H.M.S. Opossum. Oberon-Class Submarine

Transcription

1 H.M.S. Opossum. Oberon-Class Submarine Pennant Number: S19 Badge: An Opossum suspended by his tail from a tree trunk all proper. Crest: Field:White. Built By: Cammell Laird and Co Ltd, Birkenhead. Laid Down: 21 December Launched: 23 May Commissioned: 29 February Decommissioned: June Displacement: 2030 Tons Surfaced, 2400 Tons submerged Dimensions: Length: 295 ft. 3 in. Beam: 26 ft. 6 in. Mean Draught: 18 ft. Crew: 6 Officers, 62 Ratings. Propulsion: 2 x Sets Admiralty Standard Range Diesel Engines developing 3680 BHP Armament: Eight 21-inch Six Bow and Two stern torpedo tubes (for Homing Torpedoes). 2 x Sets Electric Motors developing 6000 S.H.P. Twin Screws. Range: 9000 Nautical miles at 12 Knots. Max Speed: 15 Knots Surfaced, 17 Knots Submerged.

2 Commanding Officers Lt.Cmdr. W. L Owen (29 Feb 1964); Lt.Cmdr. B. R Trussler (16 Aug 1965); Lt.Cmdr. M. J Osborne (16 Apr 1968); Lt.Cmdr. R. C Meyrick (12 Nov Feb 1971); Lt.Cmdr. J. J. S Daniel (4 Feb 1971); Lt.Cmdr. M. C Boyce (14 Jan 974); Lt.Cmdr. J. McLees (26 Jul 1975); Lt.Cmdr. C. L Wreford-Brown (10 Sept 1976); Lt. A. M Poulter (11 Aug 1977); Lt. T. J Austin (20 Jan 1979):. Lt.Cmdr. E. R Ruscombe-King (28 Apr 1980); Lt.Cmdr. D. R Charlton ( );

3 Joined the 1st Submarine Squadron, HMS DOLPHIN April 1964: Sea trials began at Rothesay. 12 June 1964: Accepted into the Royal Navy. 18 June 1964: Sailed for Clyde - work-up. Estimated time of departure from Clyde, 12 August 1964: Estimated time of arrival in Portsmouth, 14 August 1964: Estimated time of departure from Portsmouth, 10 September : For Cape Wrath and 'EXERCISE TEAMWORK' with HMS/m's FINWHALE, DREADNOUGHT, OSIRIS, GRAMPUS, TOTEM, OTUS, RORQUAL, ALARIC and ONSLAUGHT,8 Minesweepers, 11 Coastal Minesweepers, 7 Escorts and 7 Frigates. Estimated time of departure from Cape Wrath 2 October Estimated time of arrival in Portsmouth 5 October 1964 for repairs. Estimated time of departure from Portsmouth 13 October October 1964: Portland October 1964: Visited Emden, Germany. 23 October 1964 : Portsmouth. 26 October - 27 November 1964 : Maintenance. thence Londonderry for exercises. 7 December 1964 : Departed Londonderry for Portsmouth. 11 January 1965 : Special equipment fitted at Portsmouth. 25 January - 16 February 1965 : Docking. Departed from Portsmouth. 17 February 1965 : For exercises returned Portsmouth 20 February February 1965 : Departed from Portsmouth with HMS/m FINWHALE for exercises in the Clyde area. 8 March 1965 : Returned to Portsmouth. Exercises with HMS/m FINWHALE (Date unknown). Estimated time of arrival in Portsmouth 26 March April 1965: Departed from Portsmouth.

4 19 April 1965: Arrived in the Clyde area. 28 April - 20 May 1965: Commenced 'EXERCISE RED KNIGHT' with HMS/m's OTUS, OLYMPUS, DREADNOUGHT, CACHALOT and 1 Escort. 22 May 1965: Portsmouth, repairs. 15 June 1965: Repairs completed. 16 June - 4 August 1965 : In home waters visiting Birkenhead, Londonderry, Clyde and Portsmouth August 1965 : Visited Heligoland, Germany. 13 August 1965 Portsmouth. 1 September 1965 : Departed from Portsmouth. 3-6 September 1965 : Gibraltar September 1965: Commenced 'EXERCISE EMERALD GREEN' with HMS/m's FINWHALE, CACHALOT and 3 Escorts September 1965 : Gibraltar. 22 September 1965 : Portsmouth. 28 September - 8 October 1965 : Portland. 8 October 1965 Portsmouth October 1965 : Maintenance. 27 October - 20 November 1965 : In home waters visiting Portland and Portsmouth. 20 November 1965 : Departed Portsmouth for NW Approaches December 1965: Commenced 'EXERCISE CALPURNIA' with HMS/m's ALARIC, OTUS, OPPORTUNE, OCELOT, OSIRIS, with 5 Frigates, 4 Escorts and 1 Cruiser. 9 December 1965 : Departed Londonderry. 11 December 1965 : Portsmouth. 30 December January 1966 : Docking. 24 January 1966: Departed from Portsmouth. 29 January 1966: Blyth. 5 February 1966: Portsmouth. 9 February 1966: Birkenhead (Cammel Laird) for repairs.

