Talisman to TeredoPage last Updated:
15-Jan-2008
Talisman | T1 | 78T,
P353 | 56 | 29-Jun-40 | Cammell Laird |
18-Sep-42 | War Loss |
 Lt Cdr Philip Francis: (see
obituary) From 1940, operated in
the Channel and Bay of Biscay. Seven patrols, initially
aimed against the threat of invasion, yielded only three ships sunk or
disabled. However, two patrols were examples of early
operations with the Secret Intelligence Service and the Special Operations
Executive. In August 1940, successfully landed three British and Free French agents near Bordeaux.
In November, after immobilising a tanker and surviving a counter-attack,
Talisman surfaced near the Ile de Groix and captured a sailing tunny fishing
vessel, Le Clipper, deemed suitable for subsequent clandestine operations.
Half the crew were embarked in Talisman while the rest, accompanied by SOE
agents, were made to sail the boat to Falmouth. Lt.Cdr. M. Willmott.
Early 1941 went to Halifax, Nova Scotia, for repairs and maintenance. 14 Nov 41, in company with HMS Torbay, approached the shores of the most northern part of
Cyrenaica, Libya. In the rough seas a much smaller than planned raiding party of
commandos managed to land ashore. The group was led by Col. Keyes and was
largely composed of the members of the Long Range Desert Group, SAS and SBS. Their first
objective - Rommel's HQ in Beda Littoria, second - Italian HQ in Cyrene,
third Italian Intelligence Office in Appolonia, and finally general sabotage
actions in the Axis rear. The whole operation was a failure. Left Gibraltar on 10-Sep-1942 with stores for Malta. Reported
a U-boat off Philippeville, Algeria, on 15th, but not heard from again. Presumed lost on Italian mines in Strait of Sicily on 17th. Also claimed sunk by
Italian surface ships off Marittimo island, west of Sicily; lost with all hands. |
Tally-Ho | T3 | P317, P97 c/s GGGW | 61 |
01-Dec-42 | Vickers Armstrong Barrow | 01-Feb-67 |
Scrap |
 Lt.Cdr, later Cdr., L.W.A. Bennington DSO DSC
(previously of Parthian) 11 Jan 44, sank Japanese light cruiser Kuma off Penang,
06.00N, 39.00E. On 9th January, Tally Ho sighted a Japanese light cruiser off Penang exercising with destroyers
but could not get within range. She was able, however, to plot their route in and out of Penang and to take up a suitable position
to intercept in the future. Two days later she sighted the same target and was able to close to within 1900 yards and fire
seven torpedoes, two of which hit and sank Kuma of the 16th Cruiser Squadron. The destroyer which was escorting her
counter attacked with 18 depth charges but they were not very close. Then followed a period of intense anti-submarine activity
and Tally Ho was bombed by an aircraft and slightly damaged. Kuma was zigzagging at 20 knots and this attack was
made in only 15 fathoms of water. It was the first substantial success by the Royal Navy against the Japanese in the Second
World War. On 14th, Tally Ho was submerged off Car Nicobar and sighted an escorted merchant ship that passed out of range.
At dusk, she surfaced and pursued on the surface using radar and obtained a firing position by midnight. She submerged in
moonlight and attacked firing six torpedoes at 5000 yards and scoring one hit which sank Ryuko Maru of 2962 tons.
14 Feb 44, torpedoed and sank
German SM UIT23 (ex-Italian Reginaldo Guiliano), off Penang,
Malaya, 04°25'N, 100°09'E. Tally-Ho's Engineer, Lieut. Peter Scott-Maxwell, had modified Nos.3 and 5
main ballast tanks to contain fuel and so Tally-Ho was able to get to her patrol area without using her precious
internal fuel supplies - a system soon adopted by other British submarines.
On 24-Feb-44 came together with Japanese escort, after being caught on surface charging battery. Returned to Colombo
for repairs. Details.
Sank Japanese auxiliary submarine chaser Cha 2, 110 miles west of
Penang, Malaya, 04°20'N, 98°24'E
6-Oct-44, sank Japanese S/M Chaser No.5 in Malacca Strait and on 20 Nov 44 sank Japanese 'Special Minelayer No.4'
off Nicobar Islands.
First T Class to make Atlantic crossing submerged. Broken up at Briton Ferry 1967.
