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H. M.
S. U N S E E N
B a t t l
e H o n o u r s
SICILY 1943 -
MEDITERRANEAN 1943 - ENGLISH CHANNEL
1944
Identified by
her Pennant Number P51 until renamed in early 1943 this submarine
was first RN warship to bear this name. Deployed in Home waters
until transferred to the Mediterranean in October 1942 she took no
part in direct support of the allied landings in North Africa apart
from taking a US Army General to meet resistance leaders to the
Algerian coast before the assault.
During
deployment with the 10th Submarine Flotilla based in Malta she
carried out patrols to intercept ships on passage to and from
Tunisian ports. She sank three supply ships on a patrol off Tunisia
in January 1943 followed by another in the Tyrrhenian Sea in
February. On return to patrol off North
Africa the next month she continued her successes with two more
sinkings. Before deployment as a
Navigational Beacon for allied landings in Sicily she carried out a
patrol in the central Mediterranean and
sank two more supply ships. Her station during the HUSKY landings
was off the east coast of the Pachino
Peninsular for guidance of Ships of Force N to the BARK EAST Sector.
In August and September she carried out patrols in the western
Mediterranean to attack ships evacuating personnel from Sardinia and
on 21st September sank the German Minelayer BRANDENBURG followed by
the Night Fighter Direction Tender KRETA. She continued service with
the Flotilla when it was transferred to Maddalena and carried out
patrols in 1944 for attacks on enemy ships supporting military
operations off the north west coast of
Italy and southern France. Later in 1944 she was released from
Mediterranean duties and returned to UK,
presumably for refit
The award of the Battle Honour ENGLISH CHANNEL
may have been made for interception of German U-Boats during the
evacuation of bases in France. The Commanding Officer during
Mediterranean service was Lieutenant M L C Crawford RN (later
Captain, DSO*). |
