Gilbert Hugh Nowell, RN
| Born | 11 Nov 1905 | ||
| Died | 16 Jul 1940 | (34) | HMS Phoenix |
| Ranks
Decorations |
Warship Commands listed for Gilbert Hugh Nowell, RN
| Ship | Rank | Type | From | To |
| HMS Grampus (N 56) | Lt.Cdr. | Submarine | 19 Jan 1940 | 1 Apr 1940 |
| HMS Phoenix (N 96) | Lt.Cdr. | Submarine | 1 Apr 1940 | 16 Jul 1940 (+) |
Career information
We currently have no career / biographical information on this officer.
Events related to this officer
Submarine HMS Grampus (N 56)
29 Jan 1940
HMS Grampus (Lt.Cdr. G.H. Nowell, RN) was undocked. (1)
1 Feb 1940
HMS Grampus (Lt.Cdr. G.H. Nowell, RN) conducted exercises off Singapore. (2)
5 Feb 1940
HMS Grampus (Lt.Cdr. G.H. Nowell, RN) departed Singapore for several days of exercises off Malacca. (2)
9 Feb 1940
HMS Grampus (Lt.Cdr. G.H. Nowell, RN) returned to Singapore. (2)
15 Feb 1940
HMS Grampus (Lt.Cdr. G.H. Nowell, RN) conducted exercises off Singapore with HMS Tenedos (Lt.Cdr. J.O'B. Milner-Barry, RN). (2)
16 Feb 1940
HMS Grampus (Lt.Cdr. G.H. Nowell, RN) conducted exercises off Singapore with HMS Stronghold (Lt.Cdr. R. Alexander, RN). (2)
19 Feb 1940
HMS Grampus (Lt.Cdr. G.H. Nowell, RN) departed Singapore for several days of exercises off Malacca.
23 Feb 1940
HMS Grampus (Lt.Cdr. P.J.H. Bartlett, RN) (Lt.Cdr. G.H. Nowell, RN), HMS Perseus (Lt.Cdr. P.J.H. Bartlett, RN) and HMS Regent (Lt.Cdr. H.C. Browne, RN) carried out together off Singapore with HMS Stronghold (Lt.Cdr. R. Alexander, RN). (2)
27 Feb 1940
HMS Grampus (Lt.Cdr. G.H. Nowell, RN) conducted exercises off Singapore with HMS Tenedos (Lt.Cdr. J.O'B. Milner-Barry, RN). (2)
28 Feb 1940
HMS Grampus (Lt.Cdr. G.H. Nowell, RN) departed Singapore for several days of exercises off Malacca. (2)
7 Mar 1940
HMS Grampus (Lt.Cdr. G.H. Nowell, RN) returned to Singapore. Exercises had been carried out together with HMS Tenedos (Lt.Cdr. J.O'B. Milner-Barry, RN), HMS Stronghold (Lt.Cdr. R. Alexander, RN), HMS Perseus (Lt.Cdr. P.J.H. Bartlett, RN) and HMS Regent (Lt.Cdr. H.C. Browne, RN). (3)
12 Mar 1940
HMS Grampus (Lt.Cdr. G.H. Nowell, RN) conducted exercises off Singapore with HMS Tenedos (Lt.Cdr. J.O'B. Milner-Barry, RN). (3)
21 Mar 1940
HMS Grampus (Lt.Cdr. G.H. Nowell, RN) departed Singapore for Hong Kong.
For the daily position of HMS Grampus during this passage see the map below.
(3)
27 Mar 1940
HMS Grampus (Lt.Cdr. G.H. Nowell, RN) arrived at Hong Kong. (3)
Submarine HMS Phoenix (N 96)
2 Apr 1940
HMS Phoenix (Lt.Cdr. G.H. Nowell, RN) departed Hong Kong for Singapore. This was the first leg of the trip to Alexandria where she was to join the Mediterranean Fleet.
For the daily positions of HMS Perseus during this passage see the map below.
HMS Phoenix passage Hong Kong - Alexandria click here for bigger map
8 Apr 1940
HMS Phoenix (Lt.Cdr. G.H. Nowell, RN) arrived at Singapore.
10 Apr 1940
HMS Phoenix (Lt.Cdr. G.H. Nowell, RN) departed Singapore for Colombo.
16 Apr 1940
HMS Phoenix (Lt.Cdr. G.H. Nowell, RN) arrived at Colombo.
17 Apr 1940
HMS Phoenix (Lt.Cdr. G.H. Nowell, RN) departed Colombo for Aden.
25 Apr 1940
HMS Phoenix (Lt.Cdr. G.H. Nowell, RN) arrived at Aden.
26 Apr 1940
HMS Phoenix (Lt.Cdr. G.H. Nowell, RN) departed Aden for Port Said.
1 May 1940
HMS Phoenix (Lt.Cdr. G.H. Nowell, RN) arrived at Port Said.
2 May 1940
HMS Phoenix (Lt.Cdr. G.H. Nowell, RN) departed Port Said for Alexandria.