Pictured below in 1947.
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Tantalus | T3 | P318, P98 | 61 | 01-Feb-43 | Vickers Armstrong Barrow |
01-Nov-50 | Scrap |
 Lt.Cdr. H.S. Mackenzie, DSO and Bar, RN
19 Apr 44, sank the Malaysian tug Kampung Besar with gunfire in the Malacca Strait.
29 Apr 44, sank the Malaysian Pulo Salanama with gunfire in Malacca Strait.
3 May 44, torpedoed and sank the Japanese army cargo ship Amagi Maru (3165 GRT) about 40 nm S of Port Blair, Andaman Islands
in position 11º00'N, 92º00'E.
2 Jun 44 laid mines in the Strait of Malacca.
10 Jun 44, sank the Japanese army cargo ship Hiyoshi Maru (536 GRT, former Dutch
Mandar) with gunfire in the Strait of Malacca in position 03º05'N, 99º56'E.
17 Jul 44, misses the Japanese submarine I-166 with torpedoes in the Strait of Malacca. I-166 was sunk later that day
by HMS Telemachus.
31 Aug 44, sank a Siamese sailing vessel with gunfire in the Strait of Malacca.
4 Sep 44, damaged a tug with gunfire in the Strait of Malacca.
2 Nov 44, torpedoed and sank the Japanese cargo ship Hachijin Maru (1918 GRT) and damaged the Japanese submarine
chaser Ch 1 (266 tons) about 225 nm E of Singapore in position 00º48'N, 107º43'E.
11 Nov 44, sank the Japanese coaster Palang Maru (approx. 200 GRT) with gunfire of the east coast of Malaya.
Carried out the longest patrol by a British s/m in WW2 - 55 days from 3-Jan-45 to 26-Feb-45, covering 11,692 miles.
30 Jan 45, sank the Japanese fishing vessel Taisei Maru No. 12 (120 GRT) with gunfire off Banka Strait in position 01º26'S, 105º01'E.
31 Jan 45, sank a Japanese vessel with gunfire in the southern part of the South China Sea.
1 Feb 45, sank a Japanese tug and three barges in the southern part of the South China Sea.
CO requested 10 day extension and then on 11 Feb sighted Japanese battleships Ise and Hyuga
trying to escape back to Japan. Tried to get ahead of them but Tantalus was unable to attack as she was bombed by air escort and
forced deep.
Later COs: Lt. LH Oliphant, DSC RN, Jun 45 - 15 Aug 45; Lt. W.T.J. Fox, RN, 15 Aug 45 - return to UK.
Broken up at Milford Haven.
Tantalus in 1946
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Tantivy | T3 | P319 | 61 | 6-Apr-43 | Vickers Armstrong Barrow
& John Brown, Clydebank | 1951 | Target |
7 May 44, (Cdr. M.G. Rimington, DSO, RN) sank a Siamese sailing vessel with gunfire of the west coast of Siam.
7 Jun 44, laid mines in the Strait of Malacca.
5 Sep 44, (Lt. P.H. May, RN) torpedoed and sank the Japanese merchant cargo ship Shiretoko Maru (1799 GRT, former
Dutch Siberoet) in Semangka Bay in position 05º44'S, 104º58'E.
21 Oct 44, while operating in Makassar Strait, sank (with gunfire) the small Japanese vessels Chokyu Maru No.2 (136 GRT),
Takasago Maru No.3 (82 GRT), Otori Maru (198 GRT) and six more that are unidentified.
22 Oct 44, sank the Japanese Communications Vessel No. 137 (approx. 200 GRT) in position 05º47'S, 119º42'E.
Also sinks 6 smaller vessels.
23 Oct 44, sank a Japanese sailing vessel with gunfire in Makassar Strait.
25 Oct 44, sank the Japanese barge No. 136 and the Japanese motor sailing vessel Tachibana Maru No.47 with gunfire off
Miro, Sumbawa, Dutch East Indies in position 08º08'S, 117º45'E.
3 Feb 45, sank a Japanese tug and two Japanese coasters with gunfire in Panjang harbour, southern Sumatra, Dutch East Indies.
7 Dec 45, torpedoed and sunk the German Type IXc40 U-boat U-532
North West of Ireland in 'Operation Deadlight', the sinking of
surplus surrendered U-boats after the war. Sunk as an anti-submarine target in
the Moray Firth, 1951.
