January 21st - On This Date - RN Submarine Service

1940	Thorn	Submarine HMS Thorn laid down
1943	Untiring	Submarine HMS Untiring launched
1921	HMS K5	HMS K5 sailed from Torbay as part of a fleet bound for Spain, which included the Cruiser Inconstant and Submarines K8, K9, K15 and K22. It was decided to conduct a mock battle in the Bay of Biscay and the vessels split up to take their positions. A signal was received from K5 that she was diving, but she failed to reappear at the end of the exercise. An hour before dusk a battery cover from a K boat was recovered and the next morning a sailor’s ditty box was found - the last trace of K5. It is believed an accident caused K5 to exceed her maximum diving depth.
1943	HMS Saracen	HMS Saracen sinks the Italian auxiliary submarine chaser V 3/Maria Angelette with gunfire about 30 nautical miles south of Isola di Capri, Italy.
1943	Unrivalled	While on patrol of Tunisia HMS Unrivalled intercepts a small Italian naval auxiliary towing a schooner. She sinks the naval auxiliary with gunfire.
1945	HMS Sidon	Damaged in a submerged collision with HMS Turpin. Her stem cutter was turned to starboard by a length of 4 feet.
2006	HMS Spartan	Decommissioning ceremony was held to mark the successful completion of Spartan's service.

SAB