HMS Sterlet (2S)

	Sterlet
History
United Kingdom
Name	Sterlet
Namesake	Sterlet
Ordered	2 March 1936
Builder	Chatham Dockyard
Laid down	14 July 1936
Launched	22 September 1937
Commissioned	6 April 1938
Identification	Pennant number 2S
Fate	Sunk, 18 April 1940
Badge
General characteristics
Class and type	S-class submarine
Displacement	768 long tons (780 t) surfaced; 960 long tons (980 t) submerged;
Length	208 ft 8 in (63.6 m)
Beam	24 ft (7.3 m)
Draught	11 ft 10 in (3.6 m)
Installed power	1,550 bhp (1,160 kW) (diesel); 1,300 hp (970 kW) (electric);
Propulsion	2 × Diesel engines ; 2 × Electric motors ;
Speed	13.75 knots (25.47 km/h; 15.82 mph) surfaced; 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) submerged;
Range	6,000 nmi (11,000 km; 6,900 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surface; 64 nmi (119 km; 74 mi) at 2 knots (3.7 km/h; 2.3 mph) submerged
Test depth	300 feet (91.4 m)
Complement	40
Armament	6 × bow 21 in (533 mm) torpedo tubes ; 1 × 3-inch (76 mm) deck gun ;

Last updated October 09, 2024

HMS Sterlet was a second-batch S-class submarine built during the 1930s for the Royal Navy. Completed in 1938, the boat fought in the Second World War. The submarine is one of the 12 boats named in the song Twelve Little S-Boats . Thus far she has been the only ship of the Royal Navy to be named Sterlet.

Design and description

The second batch of S-class submarines were designed as slightly improved and enlarged versions of the earlier boats of the class and were intended to operate in the North and Baltic Seas.^[1] The submarines had a length of 208 feet 8 inches (63.6 m) overall, a beam of 24 feet (7.3 m) and a mean draught of 11 feet 10 inches (3.6 m). They displaced 768 long tons (780 t) on the surface and 960 long tons (980 t) submerged.^[2] The S-class submarines had a crew of 40 officers and ratings. They had a diving depth of 300 feet (91.4 m).^[3]

For surface running, the boats were powered by two 775- brake-horsepower (578 kW) diesel engines, each driving one propeller shaft. When submerged each propeller was driven by a 650-horsepower (485 kW) electric motor. They could reach 13.75 knots (25.47 km/h; 15.82 mph) on the surface and 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) underwater.^[4] On the surface, the second-batch boats had a range of 6,000 nautical miles (11,000 km; 6,900 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) and 64 nmi (119 km; 74 mi) at 2 knots (3.7 km/h; 2.3 mph) submerged.^[3]

The S-class boats were armed with six 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes in the bow. They carried six reload torpedoes for a total of a dozen torpedoes. They were also armed with a 3-inch (76 mm) deck gun.^[2]

Construction and career

Ordered on 2 March 1936, Sterlet was laid down on 14 July 1936 in HM Dockyard, Chatham and was launched on 22 September 1936. The boat was completed on 6 April 1938.^[5]

At the onset of the Second World War, Sterlet was a member of the 2nd Submarine Flotilla. From 23–26 August 1939 the 2nd Submarine Flotilla transferred to its war bases at Dundee and Blyth.^[6]

On 8 April 1940 Sterlet left for a patrol in the Skagerrak, off Norway under the command of Lt. Gerard Henry Stacpoole Haward. Four days later she unsuccessfully attacked a convoy of three merchant ships and a destroyer. The following day she was assigned a new patrol area and on 14 April torpedoed the German gunnery training ship Brummer, leading to her sinking the following day.^[7]

She was possibly sunk by the German anti-submarine trawlers UJ-125, UJ-126 and UJ-128 on 18 April. Alternatively, she may have struck a mine whilst returning to port.^[8]

Citations

↑ Harrison, Chapter 16
1 2 Chesneau, p. 49
1 2 McCartney, p. 6
↑ Bagnasco, p. 110
↑ Akermann, p. 334
↑ Rohwer, p. 1
↑ German.navy.de: Brummer
↑ Uboat.net: HMS Sterlet

Related Research Articles

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HMS Starfish was a first-batch S-class submarine built for the Royal Navy during the 1930s. Completed in 1933, she participated in the Second World War.

HMS Stonehenge was an S-class submarine of the third batch built for the Royal Navy during World War II. Completed in 1943, she made her initial patrol off Norway and was then transferred to the Far East, where she conducted two war patrols, during which she sank two Japanese ships. On her second patrol, Stonehenge disappeared with all hands and was declared overdue on 20 March 1944. The most probable cause of her sinking is that she hit a mine, but her wreck has never been found.

