Michael Armitage Langley DSC, RN

Birth details unknown
Died  7 Nov 1940HMS Swordfish


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Ranks

1 Apr 1932 S.Lt.
1 Aug 1934 Lt.

Decorations

3 Dec 1940 DSC (posthumous)

Warship Commands listed for Michael Armitage Langley, RN


ShipRankTypeFromTo
HMS H 49 (N 49)Lt.Submarine15 Apr 1940Oct 1940
HMS Swordfish (N 61)Lt.Submarine15 Oct 1940Oct 1940

Career information

We currently have no career / biographical information on this officer.

Events related to this officer

Submarine HMS H 49 (N 49)


10 May 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
For the daily positions of HMS H 49 during her 1st war patrol see them map below.

(1)

14 May 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS H 49 (Lt. M.A. Langley, RN) ended her 1st war patrol at Harwich. (2)

16 May 1940
HMS H 49 (Lt. M.A. Langley, RN) and HMS H 50 (Lt. A.R. Cheyne, RN) departed Harwich for Portsmouth. They were escorted by HMS Warrior II (Capt.(Retd.) A.E. Johnston, RN). (3)

17 May 1940
HMS H 49 (Lt. M.A. Langley, RN) arrived at Portsmouth. She continued on to Portland later the same day to resume her role as A/S training submarine. (4)

18 May 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS H 49 (Lt. M.A. Langley, RN) arrived at Portland. (5)

29 May 1940
HMS H 49 (Lt. M.A. Langley, RN) departed Portland for her 2nd war patrol. She was ordered to patrol in the English Channel.

[no log is available for HMS H 49 during this period and the patrol report does not mention daily positions, therefore no map of this patrol can be displayed.] (1)

1 Jun 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS H 49 (Lt. M.A. Langley, RN) ended her 2nd war patrol at Portsmouth. (1)

5 Jun 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS H 49 (Lt. M.A. Langley, RN) arrived at Harwich. (6)

9 Jun 1940
HMS H 49 (Lt. M.A. Langley, RN) departed Harwich for her 3rd war patrol. She was ordered to patrol in the North Sea.

For the daily positions of HMS H 49 during this patrol see the map below.

(7)

11 Jun 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS H 49 (Lt. M.A. Langley, RN) ended her 3rd war patrol at Harwich. (1)

13 Jun 1940
HMS H 49 (Lt. M.A. Langley, RN) departed Harwich for her 4th war patrol. She was ordered to patrol in the North Sea.

For the daily positions of HMS H 49 during this patrol see the map below.

(7)

20 Jun 1940
HMS H 49 (Lt. M.A. Langley, RN) ended her 4th war patrol at Harwich. (6)

2 Jul 1940
HMS H 49 (Lt. M.A. Langley, RN) shifted from Harwich to Dover. According to the log of HMS H 49 she was escorted by HMS Skipjack. But HMS Skipjack was lost on 1 June 1940 so this can't be correct.

Also according to the log of HMS H 49, HMS Spurs (T/Lt. R.S. Connell, RNR) took over the escort at 1800 hours. (8)

5 Jul 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS H 49 (Lt. M.A. Langley, RN) departed Dover for her 5th war patrol. She was ordered to patrol off Dover. She returned later the same day. (8)

6 Jul 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS H 49 (Lt. M.A. Langley, RN) departed Dover for her 6th war patrol. She was ordered to patrol off Dover. She returned later the same day. (8)

7 Jul 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS H 49 (Lt. M.A. Langley, RN) departed Dover for her 7th war patrol. She was ordered to patrol off Dover. She returned later the same day. (8)

9 Jul 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS H 49 (Lt. M.A. Langley, RN) departed Dover for her 8th war patrol. She was ordered to patrol off Dover. She returned later the same day. (8)

10 Jul 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS H 49 (Lt. M.A. Langley, RN) departed Dover for her 9th war patrol. She was ordered to patrol off Dover. She returned later the same day. (8)

13 Jul 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS H 49 (Lt. M.A. Langley, RN) shifted from Dover to Harwich. (8)

12 Aug 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS H 49 (Lt. M.A. Langley, RN) shifted from Harwich to Lowestoft. She was escorted by HMS Shearwater (Lt.Cdr. P.F. Powlett, RN). (9)

21 Aug 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS H 49 (Lt. M.A. Langley, RN) is undocked. (9)

29 Aug 1940
HMS H 49 (Lt. M.A. Langley, RN) shifted from Lowestoft to Harwich. She was escorted by HMS Cordela (T/Skr. A. Hales, RNR). (9)

30 Aug 1940
HMS H 49 (Lt. M.A. Langley, RN) departed Harwich for her 10th war patrol. She was ordered to patrol in the North Sea.

