HMS Safari (P211)

HMS "Safari" was launched in November 1941, one of the third group of S-class submarines built by Cammell Laird & Co Limited, Birkenhead. So far she has been the only ship to bear the name "Safari".

Career

She spent most of World War II in the Mediterranean Sea where she was highly successful. She sank:

* The Italian sailing vessels "Adda", "Ausonia", "Eufrasia", "Eleonora Rosa", "Stefano M.", and "Nasello"
* The Italian merchants "Perseo", "Torquato Gennari", "Valsavoia", "Loredan", "Entella", "Isonzo", "Peppino Palomba" and "Salemi"
* The German transport "Hans Arp"
* The Italian ships "Bice", "Aniello", "Sogliola" and "Gemma"
* The German barge "F 346"
* The Italian auxiliary minesweepers "Rosina S.", No. 295/"Bella Italia", No. 47/"Amalia", FR 70/"La Coubre" and R 106 /"Onda"
* The Italian fishing vessel "S. Francisco di Paola A."
* The Italian tanker "Isonzo"
* The German transport ship "KT-12"
* The German barges "Maria" and "Paula"
* The Italian armed yacht "Margherita"
* The Italian pilot vessel F 50/"Silvio Onorato"
* The Italian minelayer "Durazzo"

"Safari" also damaged the following:

* The Italian merchants "Tigrai", "Eneo", and "Liv" (the former Norwegian "Liv")
* An unknown sailing vessel
* The Italian merchant "Veglia" (the former Yugoslavian "Kosovo"). The damaged ship was later salvaged but declared a total loss
* The Italian auxiliary patrol vessel F 139 / "Constantina". The damaged Italian ship was declared a total loss.

"Safari" also launched unsuccessful attacks on the Italian merchant "Cap Figalo" and the German controlled French tanker "Champagne". "Safari" also attacked the Italian submarine "Bronzo".

On 19 October 1942 HMS "Unbroken" had torpedoed and damaged the Italian merchant "Titania". The "Titania" was taken in tow by the Italian destroyer "Ascari", but was sunk early the next day by "Safari". [ [http://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/3430.html HMS Safari] , Uboat.net]

On 8 January 1946 she was being towed to the breaker's yard to be scrapped when she sank in heavy seas with no crew on board. Today she is a popular site for divers in the English Channel, she lies on a rock seabed at a depth of 44m. Her brass conning tower has been removed, as has the nose cone, so the bow caps (outer doors of the torpedo tubes) are visible.

She is the subject of a popular book on submarines, "Crash Dive" by Arthur Dickison.

References

*Colledge