HMS Thetis born and died on the River Mersey 1/6/39

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On the 1st June 1939, HMS Thetis sailed out of the River Mersey on her final voyage. She had recently been launched at Cammell Laird Shipyards Birkenhead and, for some inexplicable reason, was 100% OVER crewed; loaded with civil workers, officials and crew. In Liverpool Bay she was found with her nose into the seabed and with her stern raised above the waterline. 99 died, 4 survived. (They were Captain Oram, Lt Woods, Leading Stocker Arnold and Mr. Shaw, a Cammell Laird engine fitter). The photograph below was actually taken as HMS Thetis set out on her sea trials, never to return. The skyline on the River Mersey is unfamiliar, therefore I cannot place her exactly on the river. As the caption on the rear of the image states, HMS Thetis is photographed leaving the River - therefore that has to be the Lancashire shoreline. At least that is what the caption says. The shoreline looks suspiciously like New Brighton on the opposite side, meaning she was inbound, maybe from an engine trial run. Not convinced though. After completing dockside and basin trials, she proceeded to the Clyde area for sea and engine trials on April 30th. However, before the diving trials could be carried out in the Garelock, the fore - planes jammed at hard dive, and "Thetis" had to return to Cammell Laird to have the fault rectified. The Admiralty then gave approval for the diving trials to be carried out in Liverpool Bay at a later date.

Launched: 26 June 1938 Cammell Laird Shipyard Birkenhead
Commissioned: 4 March 1939

HMS/M Thetis was a brand new submarine, the third of the then modern and new class of submarine boats...the "T" class boats. She was the first submarine built on Merseyside by Cammell Laird. She was the pride of the navy, of the men who built her and the men who sailed in her. To so very many, ninety nine of them , she was soon to become their tomb. On her very first dive, her very first venture into the element for which she had been designed and built, she died. Those with her, save four died too. So close to safety, with the stern above water, the steel hull that should have protected them from the dangers of the deep, became their coffin wall. Why did this tragedy happen. Bad luck, a series of bad luck, a series of mishaps which on their own would not have been fatal, came together to make a lethal combination for all involved. On board were many civilians, technical and industrial workers from the builders yard, officers and ratings , not just from Thetis but from other ships, even food catering staff: there was to be a grand buffet on board as this was to be a grand event. Thetis had almost double the number of souls on board that she would usually have. These visitors came to Thetis to see, learn, watch, observe, test, adjust and to enjoy a new build submarine, for Thetis was on trials and on her way to her maiden dive at sea. So why did she sink?

Of the mishaps what was the first one that started the chain? Which was the first domino to fall? The first one was not the one that did the fatal deed. It has never been explained as to who, whom, or why the external bow cap of No. 5 torpedo tube was open. No. 5 tube was flooded, it was open to the sea, while Thetis made her maiden passage out to the diving area her No.5 torpedo tube cap was open......a mystery as to why to this day. Although not good practice, it is generally not lethal. That is because the rear or inner door of a torpedo is always shut when the tube is full of water. The two doors, inner and outer are never , ever, open at the same time....except on Thetis on that fateful day. On her transit to the diving area Thetis was behaving slightly different to helm than one would expect, even on a new and un tested new build. She was also a little to high in the water on one side when compared to the other...in other words she was not truly floating upright at the correct level...she was too light....it has never been explained why. This should not have been so as all this had been calculated by maths, and tried and tested formula that had been proved for many years in the submarine service. This calculation, a mixture of theory and practical shifting about of, and taking on of,...pig iron ballast, to put on the submarine "her trim", had been done, approved and demonstrated to the Admiralty overseers at the builders yard. So why? We do not know.

As she closed up for her first dive, she just would not go down. She would not dive. Then suddenly she did, her bow dropped and down she went......to die. Her first dive was her last. In the forward torpedo compartment water had gushed in through the 21 inch wide No. 5 torpedo tube that incredibly was open to the sea. Immediately she became heavy as she filled with water forward. Pure bad luck, small "design quirks" of water tight door closing, decisions that would be right any other day became deadly wrong today. She went down and stayed down.