5 9 May 1966 : Repairs completed. 9 May 1966: Left Birkenhead. 21 May 1966 : Arrived in Portsmouth for maintenance. 29 May 1966: Maintenance completed. 30 May - 27 July 1966 : In home waters visiting Plymouth, Portland and Portsmouth. 27 July 1966 : Commenced Emergency Docking at Portsmouth. 11 August 1966 : Docking completed. Estimated time of departure from Portsmouth 13 August August 1966 : Visited Rota, Spain. 19 August 1966: Gibraltar. 22 August 1966: Departed from Gibraltar. 26 August 1966: Malta September 1966: Visited Taranto, Italy September 1966: Malta practice area September 1966: Commenced 'MEDTACEX 6' with 3 Frigates October 1966 : Malta for maintenance October 1966: Commenced 'CANEX' with 2 Frigates. 19 October 1966 : Malta October 1966: Visited La Spezia, Italy. 1-8 November 1966: Toulon, France. 11 November 1966 : Malta November 1966 : Visited Corfu November 1966: Commenced 'MEDSUBEX'. 29 November - 2 December 1966 : Visited Izmir, Turkey. 3-6 December 1966: Commenced 'MEDTACEX 7' with 2 Frigates December 1966 Gibraltar. Estimated time of departure from Gibraltar 14 December December 1966 : Portsmouth.

6 9 January 1967 : Departed from Portsmouth January 1967: Lorient Exercise areas January 1967: Lorient, France. 26 January - 13 March 1967 : In home waters visiting Dartmouth, Portland and Portsmouth March 1967: Visited HMS GANGES the Juniors Training Establishment, Shortly Gate, Ipswich March 1967: Portland. 1 April 1967 Portsmouth. 1 May 1967 : Departed Portsmouth for trials in SW Approaches. 16 May 1967 : Returned to Portsmouth May 1967 : Visited Lorient, France. 20 May 1967: Portsmouth May 1967 Visited Fredrickshavn, Denmark. 31 May 1967 Returned to Portsmouth June 1967 Barrow. 16 June 1967 Portsmouth. 20 June 1967: To Devonport to prepare for refit (3 July). 13 September 1968 : Refit completed. 5 October 1968 HMS/m OPOSSUM became re-operational and rejoined the 1st Submarine Squadron, HMS DOLPHIN. 7 October 1968 Faslane. 3 December 1968 Departed from Faslane. 6 December 1968: Portsmouth December 1968 : Due maintenance.

7 14 January - 20 February 1969 In home waters visiting Plymouth exercise area, Portland, Portsmouth, Londonderry and SW Approaches. 20 February 1969 : HMS/m's OPOSSUM and ALCIDE arrived at Newport's North Dock to begin a 5 day visit to the town. 24 February - 6 May 1969 In home waters visiting Plymouth exercise area, Portsmouth for maintenance, Moray Firth, Dundee and Portland exercise area. 6-8 May 1969: Commenced BRITEX with 3 Training ships May 1969 : Visited Brest, France. 3 May - 2 September 1969 In home waters visiting Portland, SW Approaches, Portland exercise area, Portsmouth (for docking 23 May - 16 June 1969),Devonport, Londonderry, Loch Ewe, Faslane, NW Approaches, Portsmouth (docks 4-13 August 1969) and Gosport. 2 September 1969 : Departed from Gosport. 11 September 1969 : Arrived in Malta for exercise. 16 September 1969: LRO C Wood serving on board HMS/m OPOSSUM, was drowned while swimming at Comino Island in the Mediterranean October 1969 : Visited Civitavecchia, Italy. 25 October 1969: Gibraltar. 31 October 1969 Portsmouth. 20 November January 1970 In home waters visiting Dartmouth, Portland, SW Approaches and Portsmouth. 13 January 1970 : Due repairs. 23 March 1970 : Repairs completed. Estimated time of departure from Portsmouth 4 April 1970 for 'EXERCISE STEEL RING' with HMS/m ARTEMIS, 4 Escorts from the Royal Canadian Navy, Atlantic Maritime Command, HMCS/m's 'Ojibwa' and 'Okanagan' and the operational support ship HMCS 'Protecteur' May 1970: At Halifax, Canada.

