The Submarine Heritage Centre - HMS/M Porpoise

Sponsorship Comments

This painting has been sponsored by Mr. Russ Taylor of Barrow Island, Barrow-in-Furness, who served onboard HMS/M Porpoise from 1971 to 1974. Russ joined as a Marine Engineering Mechanic (MEM) and left as a Petty Officer Marine Engineering Mechanic (POMEM) or Stoker Petty Officer (SPO) in submarine parlance.

Porpoise Technical Facts:

- Yard Number: 1029
- Pennant Number: S01
- Laid Down: June 15th 1954
- Launched: April 25th 1956
- Commissioned: April 17th 1958
- Displacement: Surface: 1.768 tons, Submerged: 2,053 tons.
- Dimensions (in feet and inches): Length: 295 feet 3", Beam: 29 feet 10", Draught: 16 feet.
- Propulsion: Diesel Electric 2 sets Admiralty Standard Range (ASR), 16 cylinder diesel engines = 3,680 bhp. 2 sets Electric Motors driving twin propellers = 6,000. shp.
- Armaments: Six 21 inch bow torpedo tubes. Two 21 inch stern torpedo Tubes. 30 torpedoes carried.
- Complement: 6 Officers and 65 Ratings.

Historical Facts:

HMS/M Porpoise, first of a class of eight submarines, of which three were built in the Barrow Shipyard.A post WWII design, influenced in many ways by the German type XXI submarines, with the emphasis on speed. The design was approved in 1948, but Porpoise did not join the fleet until 1958.

Designated "Patrol Submarines", they could, with improved snorkel systems remain submerged for a greater length of time than previous boats. They were very quiet underwater, a great deal of attention having been paid to internal noise. Sonar equipment was greatly improved to produce the most modern form of listening platform in the world. Improved crew accommodation, including efficient air conditioning, allowed the boats to operate efficiently world wide, a necessity during the Cold War.

In 1983 Porpoise was placed on the disposal list. On the 20th October 1985 she was sunk as a target for the BUTEC range, in the Western Isles of Scotland.

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