3 May 1940
HMS Phoenix (Lt.Cdr. G.H. Nowell, RN) arrived at Alexandria.
13 May 1940
HMS Phoenix (Lt.Cdr. G.H. Nowell, RN) conducted exercises off Alexandria.
14 May 1940
HMS Phoenix (Lt.Cdr. G.H. Nowell, RN) conducted exercises off Alexandria. These exercises included A/S exercises with the French destroyers Lynx (Cdr. A.M. De Gouyon Matignon de Pontourade) and HMS Tigre (Capt. M. De La Forest Divonne).
15 May 1940
HMS Phoenix (Lt.Cdr. G.H. Nowell, RN) conducted exercises off Alexandria.
16 May 1940
HMS Phoenix (Lt.Cdr. G.H. Nowell, RN) conducted exercises off Alexandria.
23 May 1940
HMS Phoenix (Lt.Cdr. G.H. Nowell, RN) is docked at Alexandria.
25 May 1940
HMS Phoenix (Lt.Cdr. G.H. Nowell, RN) is undocked.
28 May 1940
HMS Phoenix (Lt.Cdr. G.H. Nowell, RN) conducted exercises off Alexandria.
31 May 1940
HMS Phoenix (Lt.Cdr. G.H. Nowell, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Alexandria with HMS Diamond (Lt.Cdr. P.A. Cartwright, RN) and HMAS Waterhen (Lt.Cdr. J.H. Swain, RN).
1 Jun 1940
HMS Phoenix (Lt.Cdr. G.H. Nowell, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Alexandria with HMS Kingston Cyanite (Skr. F.A. Yeomans, RNR) and HMS Bandolero (Lt.Cdr. F.M.W. Harris, RNR).
3 Jun 1940
HMS Phoenix (Lt.Cdr. G.H. Nowell, RN) conducted exercises off Alexandria.
4 Jun 1940
HMS Phoenix (Lt.Cdr. G.H. Nowell, RN) departed Alexandria for her 4th war patrol (1st in the Mediterranean). She was ordered to patrol off Suda Bay, Crete.
For the daily positions of HMS Perseus during this patrol see the map below.
HMS Phoenix 4th war patrol click here for bigger map
24 Jun 1940
HMS Phoenix (Lt.Cdr. G.H. Nowell, RN) ended her 4th war patrol (1st in the Mediterranean) at Alexandria.
3 Jul 1940
HMS Phoenix (Lt.Cdr. G.H. Nowell, RN) departed Alexandria for her 5th war patrol (2nd in the Mediterranean). She was ordered to patrol off the East coast of Sicily.
8 Jul 1940 (position 35.36, 18.28)
HMS Phoenix (Lt.Cdr. G.H. Nowell, RN) fired torpedoes at the Italian battleships Giulio Cesare and Conte di Cavour about 200 nautical miles east of Malta in approximate position 35°36'N, 18°28'E. The torpedoes however miss their target(s). The battleships were escorted by the Italian destroyers Freccia, Saetta, Dardo and Strale.
Phoenix made 3 signals to Capt. (S) One. Stating she had attacked two battleships escorted by four destroyers. She attacked at long range and claimed one possible hit. These signals were also intercepted by the German B-dienst at 0515, 0645 and 0800 hours. The attack must have been made between 0645 and 0800 hours and was not noticed by the Italians.
14 Jul 1940
HMS Phoenix (Lt.Cdr. G.H. Nowell, RN) made her last signal at 2350 hours. She acknowledged the receipt of Capt. (S) One's signal ordering her to proceed to Malta to replenish her torpedoes.
16 Jul 1940
At 1252 hours (Rome time) HMS Phoenix (Lt.Cdr. G.H. Nowell, RN) possibly attacked the Italian tanker Dora C. (5843 GRT, built 1922) with torpedoes off Augusta, Sicily, Italy.
The escorting Italian torpedo boat Albatros sighted 2 torpedoes. Albatros then possibly sank Phoenix during the counter attack in which a pattern of 10 depth charges was dropped followed by another pattern of 8. Albatros observed bubbles of air (no oil was seen) and believed that the submarine may have been damaged (it did not claim a sinking at the time). At the time of the attack Albatros was the only Italian vessel equipped with an experimental sonar but it broke down and was not used in the attack.
So it is quite possible that she was sunk by Albatros on this day but is also possible that the torpedo tracks seen by Albatros were porpoises (a frequent mistake !). Phoenix was ordered to return to Malta on the 14th and she had acknowledged that she had received this signal. It is therefore a bit strange the she would still be in her patrol area around noon on the 16th. There was also an Italian minefield about 4 miles South-East of Augusta (minefield 4 AS) and although Phoenix had orders not to enter the 200 fathom line (an exception could be made if a target was worth it) so it is not impossible that she ran into it.
Sources
- ADM 173/16269
- ADM 173/16270
- ADM 173/16271
ADM numbers indicate documents at the British National Archives at Kew, London.
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