"Of all the branches of men in the Forces, there is none which shows more devotion and faces grimmer perils than the submariner.
Great deeds are done in the air and on the land; nevertheless, nothing surpasses your exploits." Winston Churchill.

"Only in attack does a submarine reveal herself, before creeping away to the concealment of the deep"

Denise Lynn-Nicholson sent me this postcard of HMS Sturgeon which had been sent to her mother by her first husband, Bob, one
of the sailors on board at Christmas 1941,

• Displacement: 640 tons (surfaced), 935 (submerged);
• Length: 202ft 6ins
• Beam: 24ft
• Draught: 10ft 6ins
• Speed (knots): 13.75 (surfaced), 10 (submerged);
• Armament: One 3" gun; one .303" ;
• Torpedo Tubes: Six 21" (all forward), 12 torpedoes;
• Complement: 36.

Service History HMS Sturgeon

1931

3 Jan 1931: Sturgeon (Group 1 of the S class) is laid down at the Royal Navy Dockyard, in Chatham U.K.

1932

8 Jan 1932: Surgeon is launched.

15 Dec 1932: Sturgeon is commissioned to the British Royal Navy

1943

Due to the decommissioning of the O 14 the Dutch Navy needed a boat for this crew, so the Sturgeon was obtained as a loan from the British Royal Navy.

Apr 1943: During refitting, the Sturgeon is decommissioned and transferred (on loan) to the Royal Netherlands Navy and renamed Zeehond (1).

11 Oct 1943: While being refitted In Devonport (England) the Zeehond (1) is commissioned to the Royal Netherlands Navy.

11 Oct 1943 - 10 May 1944: Zeehond (1) is under the command of Ltz. I  D.Th baron Mackay.

?Zeehond (1) is based at Londonderry.?

Zeehond (1) departs for the Canada. The Zeehond (1) will be used as an piggy boat during ASW exercises. Because of weather conditions, the Zeehond (1) uses far more fuel than anticipated and must return to the U.K.

13 Nov 1943: Zeehond (1) arrives in Rothesay (Scotland).

?Zeehond (1) is attached to the 7th Submarine Flotilla in Rothesay (Scotland) and is mainly used for ASW, ASDIC exercises and the training of personnel.?

1944

17 Feb - 26 Feb 1944: Zeehond (1) patrols the northern part of the North Sea. No attacks are made.

18 Mar - 23 Mar 1944: Zeehond (1) patrols off the Norwegian coast. No attacks are made.

Mar - 21 Mar 1944: Zeehond (1) unsuccessfully tries to locate the German battleship Tirpitz off Egerö.

From now on the Zeehond (1) is once again mainly used for ASW ASDIC exercises and the training of personnel.

10 May - 25 May 1944: Zeehond (1) is temporarily under the command of S.H. de Boer.

Zeehond (1) participates in ASW exercises of Coastal Command off Fishguard (Wales).

25 May 1944 - 18 Jan 1945: Zeehond (1) is under the command of Ltz. I  D.Th baron Mackay.

25/26 Nov 1944: Zeehond (1) arrives in Dundee (Scotland) and is attached to the 9th flotilla. She will be used as a training boat.

Nov 1944 - Jan 1945: Zeehond (1) is under repair in Dundee.

25 Oct 1944: While moored in Greenock (Scotland) the Zeehond (1) is visited by  Her Royal Highness Princess Juliana of the Netherlands.

1945

18 Jan - 14 Sep 1945: Zeehond (1) is under the command of Ltz. I  S.H. de Boer.

18 Jan - 14 Sep 1945: Zeehond (1) is attached to the 9th Flotilla in Dundee and is under British operational control.

Feb 1945: Zeehond (1) patrols off the Norwegian coast.

Zeehond (1) is used for training.

Feb 1945: Zeehond (1)'s battery is reported as nearing the end of its life.

14 Apr 1945: Zeehond (1) departs Dundee and sails to Lerwick. She has 16! torpedoes on board.

Apr 1945: It is proposed that the battery from Sunfish be used as a replacement for Zeehond (1)'s battery. Zeehond (1) is routinely docked for a hull clean and so that her tail shafts could be skimmed. Dry dock space was always a problem at Dundee and the boat had to be undocked with her stern glands blanked off so that another vessel (possibly O 15 on 30 April) could use the dock. She is re-docked later and the shafts are refitted.

8 May 1945: Germany surrenders.

7 Aug 1945: Zeehond (1) departs for Rotterdam (the Netherlands).

15 Aug 1945: Japan surrenders.

8 Sep 1945: Zeehond (1) arrives in Dundee (Scotland).

14 Sep 1945: Zeehond (1) is decommissioned.

17 Nov 1945: Zeehond (1) is returned to the British Royal Navy.

1946 - 1947

Sturgeon was broken up at Granton (Scotland).

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