The internal rear door of No. 5 tube had been opened at the same time as the external bow cap of the same tube was also opened. Water flooded in in a torrent overpowering all and making the closing of the hatch impossible. The impossible had happened. Both doors open on a torpedo tube while at sea. A speck of paint, or rather enamel had blocked the test drain pipe tap on the tube. This was a test to see if the tube was full or empty of water. If the tube is dry, no water will run out of this pipe, if however the tube is full of water, then water will run out. Except that at this critical instant on Thetis, this test drain pipe was blocked by a spot of enamel. So even though the tube was full of water, none came out. So the door was opened and Thetis sank. Someone at the builders yard while applying protective enamelling to the inside of this tube had allowed a drip of enamel to run, trickle, to seep into this pipe....un-noticed. Thetis' fate was sealed. There are checks to test the patency of this pipe to avoid blockages but in this case...but, but.....The bow cap was open ...but, the trim was wrong ..but, but, many buts, few answers, dead men.

Those trapped in Thetis which by now had her bows stuck in the mud tried everything to break free, to rise to the light and life that existed above the water, but, but, again too many buts, no luck, just bad luck. Even in this deadly situation Thetis could have survived, but for, and due to this and that....she did not. Brave men, naval and civilian fought to live as the air around them turned to a soup that would not only extinguish a candle, but a mans life. Four escaped, ninety nine did not. More should have, but, again but...did not. Some waited when they should have tried to escape earlier. Ignorance of the Davis Submarine Escape Apparatus proved a handicap, at that time submariners received little or no training in "how to escape"...and there were so many people using up the 36 hours of air....36 hours for half the number of people!! Navy rescue efforts were at best confused, lack of plan, common purpose, red tape, naval politics, rank issues, confusion and sheer helplessness hampered the rescue at every corner. Thetis could have been rescued, but for, and if had, or due to......all small errors which on their own would be a hindrance, came together in a fatal cocktail. Thetis died 140 feet down in Liverpool Bay. Rank in death serves all men equally.Civilians alongside naval ratings, stokers alongside officers, Admiralty overseers alongside food caterers, all entered a permanent sleep held by the unfeeling clench of the muddy cold waters of Liverpool Bay on a summers day.

Salvage operations on Thetis aimed at raising her, which is what eventually did happen, resulted in the death of one of the divers involved in this dangerous and cold work. On August 23rd. 1939, Diver Petty Officer Henry Otho Perdue died of a severe "bend."

Sunday 3rd. September saw Thetis intentionally grounded ashore at Moelfre Bay, Anglesley. It was the same day that war was declared. Human remains that had not already been removed by the salvage team were now brought out to a decent Christian Naval Funeral, with full honours.

"Thetis" was first beached at Traeth Bychan, and then towed to Holyhead. Forty-four of those lost were interned in a mass grave in the town, where a memorial was dedicated on 7th November 1947. The "Thetis" was eventually taken back to Birkenhead, and after an extensive rebuild, was re-commissioned as "HMS Thunderbolt". She sailed on her first operational patrol on December 3rd 1940. On March 14th 1943 she was depth-charged and sunk by the Italian "Cicogna" off Cape San Vito, Sicily, with the loss of all hands. After the accident in Liverpool Bay, the course of Inquiry failed to find how, when or by who the No.5 bow cap was opened, but as a result, a clip was fitted to all rear torpedo tube doors to prevent a similar disaster ever happening again. It is called the "Thetis Clip". More Images below.

HMS Thetis was salvaged, recommissioned as HMS Thunderbolt and lost in March 1943 near Sicily

Lt Cdr Cecil Crouch. Lt. J.S. Stevens sank Italian s/m Capitano Tarantini, Bay of Biscay 15/12/40. At 2210 on Friday 12-March-1942 the Italian merchant ship Esterel was torpedoed two miles north of Capo San Vito. Following the attack the torpedo boat Libra was ordered to seek out the submarine responsible - Thunderbolt. The Libra made contact with the Thunderbolt that night and carried out seven depth charge attacks with no result. On Sunday 14-March the Italian corvette Cicogna obtained a contact and shortly after 0734 a periscope was sighted 2000 yards off the corvette’s bow. At 0845 the periscope was again sighted, this time less than 10 feet away. Depth charges were launched at once and the corvette increased its speed and turned for another attack when an explosion lifted the submarine’s stern out of the sea at an angle of 90 degrees. The submarine sank through a discharge of air and oil. A further two depth charges were dropped resulting in air bubbles, oil and smoke appearing on the surface where the submarine had sunk. The Cicogna remained on station for an hour but no further contact was made. (c 38-15'N, 15-15'E)

