Alan George Luscombe Seale, RN
| Birth details unknown |
| Ranks
Decorations
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Warship Commands listed for Alan George Luscombe Seale, RN
| Ship | Rank | Type | From | To |
| HMS Trident (N 52) | Lt.Cdr. | Submarine | late Jan40 | 18 Apr 1940 |
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Events related to this officer
Submarine HMS Trident (N 52)
29 Jan 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Trident (Lt.Cdr. A.G.L. Seale, RN) conducted exercises in the Firth of Forth. (1)
31 Jan 1940
Around 1430Z/31, HMS Trident (Lt.Cdr. A.G.L. Seale, RN) departed from Rosyth for her 5th war patrol. She is to patrol in the North Sea off the west coast of Denmark.
For the daily positions of HMS Trident during this patrol see the map below.
(2)
11 Feb 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 1800Z/11, HMS Trident (Lt.Cdr. A.G.L. Seale, RN) left patrol to return to Rosyth. (2)
14 Feb 1940
Around 1030Z/14, HMS Trident (Lt.Cdr. A.G.L. Seale, RN) ended her 5th war patrol at Rosyth. (2)
21 Feb 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Trident (Lt.Cdr. A.G.L. Seale, RN) conducted exercises in the Firth of Forth. (3)
24 Feb 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Trident (Lt.Cdr. A.G.L. Seale, RN) is docked in No.3 graving dock at the Rosyth Dockyard. (4)
27 Feb 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Trident (Lt.Cdr. A.G.L. Seale, RN) is undocked. (4)
28 Feb 1940
Around 1600A/28, HMS Trident (Lt.Cdr. A.G.L. Seale, RN) departed from Rosyth for her 6th war patrol. She is to patrol off Lister, Norway to intercept the German tanker Altmark (10698 GRT, built 1938) which was expected to try to return to Germany from Norway.
For the daily positions of HMS Trident during this patrol see the map below.
(2)
2 Mar 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 1300A/2, when in position 58°15'N, 06°12'E, HMS Trident (Lt.Cdr. A.G.L. Seale, RN) sighted the German tanker Friedrich Breme (10397 GRT, built 1936) proceeding south-eastwards. She was proceeding inside Norwegian territorial waters escorted by a Norwegian torpedo boat of the Sleipner-class. (2)
7 Mar 1940
Around 1145A/7, HMS Trident (Lt.Cdr. A.G.L. Seale, RN) ended her 6th war patrol at Rosyth. She isdocked in No.3 graving dock at the Rosyth Dockyard for repairs to her Asdic dome later the same day. (2)
11 Mar 1940
HMS Trident (Lt.Cdr. A.G.L. Seale, RN) is undocked. (5)
13 Mar 1940
Around 0040A/13, HMS Trident (Lt.Cdr. A.G.L. Seale, RN) departed from Rosyth for her 7th war patrol. She is to patrol in the Skagerrak as a cover for Operation R.3, an attempt to intervene in Norway by using the pretext of assistance to Finland. The operation will be cancelled the following day when the news of an armistice between Finnish and Soviet forces has been signed.
For the daily positions of HMS Trident during this patrol see the map below.
(2)
15 Mar 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
At 0325A/15, HMS Trident (Lt.Cdr. A.G.L. Seale, RN) left patrol to return to Rosyth. (2)
17 Mar 1940
Around 1425A/17, HMS Trident (Lt.Cdr. A.G.L. Seale, RN) ended her 7th war patrol at Rosyth. Shortly before arrival D/G trials were carried out. (2)
25 Mar 1940
Around 1200A/25, HMS Trident (Lt.Cdr. A.G.L. Seale, RN) departed from Rosyth for her 8th war patrol. She is to patrol off the south coast of Norway. During this patrol several neutral ships are examined but all are released.
On departure D/G trials were carried out.
For the daily and attack positions of HMS Trident during this patrol see the map below.
(2)
27 Mar 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
At 0430A/27, in position 58°02'N, 06°28'E, HMS Trident (Lt.Cdr. A.G.L. Seale, RN) stopped the Danish merchant vessel Clara (1398 GRT, built 1925). After inspection of the papers the ship was allowed to proceed. (2)
28 Mar 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
At 1745A/28, to the south of Ryvingen, HMS Trident (Lt.Cdr. A.G.L. Seale, RN) a warship was sighted. It was thought to be a Norwegian Sleipner-class torpedo boat. (2)
29 Mar 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
At 1805A/29, in position 57°57'N, 08°30'E, HMS Trident (Lt.Cdr. A.G.L. Seale, RN) stopped the Danish merchant vessel Texas (2328 GRT, built 1939). After inspection of the papers the ship was allowed to proceed. (2)
30 Mar 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
At 1530A/30, in position 57°56'N, 08°10'E, HMS Trident (Lt.Cdr. A.G.L. Seale, RN) stopped the Danish merchant vessel Korea (9945 GRT, built 1939). After inspection of the papers the ship was allowed to proceed.
At 1845A/30, in position 57°58'N, 08°05'E, HMS Trident stopped the Danish merchant vessel Lars Kruse (1807 GRT, built 1923). After inspection of the papers the ship was allowed to proceed.
