HMS Thetis

[Armybloke]

As you've probably guessed from my username, i've never served in Submarines, (nearly did, won't bore you with that..) I found an old book I read years ago about HMS Thetis. Curious to know whether you blokes who do it for real have an opinion on it. Do you think the Navy was more interested in keeping the boat in one piece rather than saving the poor sods inside? Appreciate it may not be a subject serving submariners would like to discuss but thought i'd ask anyway.

 

[higthepig]

you may find this ineresting

http://www.geocities.com/pentagon/quarters/6680/subs.htm

 

[percey99]

It was a bank holiday and even in them days messages were slow to send NO BODY WAS INTERESTED til it was too late ???

 

[Armybloke]

I seem to remember the Navy wouldn't use local civvy salvage firms who wanted to cut a hole in the stern and put in compressed air. They bodged an attempt to lift the stern instead. Didn't know it was a bank holiday; Nobody on duty then?

 

[Dabs]

Do you think the Navy was more interested in keeping the boat in one piece rather than saving the poor sods inside?

If you consider that the Navy's priorities are:

1. To float.
2. To move.
3. To fight.

Then you could say that the Navy is more interested with the bods inside, because without them, well, you just can't carry out the Navy's priorities can you? :wink:

 

[Armybloke]

True Dabs, but there was a quote to a telegrapher from a naval officer at the time when there was still hope for the crew - "Under no circumstances must the submarine be damaged". Remember it was a brand spanking new T class boat - state of the art and very expensive...

 

[Greenie]

Thetis was lost three months before the start of WW2 --the UK was panic stricken trying to re-arm the forces after years of neglect.

At that time aswell--the set up for Submarines involved in accidents wasn't really efficient and also the Thetis was still under makers trials . She was over manned when she sank [fifty additional people onboard]

The usual cluster fcuk.

 

[DickyB]

My Dad was in boats throughout WW2 and said he served in HMS/m Thresher and that it was the Thetis renamed. Anyone know if that is what was done?

 

[janner]

My Dad was in boats throughout WW2 and said he served in HMS/m Thresher and that it was the Thetis renamed. Anyone know if that is what was done?

Thetis was raised, refitted and renamed Thunderbolt, Thunderbolt was sunk by the Italians later in the War.

Very interesting article here

http://www.mikekemble.com/ww2/britsubthetis.html

 

[DickyB]

My Dad was in boats throughout WW2 and said he served in HMS/m Thresher and that it was the Thetis renamed. Anyone know if that is what was done?

Thetis was raised, refitted and renamed Thunderbolt, Thunderbolt was sunk by the Italians later in the War.

Very interesting article here

http://www.mikekemble.com/ww2/britsubthetis.html

Thanks Janner.
It was a long time ago my dad told me that story so I could have got it wrong though he was "in his cups" at the time, the only time he really spoke about his war service.
Thanks again.

 

[Deeps]

Very interesting , My grandad served on HM/SM THUNDERBOLT .He told me that there was a tide mark on the bulkhead back aft somewhere and no matter how many times it was painted over the tide mark came back as soon as the paint dried . He went on serve in HM/SM URSULA and servived the war .

 

[Jack77]

As an aside, is it correct that in the RN the safety swing bolt on a torpedo tube rear door is known as a Thetis clip, after the loss of Thetis was put down to both bowcap and rear door being opened together?.

 

[aaaaa]

As I believe that is correct when I started in the forends we always called it the thetis clip but at the end they tried to get us not to strange as we all learn by mistakes.

 

[Greenie]

The other improvement on the Torpedo Tube rear door was the test cock and reamer fitted.

You didn't move anything till you proved the tube by opening the test cock and inserting the reamer to make sure the hole wasn't blocked.

 

[janner]

I believe that the Thetis was fitted with test cock and reamer but they weren't properly used at the time. There was a small blob of enamel paint blocking the test hole, because of this no water showed when the cock was opened.
RN were touchy about the Thetis clip, during training we were told that the safety clip was not called the Thetis clip.
There have been a couple of books written about the tradgedy, both by the same author I believe, the second tries to reach conclusions re causes and apportion blame to some extent, I didn't feel wholly convinced by the arguments put forward in it