Naval Actions and losses 1943
HMS Thunderbolt's demise is listed as 13 Mar 1943 due to "Italian surface action"

January, 1943
T class submarine P-311 (Tutankhamn) ex P-91 mined in the Mediterranean.
Algerine class minesweeper Alarm irreparably damaged by aircraft at Bone.

January 3, 1943
Italian cruiser Ulpio Traiano sunk by British human torpedo while under completion at Palermo.

January 13, 1943
U-224 depth charged by RCN corvette Ville de Quebec West of Algiers.
U-507 Depth charged by USN aircraft.

January 25, 1943
US ship City of Flint sunk by U575. City of Flint changed sides a few times in the war.

January 29, 1943
Anti aircraft ship Pozarica damaged and capsized in an air raid on Bougle.

February 4, 1943
U-187 depth charged by RN destroyers Beverley and Vimy SE Cape Farewell.

February 7, 1943
U-609 depth charged by French corvette Lobelia North Atlantic.
U-624 depth charged RAF aircraft North Atlantic.

February 9, 1943
Italian submarine Malachite sunk by a Dutch submarine (ex HMS Urchin) HNMS Dolphin (Lt Cdr H van Oestrom Soede).

February 17, 1943
U-69 depth charged by RN destroyer Viscount North Atlantic.
U-201 depth charged by RN destroyer Fame SE of Greenland.
U-205 depth charged by RN destroyer Paladin and SAAF aircraft off Benghazi.

February 19, 1943
U-268 depth charged by RAF west of St Nazaire.(Tarrant)
U-562 depth charged by RN destroyers Isis and Hursley and RAF aircraft West of St-Nazaire.

February 21, 1943
U-623 torpedoed by RAF aircraft North Atlantic.
U-225 depth charged by USCG cutter Spencer.

February 22, 1943
U-606 depth charged north Atlantic by USCG cutter Campbell and Polish destroyer Burza.

February 23, 1943
U-443 depth charged north west of Algiers by HMS Bicester, Lamerton and Wheatland.
U-522 depth charged south west of Madeira by cutter HMS Totland.

February 24, 1943
HMS Vandal wrecked.
U-649 lost in the Baltic after a collision with U-232.

March 4, 1943
U-83 depth charged east of Cartagena by RAF aircraft.
U-87 depth charged west of Opporto by HMCS St.Croix and frigate Shediac.

March 11, 1943
U-444 rammed by the H class destroyer HMS Harvester (Cdr A.A.Tait) in the Western Atlantic.
U-444 sunk by French Corvette Aconit.
HMS Harvester torpedoed and sunk by U-432.
U-432 rammed and sunk by Free French Corvette Aconit.

March 13, 1943
HMS Thunderbolt a T class submarine lost off Sicily to Italian surface action.

March 22, 1943
U-524 depth charged south of Madeira by USAAF.
U-665 depth charged west of St-Nazaire by RAF aircraft.

March 27, 1943
Archer class escort carrier HMS Dasher blew up.
U-169 depth charged north of Rockall by RAF aircraft.

April 2, 1943
U-124 depth charged west of Opporto by sloop HMS Swan and corvette HMS Stonecrop.

April 6, 1943
U-632 depth charged south of Iceland by RAF aircraft.
U-635 depth charged south west of Iceland by frigate HMS Tay.

April 10, 1943
Italian cruiser Trieste sunk by American B24s.
U-376 depth charged RAF aircraft west of St-Nazaire.

April 14, 1943
Hunt class destroyer HMS Eskdale whilst in Norwegian service torpedoed by an E-boat in the English Channel.
U-526 mined off Lorient.

