429
Died: 24th Feb, 1943.
Aged: 19
Telegraphist
Cowlam, Geoffrey Vincent
C/JX 125316
Born: 11th May, 1910.
Died: 24th Feb, 1943.
Aged: 32
Petty Officer
Dodson, Thomas
P/KX 76011
Died: 24th Feb, 1943.
Aged: 35
Leading Stoker
Dowde, Thomas George
C/KX 94284
Died: 24th Feb, 1943.
Aged: 23
Leading Stoker
Earles, Ronald Sidney
P/SSX 20868
Died: 24th Feb, 1943.
Aged: 23
Leading Seaman
Ebel, Mark Vincent (RNVR) GM
Died: 24th Feb, 1943.
Aged: 22
Lieutenant
Firth, James
D/JX 146758
Died: 24th Feb, 1943.
Aged: 23
Leading Telegraphist
Fox, Aubrey Frank
C/SSX 21369
Died: 24th Feb, 1943.
Aged: 23
Leading Seaman
Frappell, LeonardGeorge
C/KX 147941
Died: 24th Feb, 1943.
Aged: 18
Stoker 1st Class
Hickley, James Henry (RNVR)
Died: 24th Feb, 1943.
Aged: 22
Sub Lieutenant
Higgs, John William
P/JX 330618
Died: 24th Feb, 1943.
Aged: 19
Ordinary Seaman
Hinds, Alfred Charles
C/J 104901
Died: 24th Feb, 1943.
Aged: 36
Chief Petty Officer Telegraphist
Hutchison, Joseph William
P/JX 153045
Died: 24th Feb, 1943.
Aged: 22
Able Seaman
Jacobs, Leslie Derick
D/JX 145214
Died: 24th Feb, 1943.
Aged: 23
Petty Officer Telegraphist
Jakins, Thomas
P/KX 110871
Died: 24th Feb, 1943.
Aged: 23
Stoker 1st Class
Jones, Cyril Ernest
C/KX 85368
Died: 24th Feb, 1943.
Aged: 27
Stoker Petty Officer
Menzies, Charles James
D/JX 305275
Died: 24th Feb, 1943.
Aged: 20
Able Seaman
Miller, Ernest Foster
D/JX 212983
Died: 24th Feb, 1943.
Aged: 25
Able Seaman
Moss, Stanley
P/MX 79667
Died: 24th Feb, 1943.
Aged: 21
Engine Room Artificer 4th Class
Oxley, George
D/JX 230037
Died: 24th Feb, 1943.
Aged: 43
Telegraphist
Also had Service Number J110824
Phillips, John Henry Ronald
P/JX 146334
Died: 24th Feb, 1943.
Aged: 28
Petty Officer
Portman, John Maurice Berkeley
Died: 24th Feb, 1943.
Aged: 21
Lieutenant
Revington, Frank
P/JX 335125
Died: 24th Feb, 1943.
Aged: 18
Ordinary Seaman
Shepherd, Harold
C/JX 187092
Died: 24th Feb, 1943.
Aged: 27
Able Seaman
Shepherd, Herbert Walter John
D/M 37021
Died: 24th Feb, 1943.
Aged: 35
Engine Room Artificer 1st Class
Stanton, William Henry
D/KX 136091
Died: 24th Feb, 1943.
Aged: 19
Stoker 2nd Class
Stapleton, Ronald Roy
P/JX 337763
Died: 24th Feb, 1943.
Aged: 19
Ordinary Seaman
Williams, William
D/JX 291212
Died: 24th Feb, 1943.
Aged: 21
Able Seaman
Wood, David John
D/KX 137365
Died: 24th Feb, 1943.
Aged: 20
Stoker 1st Class

Events

 17-03-1942   Laid Down
 23-10-1942   Launched
 20-02-1943   Completed
 24-02-1943   HMS Vandal was lost.

The shortest living vessel built at Barrow. Left Barrow on 20-02-1943 for trials and passage to Holy Loch where she arrived later that day. She was to operate in Kilbrannan Sound on 22nd, 23rd and 24th in Upper Inchmarnock North and carry out a deep dive. She was expected back at Holy Lock 1900 hours on 24 February but did not arrive. Searches were carried out to locate her but no trace was found.

The last known sighting of her was on the morning of the 24 February 1943 as she left Lochranza at the northern end of the Isle of Arran. The wreck was located in June 1994 but the cause of her loss remains unknown.
Official
Official
Broad Design
Broad Design
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.
Comments

Comment by: Paul Griffiths on March 20th, 2022

Thank you for the hard work you've put into this website.

Chief Petty Officer Telegraphist, Alfred 'Alf' Charles Hinds, was my grandfather's brother. His death was a big loss to the family, and they were never told what happened to Alf, other than that his submarine had been lost. It wasn't until the early 2000s and a little internet research that we discovered its name and resting place. It's so sad that we still don't know how this tragedy happened, but thank you for helping to keep the memory of Vandal's crew alive.

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