HMS Splendid (P228)

HMS "Splendid" was an S class submarine of the Royal Navy, and part of the Third Group built of that class. She was built at Chatham Dockyard and launched on January 13 1942.

Career

She served in the Mediterranean, based at Malta, under the command of Lieutenant Ian McGeoch. During her career, she sank the Italian auxiliary submarine chaser "San Paolo", the Italian merchants "Luigi Favorita", "Devoli", and "XXI Aprile", the small Italian merchant "Commercio", the Italian auxiliary minesweeper No. 107 / "Cleopatra", and the Italian tanker "Giorgio".

"Splendid" also sank the Italian "Soldati" class destroyer "Aviere". "Aviere", and her sister ship "Camicia Nera", were escorting the German transport ship "Ankara". "Splendid" attacked the "Ankara", but missed her. "Splendid" also sank the Italian merchant "Emma", despite her being heavily escorted by the Italian torpedo boats "Groppo", "Uragano" and "Clio". The German merchant "Sienna" (the former French "Astrée") was missed in the same attack. "Splendid" also torpedoed and damaged the Italian destroyer "Velite". [ [http://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/3446.html HMS Splendid] , Uboat.net]

inking

"Splendid" left port in Malta on April 17 1943 to patrol the waters off Naples and Corsica. She was detected on April 21 by the German destroyer "Hermes" (formerly the British-built Greek destroyer "Vasilefs Georgios") and damaged by depth charges. She was forced to surface and surrender. The crew scuttled her before abandoning her to prevent her capture. Five officers, including the CO, and 25 ratings were picked up by the destroyer, 18 men were lost with the ship. [ [http://www.rnsubmus.co.uk/general/losses.htm Submarine losses 1904 to present day] , RN Submarine Museum, Gosport]

References

*Colledge