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23 November, 2009
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Noteable events involving Thorough include:

27 Sep 1944
HMS Thorough (Lt.Cdr. J.G. Hopkins, RN) sinks a small Japanese vessel north of Sumatra.

13 Nov 1944
HMS Thorough (Lt.Cdr. J.G. Hopkins, RN) sinks a Japanese sailing vessel with gunfire in the Strait of Malacca.

14 Nov 1944
HMS Thorough (Lt.Cdr. J.G. Hopkins, RN) sinks two Japanese vessels and damages another with gunfire in the Strait of Malacca.

19 Nov 1944
HMS Thorough (Lt.Cdr. J.G. Hopkins, RN) lays mines in the Strait of Malacca.

22 Nov 1944
HMS Thorough (Lt.Cdr. J.G. Hopkins, RN) sinks a Japanese sailing vessel with gunfire in the Strait of Malacca

23 Dec 1944
HMS Thorough (Lt.Cdr. J.G. Hopkins, RN) lays mines in the Strait of Malacca.

29 Dec 1944
HMS Thorough (Lt.Cdr. J.G. Hopkins, RN) sinks two Japanese sailing vessels of the west coast of Siam.

1 Jan 1945
HMS Thorough (Lt.Cdr. J.G. Hopkins, RN) sinks a Japanese sailing vessel with gunfire of the west coast of Siam.

13 Feb 1945
HMS Thorough (Lt. A.G. Chandler, RNR) sinks a Japanese sailing vessel with gunfire of the west coast of Siam.

14 Feb 1945
HMS Thorough (Lt. A.G. Chandler, RNR) sinks a Japanese sailing vessel and a Japanese coaster with gunfire of the west coast of Siam.

15 Feb 1945
HMS Thorough (Lt. A.G. Chandler, RNR) sinks a Japanese sailing vessel with gunfire of the west coast of Siam.

16 Feb 1945
HMS Thorough (Lt. A.G. Chandler, RNR) sinks three Japanese sailing vessels with gunfire of the west coast of Siam.

18 Feb 1945
HMS Thorough (Lt. A.G. Chandler, RNR) sinks five Japanese sailing vessels with gunfire of the west coast of Siam.

23 Feb 1945
HMS Thorough (Lt. A.G. Chandler, RNR) sinks two Japanese sailing vessels, a coaster and a barge with gunfire of the west coast of Siam.

24 Feb 1945
HMS Thorough (Lt. A.G. Chandler, RNR) sinks three Japanese sailing vessels with gunfire of the west coast of Siam.

28 Feb 1945
HMS Thorough (Lt. A.G. Chandler, RNR) sinks two Japanese sailing vessels with gunfire of the west coast of Siam.

2 Apr 1945
HMS Thorough (Lt. A.G. Chandler, RNR) sinks a small Japanese gunboat with gunfire off the Nicobar Islands.

10 Apr 1945
HMS Thorough (Lt. A.G. Chandler, RNR) sinks a Japanese coaster with gunfire of the west coast of Sumatra, Netherlands East Indies.

3 Jun 1945
HMS Thorough (Lt. A.G. Chandler, RNR) sinks two Japanese coasters with gunfire off Tenggol Island.

At 1615 hours (time zone -9) Thorough sighted two Japanese coasters about 5 nautical miles south of Pulo Peloh. One coaster was rather modern about 600 tons, the other one was an older type of about 300 tons.

At 1627 hours Thorough surfaced in position 2 nautical miles bearing 155 Tenjong Palor. The two targets were about 8000 yards away. At 5000 yards fire was opened with the 4" gun and both Japanese ships turned towards the beach. Fire was returned by the larger coaster with a 6-pounder gun. The enemy fired 12 rounds, all of which fell short, before hitting the beach. After hitting the beach the crew abandoned ship and fled into the jungle. The second ships crew did likewise.

The first vessel was destroyed in position 04º37'5N, 103º25'8E. In all 105 round were spent in destroying the first coaster.

The second vessel was beached and destroyed half a mile south of the first vessel. 30 rounds were used in the destruction of this vessel. (see map)

5 Jun 1945
HMS Thorough (Lt. A.G. Chandler, RNR) sinks a Japanese sea-truck with gunfire off Tenggol Island.

At 1230 hours (time zone -9) a loaded north-bound Japanese sea-truck was spotted coast crawling. 10 minutes later fire was opened with the deck gun from 4000 yards. The crew quickly abandoned ship and started swimming towards Gadong Island. At 1300 hours the sea-truck sank bow first in position 04º43'N, 103º27'5E. In all 40 rounds were fired.