April 16-17, 1943
British P class destroyer Pakenham (ex Onslow) sunk after hits from shore batteries also lost the Italian torpedo boat Cigno.

April 17, 1943
U-175 sunk by coastguard cutter USS Spencer.
April 18, 1943
P.615 sunk by U-123.

April 21, 1943
S class submarine HMS Splendid ex P-78 scuttled off Corsica after taking damage from surface craft.

April 23, 1943
U-191 sunk by HMS Hesperus.
U-189 depth charged by RAF aircraft south west of Iceland.
U-602 depth charged by RAF aircraft off Oran.

April 24, 1943
S class submarine HMS Sahib lost north of Sicily to Italian corvette Gabbiano after sinking several transports.
U-710 depth charged by RAF aircraft south of Iceland.

May 5, 1943
U-192 sunk by Corvette HMS Pink south of Greenland.
U-638 sunk by corvette HMS Loose Strife.
U-125 sunk by the destroyer HMS Vidette.
U-531 rammed and sunk by the destroyer HMS Oribi.
U-125 already crippled accidentally rammed and sunk by destroyer HMS Oribi.
U-438 sunk by RN sloop Pelican north Atlantic(Tarrant).

May 15, 1943
U-176
U-463 sunk edge of the Bay of Biscay by aircraft of No 58 squadron.

May 16, 1943
U-182 depth charged by USN destroyer Mackenzie north east of Madeira.

May 19, 1943
U-954 depth charged by RAF aircraft south east of Cape Farewell.
U-209 depth charged by RN frigates Jed and Sennen north Atlantic
U-273 depth charged by RAF south of Iceland
U-381 depth charged RN destroyer Duncan and Corvette Snowflake

May 23, 1943
U-752 sunk by rockets fired from a swordfish of 819 squadron flown from the carrier HMS Archer.

May 28, 1943
U-304 sunk by aircraft south of Cape Farewell.
U-755 depth charged by RAF aircraft north of Balearic Islands

May 31, 1943
U-440 sunk by aircraft.
U-563 depth charged South West of Brest by RAF Halifax's of No 58 squadron and a Sunderland of No 10 squadron RAAF.

May 1943
A total of 43 U-boats were sunk this month. 31 U-boats were lost up to 23 May with most of these in the North Atlantic. 6 U-boats were lost in the Bay of Biscay to a bomber command offensive.

June 1, 1943
U-202 depth charged by HMS Starling south of Cape Farewell.
U-418 depth charged by RAF north west of Cape Ortegal.

June 2, 1943
U-105 depth charged by French aircraft off Dakar.
U521 depth charged by USN sub chaser PC565 south east of Baltimore.

June 3, 1943
U-340 and U-732 sunk while trying to enter the Mediterranean.(Not in Tarrant)

June 4, 1943
U-308 sunk off Faroes by submarine HMS Truculent.
U-594 depth charged by RAF south west of Gibraltar.

June 14, 1943
U-334 depth charged by sloop HMS Pelican and frigate HMS Jed.
U-564 depth charged by RAF aircraft north west of Cape Ortegal.

June 24, 1943
U-119 depth charged north west of Cape Ortegal by Sloop HMS Starling.
U-194 depth charged off Iceland by RAF.
U-200 depth charged of Iceland by USN aircraft.
U-449 depth charged north west of Cape Ortegal by sloops HMS Kite, HMS Wild Goose, HMS Woodpecker and HMS Wren.

June 30, 1943
U-504 sunk by HMS Kite, HMS Wild Goose, HMS Woodpecker and HMS Wren.

July 3, 1943
U-126 depth charged north west of Cape Ortergal by RAF.
U-628 depth charged north west of Cape Ortegal by RAF.

July 8, 1943
U-232 depth charged west of Opporto by USAAF.
U-514 depth charged by RAF aircraft north east of Cape Finisterre.

July 9, 1943
U-435 depth charged by RAF west of Figueria.
U-590 depth charged off Amazon estuary by USN aircraft.

