British 10th Submarine Flotilla (Malta)

10th Submarine Flotilla
HMS Una one of the 10th Submarine Flotilla boats
Active January 1941 - March 1943
Country  United Kingdom
Branch  Royal Navy
Role Submarine
Size Flotilla
Garrison/HQ HMS Talbot, Manoel Island, Malta
Nickname(s) "The Fighting 10th"
Engagements Battle of the Mediterranean
Commanders
Notable
commanders		 Captain George Walter Gillow Simpson RN

The 10th Submarine Flotilla was a group of Royal Navy submarines[1] assigned to the British Mediterranean Fleet based in Malta from early 1941.[2]

Composition and base

The Flotilla was composed mainly of U Class submarines e.g. HMS Unbeaten, HMS Upholder (P37), HMS United, HMS Upright, HMS Una, HMS Unseen (P51), HMS Unbending, HMS Unbroken HMS Urge (N17), HMS Utmost (N19), HMS P38 and HMS Ursula (N59).[3][4] There were other classes of British submarine operating from Malta including: HMS Rorqual (N74),[5] HMS Thrasher (N37) and HMS Thunderbolt, but it was the U Class that made up most of the Flotilla's fighting strength.

The Flotilla's base in Malta was the ancient fort on Manoel Island, in the Marsamxett Harbour opposite Sliema; this shore base was called HMS Talbot.[6] The submarine base at Manoel Island was a priority target for Axis aerial attacks[7] and was heavily bombed in 1942 which forced a temporary withdrawal of the Flotilla from Malta.[8]

WW2 Campaign History

HMS Rorqual and Thunderbolt mooring up at Malta's submarine base in 1943.

During the height of the Siege of Malta it was submarines that were used to ferry in key supplies such as aircraft fuel and other essentials. This use of larger submarines like HMS Rorqual was called the "Magic Carpet".[9]

The Flotilla never numbered more than 12 submarines, but this small force between January 1941 and December 1942, sank 412,575 tons of Axis shipping.[10]

The Flotilla's mission highlights included:

  • Late April/Late May 1941 - two Malta-based U Class boats (Usk and Undaunted) were lost on patrol
  • 24 May 1941 - HMS Upholder (commanded by Lieutenant Commander Malcolm Wanklyn RN) attacked a convoy off the coast of Sicily. Upholder sank 18,000 ton liner Conte Rosso this action resulted in Wanklyn being awarded the Victoria Cross for many successful patrols, including the liner's sinking[11][12][13]
  • 27 September 1941 - HMS Upright sank Italian torpedo boat off Messina, northeast Sicily.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Royal Navy Reservist makes remembrance visit to Malta | Royal Navy". www.royalnavy.mod.uk. Retrieved 24 July 2017.
  2. ↑ "1 September 1941: Malta is New Base for 10th Submarine Flotilla". Malta: War Diary. 1 September 2016. Retrieved 24 July 2017.
  3. ↑ Allied, Newspapers (19 February 2012). "Malta-based British forces destroy most of Rommel's supplies in 1941". Times of Malta. Retrieved 24 July 2017.
  4. ↑ "10th Submarine Flotilla Malta: War Diary". maltagc70.wordpress.com. Retrieved 24 July 2017.
  5. ↑ His Majesty's Submarines. Merriam Press. 1997. p. 32. ISBN 9781576380215. Retrieved 24 July 2017.
  6. ↑ "The Malta Submarines". Weapons and Warfare. 1 May 2016. Retrieved 24 July 2017.
  7. ↑ "X Lighters - The Wreck of X127". www.xlighter.org. Retrieved 24 July 2017.
  8. ↑ "27 February 1942: Twelve 1-Ton Bombs on Malta Submarine Base". Malta: War Diary. 27 February 2017. Retrieved 24 July 2017.
  9. ↑ His Majesty's Submarines. Merriam Press. 1997. p. 32. ISBN 9781576380215. Retrieved 24 July 2017.
  10. ↑ Gill, Stephen Paul (October 2011). Forging the flotilla The Royal Navy’s submarine campaign from Malta 1940-1943. NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF IRELAND MAYNOOTH. p. 3.
  11. ↑ "British Submarines in World War 2". www.naval-history.net. Retrieved 24 July 2017.
  12. ↑ "HMS Upholder (N 99) of the Royal Navy - British Submarine of the U class - Allied Warships of WWII - uboat.net". uboat.net. Retrieved 24 July 2017.
  13. ↑ "Lieutenant Commander Malcolm David Wanklyn VC, DSO**,RN Honoured with Blue Plaque at Knockinaam Lodge, Portpatrick, Stranraer" (PDF). Submariner's Association. Retrieved 24 July 2017.
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