HMS/M Thrasher

Thrasher was on patrol north of Crete and, following an attack on a strongly escorted convoy, had been hunted by destroyers and aircraft. Thirty-three depth charges and many bombs were dropped round her, but she had made her way clear and evaded the hunt.

That night, when she surfaced, two unexploded bombs were discovered in her forward casing. Her First Lieutenant, Lt. PSW Roberts, and her second coxswain**, Petty Officer TW Gould, volunteered to remove them. It was a particularly hazardous operation for, apart from the danger of the bombs exploding when moved, the Thrasher was on patrol off an enemy-held coast and would be forced to dive immediately should she be sighted by aircraft or by any surface craft. Such an action would inevitably drown both Roberts and Gould.

The first bomb, which was lying on the casing, was easy to remove and drop overboard into the sea, but the other lay wedged between the casing and the pressure hull. It involved a crawl by the two men of about twenty feet in a space so restricted that they both had to lie full length. With one of them pushing and the other pulling, they struggled with the bomb through the casing until it could be hoisted out and dropped overboard.

The night was pitch dark and all that could be seen of the bomb by the faint light of a torch was that, to quote the official report of the incident, "it had whiskers in the nose and large tail fins, and was about three feet six inches long; every time the bomb was moved it gave off a loud twanging noise which added nothing to the peace of mind of the disposal squad. The whole operation took 50 minutes, and as an example of the coolness displayed by Lt Roberts, before putting it in a sack and lowering it overboard, he took accurate dimensions and noted carefully the position and details of all markings." Both Roberts and Gould were awarded the Victoria Cross for their gallantry.

Citation

SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE, 9 JUNE, 1942 ADMIRALTY. Whitehall, 9th June, 1942. The KING has been graciously pleased to approve the award of the VICTORIA CROSS for great valour while serving in H.M.S. Thrasher to:- Lieutenant Peter Scawen Watkinson Roberts, Royal Navy. Petty Officer Thomas William Gould, C/JX. 147945. On February 16th in daylight, H.M. Submarine Thrasher attacked and sank a heavily escorted supply ship. She was at once attacked by depth charges and bombed by aircraft. The presence of two unexploded bombs in the gun-casing was discovered when after dark the submarine surfaced and began to roll. Lieutenant Roberts and Petty Officer Gould volunteered to remove the bombs, which were of a type unknown to them. The danger in dealing with the second bomb was very great. To reach it they had to go through the casing which was so low that they had to lie at full length to move in it. Through this narrow space, in complete darkness, they pushed and dragged the bomb for a distance of some 20 feet until it could be lowered over the side. Every time the bomb was moved there was a loud twanging noise as of a broken spring which added nothing to their peace of mind. This deed was the more gallant as H.M.S. Thrasher's presence was known to the enemy; she was close to the enemy coast and in waters where his patrols were known to be active day and night. There was a very great chance, and they knew it, that the submarine might have to crash-dive while they were in the casing. Had this happened they must have been drowned.

Above: PO TW Gould and Lt McKenzie RN, the CO.

** The 'Second Coxswain' is responsible for the casing on a submarine: fenders, ropes, gangways, capstans, paintwork etc.

Photographs from a post-war publication. The text reads: "Slumped on the mud of Restronguet Creek, Falmouth, in April 1946, and waiting with her comrades Taku, Tribune and Trusty to be towed away for breaking up, was the famous Thrasher, her service days finished for ever. She figured in a remarkable episode in February 1942, when Lt P.S.W. Roberts RN and Petty Officer T. Gould removed two unexploded German bombs from her casing (inset) and for their heroism were each awarded the Victoria Cross. After refitting and recommissioning, the Thrasher prepared for sea again (2), and seen alongside a depot ship after a patrol(3).