SUBMARINE’S FEAT

Grey River Argus, 16 September 1941, Page 3

SUBMARINE’S FEAT

8.0.W, RUGBY, September 14. . The remarkable voyage home, of the British submarine Triumph, after being damaged bv a mine in the Skagerack, can now be revealeu. On Boxing Day. 1939. the submarine was going slow ahead on the surface, while charging her batteries. It was a verv dark night,- with little moon, and th P first lieutenant suddenly sighted a verv large floating mine just ahead. The helm was put hard over, but before the submarine could alter her course the bow, lifting over a wave, came down right oip the mine. There was a shattering explosion and a column of flame, wfiich temporarily blinded those on the bridge. The blast was severe, but oniv one splinter hit the bridge, and d’d no damage. It was too dark to see the extent of the damage fror; outside, but it seemed from below that it was all confined to the fore end. Eighteen feet of the ship was miss-

ing altogether. In the torpedo R tubes, there were 10'Torpedoes, with war-heads fitted and regdv for firing. From one torpedo tube, the whole torpedo was missing. In another, all that remained was th G af-ter-front of the torpedo. In another tube, it was crushed in, pinning the .war-head. Mercifully, none of these 10 torpedoes went off The Triumph wps in an awkward position. She was in the Skagerack, on the German side of the North Sea minefields, . right inside enemy waters, and 300 miles from home. She had no bows, she could not dive, and she was making water fast. The pumps were kept running at maximum capacity, and ratings were kept busv in the small compartment, trying to nlug the leaks.. The Triumh cleared the minefield. and started off at about five or six knots for home. It seemed as if she was pushing half the North Sea alono- with that badly-damaged bulk-head. Later, the weather got worse, and the Triumph had to reduce speed to 21 knots for a whole dav, unable to dive, and expecting air attack at anv moment, for she was known to have been sighted by German reconnaissance aircraft. The weather later moderated; and the

speed was got up to about 14 knots. A Dornier sighted the Triumph, and made as if to attack, but a friendly British aircraft arrived in the nick of time, and drove the Dornier away. Two night's and one day after hitting the mine, the Triumph limped into the Firth of Forth, when it was discovered that the damage was much greater than thought. The Triumph was repaired, and has since torpedoed five enemy warships, including a U-boat, and five supplyships. Most of these 10 ships are almost certain to have been sunk.