HMSSeadog
 SeadoginHoly Loch(1942), in the background isThunderbolt
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United Kingdom | |
| Name | Seadog |
| Ordered | 2 April 1940 |
| Builder | Cammell Laird,Birkenhead |
| Laid down | 31 December 1940 |
| Launched | 11 June 1942 |
| Completed | 22 September 1942 |
| Commissioned | 24 September 1942 |
| Identification | Pennant number216 |
| Fate | Broken up, August 1948 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | S-classsubmarine |
| Displacement |
|
| Length | 217 ft (66.1 m) |
| Beam | 23 ft 9 in (7.2 m) |
| Draught | 14 ft 8 in (4.5 m) |
| Installed power |
|
| Propulsion | |
| Speed |
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| Range | 6,000nmi(11,000 km; 6,900 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) (surfaced); 120 nmi (220 km; 140 mi) at 3 knots (5.6 km/h; 3.5 mph) (submerged) |
| Test depth | 300 ft (91.4 m) |
| Complement | 48 |
| Sensors and processing systems |
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| Armament |
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HMSSeadogwas a third-batchS-classsubmarinebuilt for theRoyal NavyduringWorld War II.Completed in September 1942, she spent most of her career in Arctic waters, off Norway, but sank only one German ship in 13 patrols. In January 1945, she was redeployed to theFar East,meeting more success. On her first patrol in the area, the submarine rescued four American airmen. After two patrols, she and her sister shipHMSShalimarsank five sailing vessels, twocoasters,abarge,atugboatand a Japanesetank landing ship.After the war ended,Seadogwas sent back to England, placed inreserve,thensold for scrapin December 1947. She was ultimatelybroken upin August 1948.
Design and description
[edit]TheS-class submarineswere designed to patrol the restricted waters of theNorth Seaand theMediterranean Sea.The third batch was slightly enlarged and improved over the preceding second batch of the S class. The submarines had a length of 217 feet (66.1 m)overall,abeamof 23 feet 9 inches (7.2 m) and adraughtof 14 feet 8 inches (4.5 m). Theydisplaced865long tons(879 t) on the surface and 990long tons(1,010 t) submerged.[1]The S-class submarines had a crew of 48 officers andratings.They had a diving depth of 300 feet (91.4 m).[2]
For surface running, the boats were powered by two 950-brake-horsepower(708kW)diesel engines,each driving onepropeller shaft.When submerged each propeller was driven by a 650-horsepower (485 kW)electric motor.They could reach 15knots(28 km/h; 17 mph) on the surface and 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) underwater.[3]On the surface, the third batch boats had a range of 6,000nautical miles(11,000 km; 6,900 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) and 120 nmi (220 km; 140 mi) at 3 knots (5.6 km/h; 3.5 mph) submerged.[2]
The boats were armed with seven21-inch (533 mm)torpedo tubes.A half-dozen of these were in the bow and there was one external tube in the stern. They carried six reloadtorpedoesfor the bow tubes for a grand total of thirteen torpedoes. Twelveminescould be carried in lieu of the internally stowed torpedoes. They were also armed with a3-inch (76 mm)deck gun.[4]The third-batch S-class boats were fitted with either a Type 129AR or 138ASDICsystem and aType 291or 291Wearly-warning radar.[5]
Construction and career
[edit]HMSSeadogwas a third-batch S-class submarine and was ordered by theBritish Admiraltyon 2 April 1940. She waslaid downin theCammell LairdshipyardinBirkenheadon 31 December 1940 and waslaunchedon 11 June 1942.[6]On 22 September 1942,Seadog,under the command ofLieutenantAnthony Daniel, sailed toHoly Loch,where she wascommissionedinto the Royal Navy two days later.[6][7]The submarine was named after a term for old seasoned sailors; thus far, she has been the only ship to bear the name "Seadog".[8]
Between November 1942 and February 1943,Seadogconducted three patrols off Norway, protectingArctic convoysto and from Northern Russia, but did not sight any potential targets. After her first patrol, the boat was commanded by Desmond Martin. Returning from these operations, the submarine docked inArdrossanto have a20-millimetre (0.8 in) Oerlikonlightanti-aircraft gunaddedaftof the conning tower and additional equipment installed.[7]
After her refit,Seadogdeparted port on 2 June 1943 on ananti-submarinepatrol in Arctic waters, off Norway. After four days at sea, she sighted aType IX submarine,probably theGerman submarineU-536,but it dived before torpedoes could be launched. On 10 June,Seadogobtained an ASDIC contact with aU-boatand blindly launched a torpedo in its direction, but missed; it may have been theGerman submarineU-417,which was sunk the next day by aircraft.Seadogreturned from patrol on 18 June.[7]
The submarine conducted another patrol in the Arctic, taking part in Operation Corncrake, picking up Norwegian commandos on the island ofSpitsbergen,and missed another German U-boat.Seadogcommenced another anti-submarine patrol on 3 August, this time in theBay of Biscay.On 13 August, the submarine stopped and boarded the small French fishing vesselSt. Moquet,interrogated its crew, and examined its papers. They then released the ship and were given 12tunas,which "made a nice meal".[7]The submarine then returned to England on 17 August.[7]