At 1310 hours Thorough retreated seawards to investigate a large junk spotted earlier sailing south-wards. At 1445 hours Thorough came alongside the junk. 7 Chinese crewman that had abandoned ship were persuaded to return, which they did. After inspection of the cargo the junk was allowed to proceed. (see map)

17 Jun 1945
HMS Thorough (Lt. A.G. Chandler, RNR) sinks a Japanese trawler and a small schooner with gunfire off Surabaya, Java, Netherlands East Indies.

At 1644 hours (time zone -9) Thorough sighted the masts of an armed patrol trawler. At roughly the same time HMS Taciturn also reported a contact and that she intended to attack it. Lt. Chandler observed the trawlers movements for nearly 50 minutes when at 1733 hours HMS Taciturn transmitted her surfacing signal.

One minute later Thorough surfaced for a gun action against the armed trawler. The trawler was only 800 yards away steaming towards Thorough at full speed while being pursued by and under fire from HMS Taciturn that was about 4000 yards away. When Thorough surfaced and opened fire on the trawler, Taciturn hold her fire as her fall of shot was rather close to Thorough. Thorough fired 18 shells (with 17 !!! hits), that reduced the trawler to a wreck. At 1745 hours both submarines dived and left the trawler sinking in position 06º39'S, 112º45'5E.

At 1800 hours Thorough closed and circled the wreckage in an attempt to pick up a Japanese survivor as prisoner of war but Lt. Chandler was unable to surface as a Jake patrol plane was overhead. By 1840 hours five Jake's were seen patrolling overhead so Lt. Chandler was forced to go to 80ft.

At 1900 hours Thorough returned to periscope depth and found out that another trawler had arrived at the scene and was picking up survivors covered by the five aircraft. At 1910 hours Thorough closed for an attack on this 2nd trawler but was forced down by the aircraft of which there were now six in the vicinity. At 1920 hours Lt. Chandler was manouvering Thorough into position for a torpedo attack on the 2nd trawler when the trawler hastily left the area.

At 1930 hours Thorough retired to seaward. At 2037 hours Thorough surfaced in position 06º47'S, 112º48'E and proceeded with Taciturn to a position suitable to transfer 50 rounds of 4" ammunition to Taciturn. At 2135 hours, in position 06º25'S, 112º47'E a fishing sampam was sighted and it was intended to utilize this in the transfer of the ammunition when at 2150 hours two darkened vessels were sighted at 6000 yards.

At 2200 hours Thorough and Taciturn worked to get ahead of the two vessels, that were now identified as two southbound topsail schooners, it was decided that each submarine would investigate one of the schooners.

At 2230 hours Thorough opened fire with the 4" gun at the rigging of her schooner. After 5 rounds from 1000 yards the schooner hove to and lowered her sails. 5 minutes later Thorough closed to investigate. At 2247 hours Thorough was alongside the schooner and a boarding party commenced a search. The schooner of 113 tons had 18 crew on board all from Makassar. The schooner was carrying a load of coal for the Japanese so the papers were confiscated, the crew removed and it was decided to scuttle the schooner with a demolition charge.

At 2310 hours the schooner blew up in position 06º25'S, 112º48'E. Tactician in the meantime also demolished 'her' schooner and 5 minutes later the two submarines closed to transfer the ammunition by rubber dinghy. Transfer was completed at 0045 hours the following day. Thorough now left the patrol area to return to Australia through Lombok Strait.

At 0715 hours on the 18th, while in position 06º40'S, 113º45'E, Thorough transferred to crew of the sunken schooner to a fishing sampan with the exception of the master and one other that went with the submarine to Australia for interrogation. (see map)

1 Aug 1945
HMS Thorough (Lt. A.G. Chandler, RNR) and HMS Taciturn (Lt.Cdr. E.T. Stanley, DSO, DSC, RN) attack Japanese shipping and shore targets off northern Bali. Thorough sinks a Japanese coaster and a sailing vessel with gunfire.

2 Aug 1945
HMS Thorough sinks a Japanese sailing vessel with gunfire off Bali.

4 Aug 1945
HMS Thorough (Lt. A.G. Chandler, DSC, RNR) sinks a Japanese coaster with gunfire off Bali.

12 Aug 1945
HMS Thorough (Lt. A.G. Chandler, DSC, RNR) sinks the Malaysian sailing vessel Palange (120 GRT) with gunfire off Bali.