July 10 1943 Sicily landings
Landings on Sicily made from 10 July. Force H acted as a screen against enemy counter attacks and the carriers
HMS Indomitable and HMS Formidable provided air cover. During the lead up to the Sicily landings only 4 merchantmen
and 2 LSTs were lost though 2 cruisers and 3 merchantmen were damaged. Air attacks subsequently sunk 7 transports,
2 more LSTs, a destroyer and a minesweeper. Air attacks damaged the carrier Indomitable, a monitor, 2 destroyers and
several sundry craft. Axis losses were 3 German U-boats and 9 Italian submarines in addition to aircraft losses.

July 12, 1943
Italian submarine Bronzo captured off Augusta by three British minesweepers.
U-409 depth charged north of Algiers by HMS Inconstant.
U-506 depth charged west of Vigo by USAAF.
U-561 torpedoed by MTB 81 off Lipari.

July 13, 1943
U-487 sunk by aircraft from USS Core.
U-607 depth charged north west Cape Ortegal by RAF.

July 15, 1943
U-135 depth charged by sloop HMS HMS Rochester
U-509 depth charged south east of the Azores by USN aircraft.

July 16, 1943
U-67 depth charged by USN aircraft Saragossa sea.
?U-759 depth charged south east of Jamaica by USN aircraft.(Tarrant)

July 24, 1943
U-459 depth charged north west of Cape Ortegal by RAF.
U-622 bombed Trondheim by USAAF.

July 26, 1943
?U-759 depth charged south east of Jamaica by USN aircraft.(Tarrant)

July 28, 1943
U-359 depth charged south of San Domingo by USN aircraft.
U-404 depth charged north west of Cape Ortegal by RAF and USAAF.

July 30, 1943
Two U-tankers U-461 and U-462 and their escort U-504 (F.K. Poske)sunk. U-461 was crippled by bomber U of 461 squadron
and U-462 damaged by aircraft of 502 squadron.
U-504 sunk north west of Cape Ortegal by sloops HMS Kite, HMS Wold Goose, HMS Woodpecker, and HMS Wren.
U-591 depth charged off Pernambuco by USN aircraft.

August 1, 1943
U-383 depth charged west of Brest by RAF.
U-454 depth charged north of Cape Finisterre by RAAF.

August 2, 1943
U-106 depth charged north west of Cape Ortegal by RAF and RAAF.
U-706 depth charged off Cape Ortegal by USAAF.

August 3, 1943
U-572 depth charged north east of Georgetown by USN aircraft.
U-647 mined Faeroes.

August 4, 1943
A class destroyer HMS Arrow irreparably damaged in an explosion by SS Port le Monte Algiers.
U-489 depth charged south of Iceland by RAF.

August 7, 1943
U-6 stricken Gotenhafen.
U-117 depth charged west of Flores by USN aircraft. (Tarrant)
U-615 depth charged south of Curacao USAAF and USN aircraft.(Tarrant)

August 9, 1943
Italian destroyer Gioberti sunk.
U-664 depth charged west of Azores by USN aircraft.

August 11, 1943
U-468 depth charged off Bathurst by RAF.
U-525 depth charged north west of Azores by USN aircraft.
U-604 scuttled east of Pernambuco after depth charge attack.

August 24, 1943
U-84 depth charged Azores Sea by USN aircraft.
U-134 depth charged off Vigo by RAF.
U-185 depth charged north Atlantic by USN aircraft.

August 25, 1943
U-523 depth charged west of Vigo by HMS Wanderer and corvette HMS Walflower.

August 30, 1943
U-634 depth charged north east of Azores by sloop HMS Stork and corvette HMS Stonecrop.
U-639 torpedoed Kara Sea by S101.

Late August 1943 Salerno landing
Allied landings on mainland Italy. An American CVL and 4 escort carriers provided air cover. Force H again
provided support and air cover from the carriers HMS Illustrious, HMS Formidable and HMS Unicorn.
The Anzio landings that followed in early September were done without carrier support. HMS Uganda,
HMS Warspite and USS Savannah badly damaged by glider bombs. The destroyer USS Rowan was sunk by MTBs.

September 6, 1943
Hunt class destroyer HMS Puckeridge torpedoed in the Western Mediterranean by a U-617.

September 7, 1943
U-669 depth charged by Royal Canadian aircraft north west of Cape Ortegal.