Between mid-September and early December 1943,Seadogconducted three patrols off Norway, but was unsuccessful in spotting targets; during her first, she landed a relief force on Spitsbergen. The submarine departed on another patrol on 24 December, operating offStadlandet,Norway, meeting more luck—after four days at sea, she sank the German transportOldenburgwith a full salvo of six torpedoes; adepth chargecounter-attack by the ship's escort followed, but did not cause damage.[9]Seadoglater attacked two other convoys, but missed. Out of torpedoes, the boat returned toLerwick,on 4 January 1944.[7]
Far East
[edit]After two more patrols in the North,Seadogwas redeployed to theFar East,passing throughGibraltar,Malta,and theSuez Canal.She arrived atTrincomalee,Ceylonon 17 January 1945, after which she briefly underwent training. A month later, the boat departed for a patrol in theGulf of Bengal;on 26 February, she rescued four US airmen in theBay of Bengal,and rendezvoused with aConsolidated PBY Catalinato transfer them.Seadogthen damaged with gunfire and possibly destroyed a Japanesecoastal trading vesselon 6 March, before returning to port on 12 March.[7]
On her next patrol, the submarine sank a coaster with torpedoes offUlèë Lheuë,Sumatra,and a sailing vessel nearSigli.After an uneventful patrol in theStrait of Malacca,Seadogstarted another patrol in the area, together withHMSShalimar,on 18 July. On the 24 and 26 July, she sank two Japanese sailing vessels, and the next day she attacked and destroyed a Japanesetank landing craftwithShalimar.There is also a report ofSeadogsinking the Japanese minelayerKuroshio No. 1on 27 July, but this is not mentioned in the submarine's log book. After sinking another sailing vessel in the evening, the two submarines went on to sink two coasters, abarge,two sailing vessels, and atugboat,all with their deck guns, before returning to port on 12 August. Three days later, Imperial Japanannounced it would surrender,andSeadogwas sent back to Great Britain, passing through Suez and Gibraltar, and arriving on 18 October.[7]
After the war,Seadogwas placed in reserve, then was sold for scrap metal on 24 December 1947. She wasbroken upatTroon,Scotland, in August 1948.[7]
Career Summary
[edit]During her service with the Royal Navy,Seadogsank 13 ships for a confirmed total of 8,537gross register tons(GRT), plus an estimated 870 GRT of small Japanese ships.[7]
| Date | Name of ship | Tonnage | Nationality | Fate and location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 December 1943 | Oldenburg | 8,537 |  Germany
|
Torpedoed and sunk at62°15′N05°09′E/ 62.250°N 5.150°E |
| 18 May 1945 | unidentified | ~300 |  Japan
|
Torpedoed and sunk offUlèë Lheuë,Sumatra |
| 20 May 1945 | unidentified | - | Japan
|
Sunk with gunfire offSigli,Sumatra |
| 24 July 1945 | unidentified | ~50 | Japan
|
Sunk with gunfire at03°39′N100°37′E/ 3.650°N 100.617°E |
| 26 July 1945 | unidentified | - | Japan
|
Sunk with demolition charges offCape Rachado,Malaya |
| 27 July 1945 | unidentified tank landing ship | - |  Imperial Japanese Navy
|
Sunk with gunfire at2°22′N101°51′E/ 2.367°N 101.850°E,in conjunction withHMSShalimar |
| 27 July 1945 | unidentified | ~20 | Japan
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Sunk with gunfire offCape Rachado,Malaya |
| 29 July 1945 | unidentified | ~80 | Japan
|
Sunk with demolition charges near the mouth of theMalacca River |
| 1 August 1945 | unidentified | - | Japan
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Sunk with gunfire near03°06′N99°58′E/ 3.100°N 99.967°E,in conjunction withShalimar |
| 2 August 1945 | unidentified | - | Japan
|
Sunk with gunfire near the Malacca River, in conjunction withShalimar |
| 2 August 1945 | unidentified | - | Japan
|
Sunk with gunfire near the Malacca River, in conjunction withShalimar |
| 5 August 1945 | unidentified | ~300 | Japan
|
Sunk with gunfire near Malacca |
| 5 August 1945 | unidentified | ~120 | Japan
|
Sunk with gunfire near Malacca |
Notes
[edit]- ^Akermann, p. 341
- ^abMcCartney, p. 7
- ^Bagnasco, p. 110
- ^Chesneau, pp. 51–52
- ^Akermann, pp. 341, 345
- ^abAkermann, p. 339
- ^abcdefghij"HMS Seadog (P 216)".Uboat.net.Retrieved10 March2019.
- ^Akermann, p. 347
- ^Rohwer, Jürgen;Gerhard Hümmelchen."Seekrieg 1943, November".Württembergische Landesbibliothek Stuttgart(in German).Retrieved22 July2015.
References
[edit]- Akermann, Paul (2002).Encyclopaedia of British Submarines 1901–1955(reprint of the 1989 ed.). Penzance, Cornwall: Periscope Publishing.ISBN978-1-904381-05-1.
- Bagnasco, Erminio (1977).Submarines of World War Two.Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press.ISBN978-0-87021-962-7.
- Chesneau, Roger, ed. (1980).Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946.Greenwich, UK: Conway Maritime Press.ISBN978-0-85177-146-5.
- Colledge, J. J.;Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969].Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy(Rev. ed.). London: Chatham Publishing.ISBN978-1-86176-281-8.
- McCartney, Innes (2006).British Submarines 1939–1945.New Vanguard. Vol. 129. Oxford, UK: Osprey.ISBN978-1-84603-007-9.
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