At 1930A/30, in position 57°56'N, 08°14'E, HMS Trident stopped the Norwegian merchant vessel Karma (1106 GRT, built 1912). After inspection of the papers the ship was allowed to proceed. (2)
3 Apr 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
At 1745A/3, in position 240° - Lister lighthouse - 3 nautical miles, HMS Trident (Lt.Cdr. A.G.L. Seale, RN) sighted two eastbound trawlers. These were thought to be Norwegian auxiliary patrol vessels. (2)
4 Apr 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
At 0430A/4, in position 58°05'N, 08°22'E, HMS Trident (Lt.Cdr. A.G.L. Seale, RN) stopped the Latvian merchant vessel Everalda (3934 GRT, built 1912). After inspection of the papers the ship was allowed to proceed. (2)
6 Apr 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
At 0745A/6, off Larvik, HMS Trident (Lt.Cdr. A.G.L. Seale, RN) sighted three eastbound Norwegian torpedo boats of the Sleipner-class. (2)
8 Apr 1940 (position 58.57, 10.25)
HMS Trident (Lt.Cdr. A.G.L. Seale, RN) intercepted the German tanker Stedingen (former Posidonia, 8036 GRT, built 1939) south of the Oslo fjord in position 58°57'N, 10°25'E. The Germans scuttled their ship and it was finished off by a torpedo from HMS Trident.
1200A/8 - Sighted a large laden tanker steaming westward outside territorial waters. The vessel was thought to be a German auxiliary vessel.
1215A/8 - Surfaced about one nautical mile of the targets port quarter and fired a blank shot. The ship turned to starboard and headed for territorial waters while increasing speed. Two live rounds were now fired but these fell just short of the bridge. This caused her to stop her engines. The crew abandoned ship and made for shore. They were stopped and the ship's captain was taken prisoner. The tanker was now lower in the water and in a sinking condition. The captain confirmed that they had scuttled the ship. Lt.Cdr. Seale decided to fire one torpedo to finish her off. The tanker sank at 1315A/8. (2)
9 Apr 1940
At 0330A/9, HMS Trident (Lt.Cdr. A.G.L. Seale, RN) dived in position 58°52'N, 10°22'E.
At 0540A/9, HE of a vessel was picked up. The vessel was stopping and starting as if she was hunting. HMS Trident meanwhile closed the entrance to the Oslofjord.
At 0715A/9, in position 233 - Faerder lighthouse - 3 nautical miles, a trawler patrol was observed.
At 1200A/9, in position 58°57'N, 10°36'E, Trident was hunted by two armed trawlers.
By 1515A/9, HMS Trident was clear and it was decided to retire further to the southwards to charge.
At 2105A/9, HMS Trident surfaced in position 58°48'N, 10°21'E and retired further to the south in accordance with Vice-Admiral Submarines signal timed 1756A/9. Course was subsequently set to position 58°40'N, 11°00'E. (2)
10 Apr 1940 (position 58.38, 10.32)
HMS Trident (Lt.Cdr. A.G.L. Seale, RN) fires two torpedoes at the German transport Wandsbek (2388 GRT, built 1938) south-south-east of the Oslo fjord in position 58°38'N, 10°32'E. Both torpedoes missed their target.
0210A/10 - In position 58°38'N, 10°36'E dived on sighting a small vessel. Continued to proceed, but now submerged, to position 58°40'N, 11°00'E. Heavy air patrol were seen all day.
1430A/10 - In position 58°40'N, 11°00'E sighted a merchant vessel hull down to the westward. It was proceeding northwards. No enemy shipping was seen within five miles off the land so proceeded to the westward to get on the shipping route.
1845A/10 - In position 58°38'N, 10°32'E sighted and attacked a northbound merchant vessel. Fired two torpedoes from 4000 yards that both missed.
2100A/10 - Surfaced in position 58°35'N, 10°46'E and patrolled in the area during the night.
2240A/10 - In position 58°31'N, 10°29'E put down by what was thought to be an enemy destroyer proceeding at 21 knots. Surfaced after the enemy had passed.
2330A/10 - Again put down by what is thought to be an enemy destroyer which subsequently passed overhead with two other ships. (2)
11 Apr 1940
At 0026A/11, in position 58°32'N, 10°30'E, HMS Trident (Lt.Cdr. A.G.L. Seale, RN) surfaced and continued her patrol.
At 0315A/11, in position 58°32'N, 10°29'E, HMS Trident dived for a day of submerged patrol.
At 0730A/11, what is thought to be a German Type 1934-class destroyer passed proceeding on a course of 170°. She passed out of range to the eastwards.
At 2000A/11, in position 58°35'N, 10°55'E, HMS Trident was hunted by three A/S trawlers. Decided at 2130A/11, as they were still to seaward to surface and clear the area to the southward at high speed.
At 2143A/11, surfaced in position 58°29'N, 11°05'E and proceeded south at 14 knots. Shortly afterwards set course to return to Rosyth as had been ordered in the Vice Admiral Submarines signal timed 1836A/11. (2)
12 Apr 1940
At 0317A/12, in position 58°08'N, 09°16'E, HMS Trident (Lt.Cdr. A.G.L. Seale, RN) dived for a day of submerged patrol.
At 0630A/12, three vessels, possibly destroyers, passed astern on a south-easterly course.
At 0804A/12, the Vice Admiral Submarines signal timed 0701A/12 was received ordering HMS Trident to try to intercept the damaged German pocket battleship Lützow which was returning to Germany. HMS Trident surfaced and proceeded south at speed.
At 0834A/12, HMS Trident had to dive for an approaching aircraft. Passage south was continued submerged but the damaged enemy ship was not seen.
At 2125A/12, HMS Trident surfaced in position 57°52'N, 08°55'E.
At 2220A/12, the Vice Admiral Submarines signal timed 2139A/12 was received and course was set to return to Rosyth as had been ordered. (2)
15 Apr 1940
At 0830A/15, HMS Trident (Lt.Cdr. A.G.L. Seale, RN) ended her 8th war patrol at Rosyth.
She was originally to end her patrol on 10 April but was ordered to remain on patrol due to the German invasion of Norway. (2)
Sources
- ADM 173/16630
- ADM 199/1864
- ADM 173/16631
- Rosyth Dockyard docking register
- ADM 173/16632
ADM numbers indicate documents at the British National Archives at Kew, London.
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