For the daily positions of HMS H 49 during this patrol see the map below.

(10)

2 Sep 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS H 49 (Lt. M.A. Langley, RN) ended her 10th war patrol at Harwich. (1)

11 Sep 1940
HMS H 49 (Lt. M.A. Langley, RN) departed Harwich for her 11th war patrol. She was ordered to patrol in the North Sea.

[no log is available for HMS H 49 during this period and the patrol report does not mention daily positions, therefore no map of this patrol can be displayed.] (1)

16 Sep 1940 (position 53.16, 4.42)
At 0439 hours HMS H 49 (Lt. M.A. Langley, RN) fired four torpedoes at a large, sixteen ship, convoy. Eight bunched ships were fired at during this surface attack. After 60 and 75 seconds two dull explosions were heard but no further explosions. It is / was assumed that two torpedoes hit and two missed and hit a sand bank. 'Breaking-up' noises were heard. It was assumed by the British that tanker ILL was damaged but as she was in ballast she was able to absorb the hits without much damage. Position of the attack was 53°16'N, 04°42'E.

20 Sep 1940
HMS H 49 (Lt. M.A. Langley, RN) ended her 11th war patrol at Harwich. (1)

26 Sep 1940
HMS H 49 (Lt. M.A. Langley, RN) departed Harwich for her 12th war patrol. She was ordered to patrol in the North Sea.

[no log is available for HMS H 49 during this period and the patrol report does not mention daily positions, therefore no map of this patrol can be displayed.] (1)

1 Oct 1940 (position 53.11, 4.34)
HMS H 49 (Lt. M.A. Langley, RN) attacked a German convoy with four torpedoes off Texel, the Netherlands/ No hits were obtained.

2110 hours - Heard HE bearing 155°.

2112 hours - Surfaced. Sighted six merchant ships of between 5000-7000 tons crossing from south to north. Turned towards the enemy and proceeded at 7 knots for six and a half minutes.

2119 hours - Range was now 4800 yards. Decided to attack. In position 53°11'N, 04°34'E fired two torpedoes at the second ship.

2121 hours - Fired two torpedoes at the third ship then dived and retired to the west.

2128 hours - Heard a very loud explosion. This was though to be either the first torpedo hitting to bottom or the fourth torpedo hitting a ship. No further explosions were heard.

6 Oct 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS H 49 (Lt. M.A. Langley, RN) ended her 12th war patrol at Harwich. (1)


Submarine HMS Swordfish (N 61)


21 Oct 1940
HMS Swordfish (Lt. M.A. Langley, RN) departed Portsmouth for her 11th war patrol. She was ordered to patrol in the English Channel near Cherbourg, France.

(No log is available for this period and the patrol report does not give daily positions so no map can be displayed). (11)

27 Oct 1940 (position 49.45, 1.20)
HMS Swordfish (Lt. M.A. Langley, RN) attacked an enemy merchant vessel out of a convoy of 8 ships north-east of Cherbourg, France. Two torpedoes were fired but no hits were obtained. The target has not yet been identified.

1545 hours - At a range of 12000 yards sighted a convoy of 8 merchant vessels. Closed to attack.

1606 hours - In position 49°45'N, 01°20'W fired two torpedoes at the nearest merchant vessel (of about 5000 tons) from 8800 yards. No hits were obtained. (11)

30 Oct 1940
HMS Swordfish (Lt. M.A. Langley, RN) ended her 11th war patrol at Portsmouth. (11)

7 Nov 1940
HMS Swordfish (Lt. M.A. Langley, RN) departed Portsmouth for her 12th war patrol. She was ordered to patrol off Brest, France. (12)

Sources

  1. ADM 199/1829
  2. ADM 199/373
  3. ADM 199/373 + ADM 173/16328
  4. ADM 199/2556
  5. ADM 173/2556
  6. ADM 173/16324
  7. ADM 199/1829 + ADM 173/16324
  8. ADM 173/16325
  9. ADM 173/16326
  10. ADM 199/1829 + ADM 173/16326
  11. ADM 199/1843
  12. ADM 199/2571

ADM numbers indicate documents at the British National Archives at Kew, London.


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