8 14-19 May 1970 Boston, Massachusetts, USA May 1970: Providence (Rhode Island), Massachusetts, USA. 5 June 1970 : Portsmouth. 1 July - 2 October 1970 : In home waters visiting Dartmouth, Swansea, Devonport, Portland exercise area, Portsmouth (docking and essential repairs 24 August - 14 September), Portland exercise area (again) and Portsmouth. 2-7 October 1970: Visited Halsingborg, Sweden with HMS/m OCELOT October 1970 : Portsmouth. 31 October - 4 November 1970 : Plymouth/Portland areas. 4 November 1970 : Portsmouth. 12 November 1970: HMS/m's OPOSSUM, ORACLE, ARTEMIS and ACHERON entered Latchford Lock, Warrington on their way up the Manchester Ship Canal to pay a courtesy visit to Manchester. They were opened to the public at Trafford Wharf. 18 November 4 December 1970 : In home waters visiting Plymouth exercise area, Plymouth and Portsmouth. 2 January 1971: Departed from Portsmouth January 1971: Commenced 'EXERCISE VENDETTA' with HMS/m's ORACLE, CACHALOT, OCELOT, WARSPITE, NARWHAL, ONYX and AURIGA. 16 January 1971: Portsmouth January 1971 : Visited Oostende. 26 January 1971: Portland. 29 January 1971: Portsmouth. 1-5 February 1971: Plymouth exercise area. 3 February 1971 : Lt.Cmdr. RC Meyrick collapsed while his submarine HMS/m OPOSSUM was submerging during exercises. The submarine surfaced immediately and the assault ship HMS 'Fearless' which was also taking part in the exercises was diverted and a helicopter took its medical officer to OPOSSUM. A heart specialist from the Stonehouse Naval Hospital boarded the submarine at the breakwater. He gave Commander Meyrick heart massage but on arrival at hospital the Commander was dead.

9 5 February 1971: Portsmouth. 22 March January 1972 : In home waters visiting Clyde exercise area, Portland, Manchester, Dartmouth, Portland exercise area, Plymouth exercise area and Portsmouth January 1972: Commenced 'EXERCISE VENDETTA' with HMS/m's OSIRIS, AENEAS, OCELOT and DREADNOUGHT. 18 January 1972: Campbeltown. 20 January 1972: Portsmouth February 1972: Portland February 1972: Le Havre, France. 23 February 1972: Plymouth exercise area. 24 February 1972: Portsmouth. 6 March 1972 : Biscay area March 1972 : In home waters visiting Portland exercise areas, Dartmouth and Portsmouth. 19 April 1972: Departed from Portsmouth. 24 April 1972: Arrived in Gibraltar. 30 June - 4 July 1972 : Visited Agadir, Morocco. 8 July 1972 : Portsmouth July 1972 : Portland. 12 July 1972 : Portsmouth. 10 August 1972 : Departed from Portsmouth August 1972 : Visited Den Helder, Netherlands.

10 17 August 1972 : Plymouth exercise areas August 1972 : Visited Nantes, France. 23 August - 27 November 1972 : In home waters visiting Plymouth exercise areas, Chatham, Falmouth, Dartmouth, Portland areas and Portsmouth. 27 November 1972 : At Chatham for refit. 9 August 1974 : Refit completed. 10 August 1974 : Portsmouth, defects. Faslane (Date unknown). 9 December 1974 : Portsmouth for docking and repairs. 19 January 1975 : Docking and repairs completed. 15 February 1975 : Departed from Portsmouth February 1975: North Sea exercise areas February 1975 : Commenced JMC 751 with HMS/m ONSLAUGHT, 4 Frigates, 2 Guided Missile Destroyers, 1 Mine Countermeasures, 1 Fast Patrol Boat and the Destroyer HMCS 'Algonquin' from the Royal Canadian Navy, Atlantic Maritime Command. 28 February - 1 March 1975 Rosyth. 3 March 1975 : Portsmouth. 12 March 1975 James Chapman (103 years old) from Wisbech visited HMS/m OPOSSUM in which he toured the length of the submarine, test fired 6 torpedoes and worked the 2 periscopes. The trip lasted 8 hours and traveled 100 miles. The submarine also dived 103 feet, 1 foot for every year of Mr. Chapman's life. Estimated time of departure from Portsmouth 24 March March - 1 April 1975 : Visited Liverpool. 2-6 April 1975 Clyde exercise areas. 6-7 April 1975: Visited Faslane.

