Re: HMS Triumph
Posted by:
David H (IP Logged)
Date: August 19, 2007 12:37PM
Bob
The basic outline of the last two patrols (dates etc) were contained in 'Warships Supplement No.91 (Winter 1997). This states:
20.11.1941 S.W. Aegean patrol. Sank tug Hercules (632t/1910) off Crete 24.11 and landed agents near Cape Placa. Returned Alexandria 11.12.1941
26.12.1941 left Alexandria for Aegean patrol. Landed small party near Pireaus on 30.12; attacked tug auxiliary vessel Sofia (4450t/1939) on 4.1.42 but missed; also missed tug Texiarchis off Cape Sunion.
9.1.42 probably mined in posn. 36.36N 23.59W off Cape Sunion in a minefield laid 6.12.41; Seven officers and 55 men lost.
Hezlet in "British and Allied Submarine Operations of World War II" gives the following:
"Triumph (Lieut. J S Huddart) also patrolled in the Aegean and on 24th (Nov), after landing an agent near Cape Plaka in Crete, fired two torpedoes into Candia harbour at a range of 4000 yards hitting and sinking the salvage tug Hercules of 630 tons. In the afternoon she bombarded Heraklion airfield and shore batteries replied"
and for her last patrol...
"Triumph, on patrol in the Aegean, had instructions to land a party near Pireaus to round up and rescue any army escapers they could find. While waiting to pick them up again, she was given a patrol area south east of the Gulf of Athens and on 4th January made an unsuccessful attack on the motor cutter Sofia south of Milo. She then moved to a position off Cape Sounion and on 9th January she attacked a large lighter under tow, but missed again. She then almost certainly struck a mine in an anti-submarine field laid in this area by the Italian submarine Barletta in December 1940. This time Triumph was sunk with all hands, including her new Commanding Officer, Lieutenant JS Huddart, five other officers and 55 men"
Rohwer in Allied Submarine Attacks of World War 2" only mentions the attack on 24 November and indicates that she hit two ships, the Hercules and the steamer Norburg (2932 tons), but the latter was only damaged, and was repaired.