Operation "FD 34". 18th/19th November 1941

On 14th November the submarine RORQUAL, recently returned to the UK from extensive minelaying operations in the Mediterranean and now awaiting refit, was sailed from Holy Loch with orders to lay a minefield off La Rochelle. It had been hoped to co-ordinate this lay with another off Bayonne, using the French submarine RUBIS; however, at the last moment the latter was diverted to patrol off the Norwegian coast, in anticipation of a possible sortie by the TIRPITZ.

The outward passage was uneventful and, between 2303 on 18th and 0105 on 19th, the RORQUAL laid 50 Mk XVI/XVI units in two groups as follows:

a. 29 units scattered within one mile of position 46 deg 05.5'N, 01 deg 57.5'W.

b. 21 units scattered within one mile of position 45 deg 56.5'N, 01 deg 47.5'W.

All mines were set to a depth of seven feet and fitted with flooders set to operate on 23rd December 1941. Sprockets and grapnels were fitted to one mine in five.

While withdrawing after the lay, the RORQUAL had a lucky escape from two torpedoes fired at her by a U-boat, the first torpedo missing ahead and the second being narrowly avoided by a turn towards. She was unable to retaliate as her gun was out of action.

Did RORQUAL's lookouts have vivid imaginations or was this a separate incident that made her doubly lucky?