HMS Sunfish (81S)

HMS "Sunfish" was a Royal Navy S-class submarine which was launched September 30, 1936 and fought in World War II. "Sunfish" is one of 12 boats named in the song Twelve Little S-Boats.

She spent an eventful period with the Royal Navy on the outbreak of war, and was commanded for much of her career in the war by Lt.Cdr. J.E. Slaughter. In February 1940 she attacked U-14, but failed to sink her, and in April sank two German merchant ships, the "Amasis" and the "Antares", and narrowly missed out on sinking the "Hanau" and an auxiliary patrol vessel.

She also sank a couple of German 'Q ships' that month, the "Schürbeck" and the "Oldenburg". On a later patrol off Norway, she sank the Finnish merchant "Oscar Midling" and the Norwegian merchant "Dixie" .

"Sunfish" was transferred to Soviet Navy in 1944 and renamed "V-1".

She did not spend long under Soviet command, and was bombed in error by a RAF Coastal Command Liberator off Norway, during passage from Dundee to Murmansk on July 27 1944. Her commander, (Capt. 2nd Class Fisanovic), had taken her out of her assigned area and she was diving when the aircraft came in sight instead of staying on the surface and firing recognition signals as instructed. All crew including the British liaison staff were lost. [ [http://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/3428.html HMS Sunfish] , Uboat.net]

References

*Colledge