September 11, 1943
Italian fleet surrenders
5 Battleships, 9 Cruisers, 14 destroyers
Italian Vittorio Veneto class Battleship Roma sunk by a German glider bomb while heading into allied custody.
The Italian Battleship Italia was also damaged.

September 12, 1943
HMAS Wollongang helped sink U-167??
U-617 scuttled off Melilla after depth charge by RN Corvette Hyacinth, RAN minesweeper/sloop Wollongang, RN
trawler Haarlem and RAF aircraft.(Tarrant)

September 20, 1943
RCN St Croix a town class destroyer torpedoed by U-305 in the North Atlantic. (Corvette also lost)
U-338 depth charged by RAF south west of Iceland.
U-346 lost in accident in the Baltic.

September 22, 1943
U-229 depth charged and rammed north Atlantic by destroyer HMS Keppel.

September 26-27, 1943
I class destroyer HMS Intrepid bombed and lost in the Aegean.

U-boats 8 September- 5 October 1943
8 U-boats sunk leaving Norwegian waters. U-220, U-422, U-419, U-643, U-470, U-282, U-540, and U-842.
(Most not confirmed in Tarrant)
Three escort ships sunk and a third damaged by U-boats in the third week of September 1943.

September 27, 1943
In the morning U-161 was bombed by an US Mariner twin engined flying boat, and though not reported sunk was not
seen again. (Credited kill Jones and Tarrant)
South west of Ireland a Handley-Page Halifax of 58 squadron sunk U-221 in the afternoon, being shot down in return.

October 4, 1943
U-279 depth charged by RAF south west of Iceland.
U-336 depth charged by USN aircraft south west of Iceland.
U-422 depth charged by USN aircraft north of Azores.
U-460 depth charged by USN aircraft north of Azores.

October 8, 1943
Polish republic destroyer Orkan ex British Myrmidon sunk off Iceland by U-610.
U-419 depth charged by RAF north Atlantic.
U-610 depth charged by RCAF north Atlantic.
U-643 depth charged by RAF aircraft north Atlantic.

October 9, 1943
C class cruiser HMS Carlisle sunk by aircraft.
P class destroyer HMS Panther sunk by aircraft in the Scapanto Channel.

October 16, 1943
U-470 dc RAF South West of Iceland
U-533 dc RAF gulf Oman
U-844 dc RAF South West of Iceland
U-964 dc RAF South West of Iceland

October 17, 1943
German hunt class minesweeper ex HMS Widnes sunk by allied bombing.
U-540 depth charged by RAF aircraft east of Cape Farewell.
U-631 depth charged by RN Corvette Sunflower south of Cape Farewell.
U-841 depth charged by RN frigate Byard east of Cape Farewell.

October 23, 1943
Hunt class destroyer HMS Hurworth struck a mine and sank in the Aegean.
Hunt class destroyer HMS Limbourne torpedoed by an E-boat in the English Channel and later sank by Royal navy.
Dido class cruiser HMS Charybdis sunk by surface.
U-274 depth charged by RN destroyers Duncan and Vidette and RAF south west of Iceland.

October 24 1943
E class destroyer HMS Eclipse mined.
U-566 depth charged by RAF off Opporto.

October 31, 1943
U-732 trying to negotiate the strait of Gibraltar, having survived depth charging, sunk after being caught on the
surface by HMS Douglas.

November 2, 1943
U-340 scuttled after depth-charging and a long hunt on the 1st. HMS Fleetwood the last to depth-charge.

November 6, 1943
U-226 sunk by HMS Woodcock in cooperation with HMS Starling.
U-842 sunk by HMS Wild Goose in cooperation with HMS Starling and HMS Magpie.

November 11, 1943
Hunt class destroyer HMS Rockwood irreparably damaged by air attack in the Mediterranean.

November 13, 1943
Hunt class destroyer HMS Dulverton sunk off Kos after being hit by a glider bomb.

November 21, 1943
U-538 depth charged south west of Ireland by sloop HMS Crane and frigate HMS Foley.

November 23, 1943
U-648 depth charged north of Azores by frigates HMS Bazely and HMS Blackwood.

