This painting
was commissioned by Captain P
J Walker Royal Navy, in memory
of his uncle, Sub Lt J T R Walker
RNVR, who was lost with HMS
Parthian in the Mediterranean
1943.
Surfaced
Twin diesels. 4,400 shp = 18 knots,
Submerged Twin electric motors.
1,350 hp = 9knots.
Endurance:
8,500
nautical miles at 10 knots.
Armaments:
Eight
x 21 inch torpedo tubes, six bow
two stern.
Complement:
53.
Notes:
This
class were the first to be fitted
with the Mark VIII torpedoes,
these torpedoes were to remain
in service for over fifty years.
Historical
Data
The entire class were sent to the China
station on commissioning (1931). In 1940
all boats were sent to the Mediterranean
to be based in the 1st Flotilla at Alexandria.
As well as carrying out patrols against
axis shipping, the boats carried much
needed supplies to besieged island of
Malta. The fate of these submarines
is as follows:
Perseus
On
6th December 1941, returning
from Malta to Alexandria,
Perseus was patrolling
off western Greece when she
struck a mine and sank. Of the
ships company of fifty-five,
only six remained alive in the
after-ends, including Leading
Stoker John Capes. The six
actually escaped using D.S.E.A.,
but only Capes survived
swimming five or so miles to
the shore of Caphalonia,
he was rescued and looked after
for eighteen months by Greek
villagers, until taken off by
an allied caique on the 1st
May 1943. Leading Stoker
John Capes was awarded the
British Empire Medal.
Poseidan
On 9th June
1931, whilst manuoevering
on the surface 20 nautical
miles north of Wei Hai,
Poseidon was in collision
with the Chinese steamer Yuta.
The boat sank in under two
minutes. Some of the ships
company escaped before the
boat sank, whilst six from
the forward end escaped using
the new Davis Submarine Escape
Apparatus (D.S.E.A.). No one
escaped from the after end.
In all, twenty-two lives were
lost.
Proteus
The only
boat in the class to survive
the war. She served for three
years in the Mediterranean
from 1940 to 1943, where she
sank twelve Axis transports.
She was employed as a training
boat in home waters, and was
finally broken-up at Troon
in Scotland in 1946.
Pandora
On 31st
March 1942, Pandora
arrived in Malta with supplies
for the beleaguered Island
including torpedoes for the
Fleet Air Arm. Having discharged
oil at Marsamxett she
moved alongside at Hamilton
Wharf to discharge cargo
during the day, so that she
could sail that night. During
a heavy raid on the 1st April
she received two direct hits
and sank in less than four
minutes, taking twenty five
of her ships company with
her.