HMS Rorqual (S02)

HMS "Rorqual" (S02) was a "Porpoise"-class submarine launched in 1956. She was built by the Vickers shipyard in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, England. The boat was named for both the Rorqual whale and the earlier World War II era submarine of the same name.

In 1958, "Rorqual" experienced a fire. In 1963, she was caught in a trawler's net. An explosion in 1966 killed two crew members and injured twenty; "Rorqual" was off the cost of Mozambique en route to Singapore. In 1969, "Rorqual" [http://www.ussendurance.org/Rorqurl%20incident.htm rammed] a moored minesweeper, USS Endurance (MSO-435) while docking at River Point pier in Subic Bay, Philippines. The collision punched a large hole in " Endurance's" hull but did not damage "Rorqual".

"Rorqual" [http://www.rnsubmus.co.uk/pubscheme/23%20Collection.pdf won] the SOCA Efficiency trophy in 1973.

From 1968 to 1970, "Rorqual" was commanded by Lieutenant-Commander Gavin Menzies. Menzies became famous after his retirement for publishing the controversial book "". Menzies' book asserted that ships from the Chinese fleet of admiral Zheng He traveled to the Americas prior to Columbus' arrival in 1492 and circumnavigated the globe a century before Magellan.

"Rorqual" was [http://www.submariners.co.uk/Store/popup_image.php?pID=53&osCsid=85ee16a77ff71c308d044404fdd4b470 broken up] in 1977.

References

*colledge

External links

* [http://www.battleships-cruisers.co.uk/porpoise_class1.htm#HMS%20Rorqual Battleships-Cruisers.co.uk's page of photographs of "Porpoise" Class submarines]
* [http://www.submariners.co.uk/Boats/Barrowbuilt/Postwar/index.htm Submariners Association -- Post-war Submarines]
* [http://www.greenpeace.org/raw/content/international/press/reports/naval-nuclear-accidents.pdf List of submarine incidents at sea]