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Tapir HNlMS Zeehond
| T3 | P335, later S35 | 61 | 01-Aug-44 | Vickers Armstrong Barrow | 01-Feb-66 |
Scrap |
  Lt J Roxburgh.(later
FOSM).
12 Apr 45, sank German Type VIIC U-Boat U486 off Bergen, Norway,
60.44N,4.39E. (U-486 had been the submarine that torpedoed the
SS Leopoldville,
an American troopship lost on 24 Dec 44 in English Channel just off
Cherbourg, with a loss of 763 lives). Loaned RNLN 48-53, commissioned as Zeehond.
Returned to UK for modernisation to 'streamlined T'. Feb 1966, broken up at Faslane.
As Zeehond around 1949.
 |
Tarn
HNlMS Tijgerhaai
| T3 | P336, S812 | 61 | 19-Nov-44 | Vickers Armstrong Barrow | 01-Feb-66 |
Scrap |  Sold to RNLN 1945. Commissioned as Tijgerhaai.
Work up in Scotland as Germany surrenders, sailed for Far East, Japan
surrenders while on passage. Carries out anti-smuggling patrols around the
Dutch East Indies, leaves June 46 for return to Netherlands, arriving
September 1946. (pictured as Tijgerhaai) Streamlined 1961. 1966 Broken up. Details.
|
Tarpon | T1 | N17,
17T | 56 | 8-Mar-40 | Scott's
Greenock | 10-Apr-40 | War Loss | | Lt.
Cdr. H.J. Caldwell. Left Portsmouth for Rosyth 5-Apr-40, in company with HMS/M Severn. Diverted to patrol around Norway on 6th. Attacked Q-ship Schiff40 10-Apr, but missed with two
torpedoes. Schiff40, assisted by German Minesweeper M6, dropped depth charges for about four hours.
Presumed lost in this attack, with all hands. 56º43'N, 06º33'5"E |
Taurus | T3 | P339, P93, P313 | 61 | 01-Jun-42 |
Vickers Armstrong Barrow | 01-Apr-60 | Scrap |
 Originally P313 but crew mutinied! (unlucky 13).
Lt Cdr MRG Wingfield RN. Sunk Japanese s/m I-34 and a sub-chaser off Penang,
5.17N,100.05E, 13/11/43 - See Details.
Sank salvage vessel Hokuan I-Go off Malaya, 07°10'N, 99°20'E.
Loaned RNLN 48-53, named Dolfijn.
Details.
8-Dec-53 returned to RN. April 1960 Sold to Clayton and Davie Ltd and arrived Dunston-on-Tyne to be broken up.
|
Telemachus | T3 | P321 c/s GGVG | 61 | 01-Jun-43 | Vickers Armstrong Barrow |
01-Aug-61 | Scrap |
 Commander
W.D.A. (Bill) King, DSO DSC RN. Eastern Fleet from Feb 1944. Sunk Japanese s/m I-166 in Malacca Strait 17-Jul-1944. Reinforced British agents in Malaya, Oct-44. 10 yrs with 4th SM Sqn, Australia. Returned Gosport 9 Dec 59. Given to the Naval Construction Research Establishment at Rosyth for trials. Broken up Aug 1961 at Charlestown, Fife.
|
Tempest | T2 | N86 | 61 | 6-Dec-41 |
Vickers Armstrong Barrow | 13-Feb-42 | War Loss |
 Lt.Cdr. W.A.K.N.
Cavaye. Sunk in Med - Gulf of Taranto, in Ionian Sea (c 39-15'N,
17-45'E) - by depth charges and gunfire of Italian torpedo boat Circe.
Located by anti-submarine patrol after torpedoing a supply ship. Tempest
sailed from Malta on the night of 10-Feb-42 to patrol the Gulf of Taranto. On the evening
of the 11th Tempest was signalled that the Italians were aware of a submarine in her
vicinity and that it should be assumed that her patrol had been compromised. At 0302 on the 13th
the Italian destroyer Circe sighted the submarine on the surface. Tempest had also
seen the destroyer and began to dive. Circe moved in to attack and at 0332 began depth charging
the area. At 0716 Circe began a second attack resulting in oil being seen on the surface. At 0945
Tempest returned to the surface, with the forward hydroplanes wrecked and the boat full of chlorine gas.