November 25, 1943
U-600 depth charged north of Punta Delgada by frigates HMS Bazely and HMS Blackwood.
U-849 depth charged west of Congo estuary by USN aircraft.

December 12, 1943
Hunt class destroyer HMS Tynedale torpedoed in the Western Mediterranean by a U-boat.
Hunt class destroyer HMS Holcombe torpedoed off Bougie by U593.

December 13, 1943
U-172 depth charged by USN aircraft
U-391 depth charged north west of Cape Ortegal by RAF.
U-593 depth charged north east of Djidjelli by USS Wainwright and HMS Calpe.

December 23, 1943
Admiralty modified W class destroyer HMS Worcester lost.
U-345 bombed Kiel.

December 24, 1943
HMS Hurricane, an H class destroyer, torpedoed by a U-boat north-east of Azores.
U-645 depth charged North Atlantic by USS Schenck.

December 26, 1943
Scharnhorst sunk by British surface vessels.
Destroyer HMS Saumarez damaged by Scharnhorst's guns.

December 28, 1943
Three German destroyers sunk in the Bay of Biscay by HMS Glasgow and HMS Enterprise.

U-163, U-224, U-87 sunk by the Canadian navy and U-456 and U-536 sunk in consort with other allied vessels.

Some time after my father died in 1985, his sister, (now deceased ) told me that it was a quirk of fate that he lived as long as he did. According to my Aunt, he was due to sail as a civilian, on the ill-fated HMS/M Thetis on her disastrous initial trial, but was ultimately replaced by a more senior colleague.

I know not who this unfortunate man was, nor would I recognise any names but I suspect he was in the same drawing office as my father.

It would be of interest to me and my family if there exists any provisional or final manifesto to finally substantiate my beliefs.

ARTHUR JAMES CAMPBELL started his employment with the Admiralty as an apprentice at Rosyth Dockyard about 1920 and after several moves, all within the Admiralty he retired as a senior draughtsman at the then V.D.E. Portland around 1966.

Between 1937 and 1944 he was a draughtsman in the Royal Navy Torpedo Factory in Greenock and probably worked on torpedoes and ancillary equipment used in submarines.

At the time of the Thetis incident I was a 7 year old boy in bed with measles and I remember father and mother following the story on the "wireless."

Father showed unusual interest as the drama unfolded and he gently explained to me, with the aid of simple sketches, what was happening. I remember hearing the word "hawser" and another meaning for the word "camel."

Father never talked of his work and it was not until later that I discovered "he drew bits of torpedoes." By this time the memory of Thetis had faded in my mind and neither parent ever mentioned it.

It was only after my Aunt`s revelation that I realised there was a possible personal connection with this story and I may yet find out the truth.

Ernest Hall, who passed away in 1985 in Perth, Western Australia: an extract from his personal memoirs

"...It was soon after this event that I was drafted from L23 into the base to stand by for new construction work. To fill in my time, I was placed in the engineers office reproducing drawings and keeping records - a very pleasant job that allowed me to go home three nights out of four...... there was much going on at this time in the submarine world and war clouds were gathering.

I was drafted to HMS Thetis, a new type of submarine known only as "T" Class. The draft, there were two of us, was delayed a few days so that we could assist in preparing for an Admiral's inspection of the base. This did not appear to be important at the time as Thetis had a full crew and was ready for sea trials.

After the inspection I received orders to proceed next day to Barrow in Furness to join my new boat. I left the Fort (Fort Blockhouse) with the other young stoker the next morning, and it was not until we reached the station that we heard that Thetis had sunk on trials. We were terribly upset and returned to the Fort for further instructions. I was immediately put back into the office.

This was a bad time in the submarine service. Poor communications, bad decisions, lack of proper equipment etc resulted in the loss of the boat and all but four of the people on board. About forty of them were civilians and Admiralty experts. There is a book written on this disaster. A score of my old friends including Captain Bolus were lost. We could not afford to lose these types of men in so useless a fashion.

The list of the crew "discharged dead" was placed on my desk for the records. My name was included. I was thankful to go home that night.

Shortly after this I was drafted to HMS Truant..........."

