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Allied Warships

HMS Spearfish (N 69)

Submarine of the S class

NavyThe Royal Navy
TypeSubmarine
ClassS 
PennantN 69 
Built byCammell Laird Shipyard (Birkenhead, U.K.) 
Ordered 
Laid down23 May, 1935 
Launched21 Apr, 1936 
Commissioned11 Dec, 1936 
Lost1 Aug, 1940 
Loss position58.07N, 01.32E (See a map)
 
HistoryHMS Spearfish (Lt.Cdr. John Hay Forbes, DSO, RN) sailed from Rosyth on 31 July 1940. The next day she was hit by 1 torpedo from the German submarine U-34 and sank about 130 nautical miles north-east of Aberdeen, Scotland in position 58º07'N, 01º32'E. U-34 was returning from her last patrol as a combat boat. She had only one torpedo remaining after a succesful patrol (already 4 ships sunk). The u-boat picked up the sole survivor from HMS Spearfish.

Commanding Officers:
Lt. John Henry Eaden, RN
17 December 1938 - October/November 1939

Ship under repair, completing in early March

Lt.Cdr. John Hay Forbes, RN
DSO awarded on 9 May 1940
February 1940 - 2 August 1940 

Hit by U-boat
Sunk on 1 Aug, 1940 by U-34 (Rollmann).


Noteable events involving Spearfish include:

24 Sep, 1939
HMS Spearfish (Lt. J.H. Eaden, RN) was heavily damaged by German warships off Horns Reef. She was unable to submerge but nevertheless managed to escape. A rescue mission was undertaken by the British Humber force and Home fleet. Spearfish safely put in Rosyth on the 26th. Repairs to Spearfish were completed in early March 1940.

11 Apr, 1940
While patrolling in the Kattegat HMS Spearfish (Lt.Cdr. J.H. Forbes, RN) torpedoes and damages the German pocket battleship Lützow 6 nautical miles north of Skagen, Denmark in position 57º50'N, 11º00'E putting her out of action for over a year as repairs were only completed in June 1941. (see map)

20 May, 1940
HMS Spearfish (Lt.Cdr. J.H. Forbes, DSO, RN) sinks the Danish fishing vessels S. 130 and S.175 with gunfire in the North Sea in approximate position 55º00'N, 03º30'E. (see map)


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