HMS Shakespeare (P221) | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Career (UK) | |
Class and type: | S class submarine |
Name: | HMS Shakespeare |
Builder: | Vickers-Armstrongs, Barrow-in-Furness |
Laid down: | 13 November 1940 |
Launched: | 8 December 1941 |
Commissioned: | 10 July 1942 |
Fate: | Sold on 14 July 1946 |
General characteristics | |
Displacement: |
814-872 tons surfaced 990 tons submerged |
Length: | 217 ft (66 m) |
Beam: | 23 ft 6 in (7.16 m) |
Draught: | 11 ft (3.4 m) |
Speed: |
14.75 knots (27 km/h) surfaced 8 knots (15 km/h) submerged |
Complement: | 48 officers and men |
Armament: |
6 x forward 21-inch torpedo tubes, one aft 13 torpedoes one three-inch gun (four-inch on later boats) one 20 mm cannon three .303-calibre machine gun |
HMS Shakespeare was an S class submarine of the Royal Navy, and part of the Third Group built of that class. She was built by Vickers-Armstrongs and launched on 8 December 1941.
She served in the Mediterranean and later in the Eastern Fleet during the Second World War, from December 1944. Whilst serving in the Mediterranean, she sank the Italian sailing vessels Sant' Anna M. and Adelina, the Greek sailing vessel Aghios Konstantinos and two unidentified sailing vessels. She also sank the Italian submarine Velella, which was lost with all hands, and unsuccessfully attempted to torpedo what is identified as an Italian light cruiser. On transferral to the Far East, she sank the Japanese merchant cargo ship Unryu Maru.
She was damaged by gunfire and air attack in the Nankauri Strait, Andaman Islands on 3 January 1945, whilst engaged with the Japanese auxiliary minesweeper Wa 1. Both ships were damaged. Shakespeare returned to port, but was written off as a constructive total loss.[1]
She was sold on 14 July 1946 and was broken up by Ward, of Briton Ferry.

HMS/M SHAKESPEARE returning to Devonport after 19 months operational activity in the Mediterranean. On the bridge of the SHAKESPEARE are, left to right: Lieutenant N D Campbell, RN, of Sevenoaks (Gunnery Officer); Lieutenant W E I Little-John, DSC, RANVR, of Melbourne, Australia (First Lieutenant); Lieutenant M F R Ainlie, DSO, DSC, RN, of Ash Vale, Surrey (Commanding Officer); Sub Lieutenant R G Pearson, RNVR, of Hitchin, Herts (Torpedo Officer); Lieutenant L H Richardson, RN, of Jersey, Channel Islands (Navigating Officer). Naval Radar: The conning tower of the submarine is showing a 291W Air Warning Set.
References
- ↑ HMS Shakespeare, Uboat.net
- 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.
Coordinates: 41°17′N 10°26′E / 41.283°N 10.433°E
This page uses Creative Commons Licensed content from Wikipedia (view authors). |