How Submarine Limped Home From Skager Rak

Northern Advocate, 16 September 1941, Page 4

How Submarine Limped Home From Skager Rak

LONDON. September 15. The remarkable voyage home of the British submarine Triumph after she had been damaged by a mine in the Skager Rak can now be revealed, states the British Official Wireless. On Boxing Day. 1939. the submarine was going slow ahead on the surface while she was charging her batteries. It was very dark and the first lieutenant suddenly sighted a large floating mine just ahead. The helm was put hard over, but before the submarine could alter course the bow, lifting over a wave, came down right on the mine. There was a shattering explosion and a column of flame, which temporarily blinded those on the bridge. The blast was severe, but only one splinter hit the bridge and did no damage. 18ft. Missing It was too dark to see the extent of the damage from the outside, but it seemed from below that it was all confined to the forward end of the vessel. Altogether 18 feet of the ship was missing. In the torpedo tubes there were 10 torpedoes with warheads fitted and ready for firing. From one torpedo tube a whole torpedo was missing. In another all that remained was part of a torpedo. Another tube was crushed in, pinning the warhead. Mercifully none of these 10 topedoes exploded. Could Not Submerge The Triumph was in an exceedingly awkward positiion. She was in the Skager Rak, on the German side of the North Sea minefield, 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 to their maximum capacity and ratings were kept busy in a small compartment trying to plug leaks. The Triumph cleared the minefield and started off at about five to six knots for home. It seemed as if she was pushing half the North Sea along with a damaged bolthead. Later th»weather became worse and the Triumph had to reduce to two-and-a-half knots for a whole day. She was unable to dive and she was expecting an air attack at any moment, for it was known that she had been sighted by a German reconnaissance aircraft. The weather later moderated and speed was increased to about 10 knots. Threat From Air A Dornier sighted the Triumph and made as if to attack, but a British aircraft arrived in the nick of time and drove the Dornier away. Two nights 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 had been thought. The Triumph was repaired and since has torpedoed five enemy warships, including a U-boat and five supply ships. Most of these 10 ships were almost certainly sunk.