11 7 April - 11 May 1975 : Commenced 'COQC' exercise with HMS/m ONYX and 5 Frigates May 1975 Portland. 16 May 1975 : Portsmouth for docking. 4 June 1975 Departed from Portsmouth June 1975 : Gibraltar areas. 30 June -4 July 1975 : Portland July 1975 : Portsmouth July 1975 : Visited Kristiansand, Norway. 26 July - 27 September 1975 : In home waters visiting Portland, Portsmouth (Docking 27 August - 18 September) and Portland (again) September 1975: Commenced 'EXERCISE HIGHWOOD' with HMS/m's ONSLAUGHT, SOVEREIGN, OCELOT, WARSPITE, ORACLE and RORQUAL. 1-3 October 1975: Moray Firth. 5-7 October 1975 North Sea exercise area. 8 October 1975 : Rosyth October 1975 Visited Fredrickshavn, Denmark October 1975: Moray Firth. 24 October 1975 Portsmouth November 1975: Commenced 'EXERCISE MOBY DICK' with HMS/m's ONSLAUGHT and SOVEREIGN and 5 Frigates. 14 November 1975 Visited Inverary November 1975 On patrol. 22 November 1975: Portsmouth. 26 November 1975: Sailed Portsmouth for exercises returning Portsmouth 5 December January - 12 February 1976 : In home waters visiting Portland, Manchester and Oban February 1976: Commenced 'EXERCISE GRATITUDE' with HMS/m's SWIFTSURE, COURAGEOUS, ONSLAUGHT, VALIANT and ORACLE.

12 23-25 February 1976 : Portland. 26 February 1976 Devonport. 27 February - 5 March 1976 : Biscay/Gibraltar areas March 1976 Gibraltar exercise areas. 29 March - 1 April 1976 Visited Ajaccio, Corsica April 1976 Genoa, Italy April 1976 : Gibraltar. 23 April 1976 Portsmouth for docking and essential defects. 12 July 1976 Docking and defects completed. 21 July - 20 December 1976 In home waters visiting Faslane, Portland, Aberdeen, Dartmouth, Portsmouth and Gosport. 29 August 1983: Took part in 'EXERCISE SEDGEMOOR' with HMS/m REVENGE. A total of 67 people were transferred between the 'distressed' submarine 'OPOSSUM 'and the mother submarine 'REVENGE' by means of a DSRV carried on board the 'REVENGE'. 9 April 1991 : HMS/m OPOSSUM returned to HMS DOLPHIN, Gosport after a 36,000 mile, 11-month voyage around the world. The voyage included stops at Tahiti, Pitcairn Island, Singapore and Sydney, Australia. 13 July 1993 : HMS/m OPOSSUM collided with the Irish Trawler 'Amber Rose' at 0500 in thick fog in the Clyde Exercise area. No one was injured and there was little damage. HMS/m OPOSSUM is thought to have had a fault on her radar. Early August 1993 'OPOSSUM' visited the Russian port of Severomorsk, the first RN submarine to visit Russia since August 1993 : HMS/m OPOSSUM Paid-off at HMS DOLPHIN and was taken out of active service. She carried out a last dive on the same day prior to her arrival. 24 September 1993 approx : Departed HMS DOLPHIN for Fareham Creek.

13 Casualties: 16 September 1969: LRO C Wood drowned while swimming at Comino Island in the Mediterranean. 3 February 1971: Lt.Cmdr. R C Meyrick collapsed and died while commanding 'OPOSSUM' on an exercise N.B. HMS/m OPOSSUM was the last of the British Oberon-class submarines in the RN. Disposal: June 2001 Pounds Shipbrakers at Tipner, Portsmouth.