The order was given to abandon the submarine; one of the gunners, probably the first person to appear above water,
attempted to operate the deck gun - without the necessary orders, support or ammunition - and trained the gun on
the Italian destroyer. This action, naturally enough, led to the destroyer
opening fire, killing the gunner. The enemy was not to know the gun was harmless and kept firing, killing
several men as they scrambled over onto the casing and the saddle tanks. Some men came out of the boat the
same way (via the gun tower) onto the saddle tanks where they sheltered from the enemy by the conning and gun
towers, before sliding into the cold and rough sea eventually being picked-up by the destroyer. The Italians
attempted to board the
abandoned vessel but were held back by rough seas. By 1300 the submarine had settled in the water and the
demolition charges set by the Tempest's crew had failed. With boarding of the submarine impossible
due to bad weather, the Italian destroyer opened fire and although more than a dozen direct hits were
recorded the submarine refused to sink. Finally the Italians attempted to take the submarine in tow.
Two members of the destroyer's crew boarded the submarine and prepared the tow. As Circe manoeuvred
to take up the tow Tempest suddenly started to sink forcing those onboard to jump into the sea.
Tempest went down stern first with the bows disappearing vertically. 39º15'N, 17º45'E.
Excellent first hand account. Of the 23
survivors taken prisoner, Lt Abdy was later exchanged. While in a POW camp in Tuscany, Lt M Caplat RNVR directed
Twelfth Night. He was eventually repatriated to Britain via Port Said and Cairo. In July 1943 he was appointed
to the submarine Tradewind, but six months later moved to a shore establishment and spent the rest
of the war in administration. Immediately after the war he joined Glyndebourne Opera, in Sussex, and eventually
became the General Manager for over thirty years.
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Templar | T3 | P316, P96 | 61 | 01-Oct-42 |
Vickers Armstrong Barrow | 01-Jul-59 | Scrap |
Lt. D.J.B. Beckley. Patrolled in Mediterranean during 1943, unsuccessfully
attacking a German U-boat on the surface, then moved to 4th Flotilla in
Colombo. The first patrol was off Penang but, due to defective radar, rain
squalls and low visibility, the patrol was an uneventful one. The next two
patrols were taken up with special operations; the patrols after dropping
off the agents were also uneventful.
The fourth patrol was around the north of Malacca Strait during January and
February 1944, torpedoing the Japanese cruiser Kitagami on 25
Jan 44, with two out of eight torpedoes hitting the ship causing much
damage. (Worth note that Kitagami was one of the first two IJN ships
to receive radar sets, in 1941 - it is often reported that the Japanese
ships had no radar throughout the war). Two U-boats were also attacked, but again they proved too elusive.
The patrol was completed with the successful retraction of special agents
that had been placed earlier. The fifth patrol was uneventful, in Malacca
Strait. The sixth patrol was back to the north coast of Sumatra where
special operations were carried out inserting agents and recovering
reconnaissance parties.
The 7th patrol was during May and June 44, again in Malacca Strait, this
time an escorted convoy was sighted and attacked, using both stern torpedo
tubes, one torpedo hit and sank the cargo ship Tyokai Maru (2658
tons), this brought on what was described as a medium counter-attack which
did not damage the boat. The patrol was completed by laying 12 mines off
Sembilan Islands.
The eighth and last patrol was off the north coast of Sumatra; a U-boat was
again encountered and proved just as elusive as the previous encounters as
all eight torpedoes missed, however, bad weather this time was the culprit
for the misses. Due to defects in the fore-planes and engine breakdowns the
patrol finished early, she returned to Colombo and then was ordered back to
Britain for a much needed refit.
Sunk as Target in Loch Striven, Scotland,1954. Salvaged 4-Dec-58. 19-July-59 arrived Troon to be broken up.
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Teredo | T3 | P338, S38 c/s MVSX | 61 | 01-Apr-45 |
Vickers Armstrong Barrow | 05-Jun-65 | Scrap |
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Broken up at Briton Ferry.
Pictures show Teredo post war, left at Coronation Review in 1953,
and middle at Malta, so the one at the bottom must be later, after refit with snort mast on casing
and gun removed.
Later in the 1950s
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Terrapin to Thetis