HMS Seawolf (47S)

HMS Seawolf
History
United Kingdom
Name:	HMS Seawolf
Builder:	Scotts, Greenock
Laid down:	25 May 1934
Launched:	28 November 1935
Commissioned:	12 March 1936
Identification:	Pennant number 47S
Fate:	Sold for breaking up, November 1945
Badge:
General characteristics
Class and type:	S-class submarine
Displacement:	670 tons surfaced 960 tons submerged
Length:	208 ft 9 in (63.63 m)
Beam:	24 ft (7.3 m)
Draught:	10 ft 6 in (3.20 m)
Propulsion:	Twin diesel/electric
Speed:	13.75 knots (25.47 km/h; 15.82 mph) surfaced 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) submerged
Complement:	39 officers and men
Armament:	6 × forward 21 in (533 mm) torpedo tubes 12 torpedoes 1 x 3 in (76 mm) gun 1 x .303-calibre machine gun

HMS Seawolf was an S-class submarine of the Royal Navy. She was launched on 28 November 1935 and went on to serve in the Second World War.

Wartime career

Seawolf was a member of the 2nd Submarine Flotilla at the onset of war. From 23-26 August 1939, the 2nd Submarine Flotilla deployed to its wartime bases at Dundee and Blyth.^[1] On 6 October 1939, she attacked the German light cruiser Nürnberg and the torpedo boat Falke in the Skagerrak, but none of the targets were hit. In April 1940, Seawolf sank the German merchant Hamm, and in November, claimed to have sunk the German merchant Bessheim. Bessheim was mined and sunk the previous day off Hammerfest, so Seawolf had probably attacked another merchant.

She was one of a number of submarines ordered to track the Bismarck before her eventual sinking. On 6 March 1942, Seawolf sighted the Tirpitz, along with her escorting destroyers Z5 Paul Jacobi, Z14 Friedrich Ihn, Z7 Hermann Schoemann and Z25. The German ships had sailed from Trondheim, Norway with the intention of attacking convoy PQ 12.

Seawolf arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1943 to help the Royal Canadian Navy in anti-submarine warfare training.^[2] She was commanded from August 1943 until 23 August 1944 by Commander Denis Woolnough Mills, for whom Seawolf was his first command after being promoted from First Lieutenant of HMS Thunderbolt.

Seawolf was sold for breaking up in November 1945 to Marine Industries, of Montreal.

References

Citations

Sources

• Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969]. Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy (Rev. ed.). London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN 978-1-86176-281-8. OCLC 67375475. 
• Rohwer, Jürgen (2005). Chronology of the War at Sea 1939—1945: The Naval History of World War Two (Revised & Expanded ed.). Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-59114-119-2. 

S-class submarines
Royal Navy	First Group Seahorse Starfish Sturgeon Swordfish Second Group Salmon Sealion Seawolf Shark Snapper Spearfish Sterlet Sunfish Third Group P222 Safari Saga Sahib Sanguine Saracen Satyr Sceptre Scorcher Scotsman Scythian Sea Devil Seadog Sea Nymph Sea Rover Sea Scout Selene Seneschal Sentinel Seraph Shakespeare Shalimar Sibyl Sickle Sidon Simoom Sirdar Sleuth Solent Spark Spearhead Spirit Spiteful Splendid Sportsman Springer Spur Statesman Stoic Stonehenge Storm Stratagem Strongbow Stubborn Sturdy Stygian Subtle Supreme Surf Syrtis
Other operators  French Navy Saphir class Saphir Sibylle Sirène Sultane  Israeli Navy Rahav Tanin  Royal Netherlands Navy Zeehond  Portuguese Navy Narval Náutilo Neptuno  Soviet Navy V-1
Preceded by: Rainbow class Followed by: River class List of submarines of the Royal Navy List of submarine classes of the Royal Navy

Coordinates: 57°39′N 9°28′E / 57.650°N 9.467°E / 57.650; 9.467