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HMS Spearfish was a second-batch S-class submarine built during the 1930s for the Royal Navy. Completed in 1936, the boat participated in the Second World War. The submarine was one of the 12 boats named in the song "Twelve Little S-Boats". So far she has been the only ship of the Royal Navy to be named Spearfish.

HMS Snapper was a second-batch S-class submarine built during the 1930s for the Royal Navy. Completed in 1935, the boat participated in the Second World War. Snapper is one of the 12 boats named in the song "Twelve Little S-Boats".

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References

Akermann, Paul (2002). Encyclopaedia of British Submarines 1901–1955 (reprint of the 1989 ed.). Penzance, Cornwall: Periscope Publishing. ISBN 1-904381-05-7.
Bagnasco, Erminio (1977). Submarines of World War Two. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-962-6.
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.
Chesneau, Roger, ed. (1980). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946. Greenwich, UK: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-146-7.
Harrison, A. N. (January 1979). "The Development of HM Submarines From Holland No. 1 (1901) to Porpoise (1930) (BR3043)". RN Subs. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
McCartney, Innes (2006). British Submarines 1939–1945. New Vanguard. Vol. 129. Oxford, UK: Osprey. ISBN 1-84603-007-2.
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.

58°40′N9°56′E / 58.667°N 9.933°E / 58.667; 9.933

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[h6-1] Harrison, Chapter 16

[gg9-2] 1 2 Chesneau, p. 49

[i7-3] 1 2 McCartney, p. 6

[4] Bagnasco, p. 110

[5] Akermann, p. 334

[6] Rohwer, p. 1

[7] German.navy.de: Brummer

[8] Uboat.net: HMS Sterlet

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v t e Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in February 1939
Shipwrecks	2 Feb: I-63 8 Feb: HMAS Swordsman 10 Feb: Lightburne, USS Monocacy
Other incidents	2 Feb: I-60 4 Feb: Bruges 22 Feb: HMS L21, HMS Sterlet, HMS Sunfish
1938 1939 1940 January 1939 March 1939

v t e Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in April 1940
Shipwrecks	6 Apr: U-1, U-50 8 Apr: HMS Glowworm, Rio de Janeiro 9 Apr: HNoMS Æger, Blücher, HNoMS Eidsvold, HMS Gurkha, German cruiser Karlsruhe, HNoMS Norge, Seattle, Sørland, HNoMS Tor 10 Apr: Albatros, Z22 Anton Schmitt, Friedenau, HMS Hardy, HMS Hunter, Königsberg, HMS Tarpon, HMS Thistle, Z21 Wilhelm Heidkamp 11 Apr: V 105 Cremon 13 Apr: Z11 Bernd von Arnim, Z17 Diether von Roeder, Z12 Erich Giese, Z13 Erich Koellner, HNoMS Frøya, Z2 Georg Thiele, Z18 Hans Lüdemann, Z19 Hermann Künne, HNoMS Storm, U-64, Z9 Wolfgang Zenker 14 Apr: Bärenfels, Brummer, Oldenburg 15 Apr: U-49 18 Apr: HNoMS Sæl, HMS Sterlet 20 Apr: Stegg 25 Apr: HMS Bradman, Trygg 26 Apr: HNoMS Garm 29 Apr: HMS Unity 30 Apr: HMS Bittern, HMS Dunoon, Maillé Brézé
Other incidents	8 Apr: HNoMS Pol III 10 Apr: Alster , HMS Hotspur 11 Apr: Alster , HNoMS Brand 12 Apr: HMS Eskimo, Schürbek, HNoMS Storm 13 Apr: Malangen 16 Apr: HNoMS Brand 18 Apr: Achille, Pasteur
1939 1940 1941 March 1940 May 1940

History
Sterlet
United Kingdom
Name	Sterlet
Namesake	Sterlet
Ordered	2 March 1936
Builder	Chatham Dockyard
Laid down	14 July 1936
Launched	22 September 1937
Commissioned	6 April 1938
Identification	Pennant number 2S
Fate	Sunk, 18 April 1940
Badge
General characteristics
Class and type	S-class submarine
Displacement	768 long tons (780 t) surfaced 960 long tons (980 t) submerged
Length	208 ft 8 in (63.6 m)
Beam	24 ft (7.3 m)
Draught	11 ft 10 in (3.6 m)
Installed power	1,550 bhp (1,160 kW) (diesel) 1,300 hp (970 kW) (electric)
Propulsion	2 × Diesel engines 2 × Electric motors
Speed	13.75 knots (25.47 km/h; 15.82 mph) surfaced 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) submerged
Range	6,000 nmi (11,000 km; 6,900 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surface; 64 nmi (119 km; 74 mi) at 2 knots (3.7 km/h; 2.3 mph) submerged
Test depth	300 feet (91.4 m)
Complement	40
Armament	6 × bow 21 in (533 mm) torpedo tubes 1 × 3-inch (76 mm) deck gun