HMS Snapper (39S)

HMS "Snapper" was a Royal Navy S-class submarine which was launched October 25, 1934 and fought in World War II. "Snapper" is one of 12 boats named in the song Twelve Little S-Boats.

Career

"Snapper" spent most of her career in home waters. She was mistakenly attacked by a British aircraft when returning to Harwich after a patrol in the North Sea. Although suffering a direct hit, "Snapper" escaped damage. She went on to sink the small German tanker "Moonsund", the German merchant "Florida", the German auxiliary minesweepers M 1701 / "H. M. Behrens" and M 1702 / "Carsten Janssen", the German armed trawler V 1107 / "Portland" and the Norwegian merchant "Cygnus". She also attacked the German armed merchant cruiser Schiff 21 / "Widder", but the torpedoes missed their target. [ [http://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/3425.html HMS Snapper] , Uboat.net]

inking

She left the Clyde on January 29 1941 to patrol in the Bay of Biscay. She should have arrived in her patrol area on February 1. She was ordered to remain on station until the 10th and then to return with her escort. Snapper failed to make the rendezvous with the escort and was not heard from again. It is believed that she met her fate through a mine or that she was mortally damaged by a minesweeper which attacked a submarine in "Snapper"’s area on the 11th although "Snapper" should have been out of the area by then. [ [http://www.rnsubmus.co.uk/general/losses.htm Submarine losses 1904 to present day] , RN Submarine Museum, Gosport]

References

*Colledge