Ron Shaw DOB 15.6.13 now widowed, father of Robin, and living in Huddersfield

At the time of the Thetis disaster Ron Shaw was a 26 year old civilian tool fitter for Cammell Laird. He lived at the Y.M.C.A. at Birkenhead. He was one of the team working on the Thetis when an administrative error took a hand in fate and saved his life.

Ron should have been paid 35/- "float" or "trials" money - an extra payment for the hardships to be expected by a civilian when on sea trials. Ron was expecting to go to sea on the Thetis on that fateful and tragic day when for some unknown blunder his 35/- did not get paid to him.

So he refused to go and lived. He was angry and not getting his expected bonus so he came off the Thetis and transferred to work on the Trident building alongside.

During his time spent on constructing the Thetis he worked in a tight four man team. His mates were: George Scarf, Billy Waterson and Archie Craven. These men were older than Ron, mostly in their 40`s and during many late night work shifts the four men had "become wrapped in each other's lives."

His three workmates did get paid their 35/- and as a result did go to sea with Thetis for that first and last dive.They never came back. Ron was devastated at the loss of his close work mates. The shock of their loss was not immediate and did not hit him at all once - he was numbed at the concept of them "not being there anymore." He feels that he must have been close to a nervous breakdown.

When the Thetis was finally recovered and the bodies removed, Billy Waterson`s wife gave Ron, Billy's pocket watch that Billy had been wearing when he perished. Ron had it inscribed to Billy's memory and still treasures it to this day.

Ron Shaw was a work colleague of Frank Shaw, in his own words he says he was a "close associate of Frank Shaw", Frank Shaw, a civilian, being one of the four who escaped from the Thetis. Although Ron and Frank worked together on various projects after the disaster they never discussed the loss of the Thetis.

For Ron's part he did not want to approach the subject as he was too numbed at the loss of his three pals. Ron does say that Frank Shaw was devastated by the whole affair and the scale of the loss.

When describing the scene outside the gates of Cammell Laird's as the wives and families waited for the good news that never came, he says - "it was electric, but in a negative way, ....so gloomy and so intense that all speech is completely devoid - not a passing word."

With war on the horizon work had to go out at the shipyard as Ron worked on Trident, Taku and Talisman. Ron still well recalls their constructor`s number, Thetis was 10-29, Trident was 10-30, Taku was 10-31 and Talisman was 10-32.

My great uncle was Fred Orton, the diver who tried to rescue the men on the ship. He said to my mother he could hear the men tapping on the side of the ship, all to no avail in the end. Gaynor McAuley. Nov 04.

November 18th 2004. I was browsing through your web page regarding Thetis and thought you might be interested to hear the story of my Uncle Tom Bambrick who perished on Thetis. Tom was born in Bawnree Co. Carlow Ireland. He was eldest of eleven children, nine boys and two girls, my mother being one of his sisters. He went to England to find work and joined the British navy. He met Mary Weldon in London, She was from Castlecomer Co. Kilkenny only about twenty miles from where Tom was born. They married in London in September 1938. At the time of the sinking of Thetis she was expecting their child. Mary learnt of the death of her husband from the newspaper that was delivered to her apartment with the headline that Thetis had sunk. Tom was 27 at the time of his death. Mary returned to Castlecomer and gave birth to a son who she named Tom after his father. My mother has often told me of the anguish her family suffered waiting for the return of Tom's body for burial. His coffin had to be brought to the cemetery on a horse drawn carriage because it was lined with lead and would not fit in an ordinary hearse. It was the last funeral to Paulstown by horse and carriage. His wife Mary lived to old age and never remarried. His son Tom is still living in Castlecomer and has six children himself and several grandchildren. He is a woodturner by trade. Of Tom's sibling's there are only four surviving my Mother is still alive and has a photo of Tom on her windowsill and still remarks on how handsome he was. Brigid Evans

Naval Actions and losses 1943 HMS Thunderbolt's demise is listed as 13 Mar 1943 due to "Italian surface action"

Naval Actions and losses 1943
HMS Thunderbolt's demise is listed as 13 Mar 1943 due to "Italian surface action"