HMS Cachalot was a Grampus-class mine-laying submarine built by Scotts Shipbuilding and Engineering Company at Greenock. She was laid down on 12 May 1936, launched on 2 December 1937, and commissioned on 15 August 1938.
Second World War Service
The submarine served in both Home Waters and the Mediterranean during the war. In August 1940 she achieved a notable success by torpedoing and sinking the German U-boat U-51 in the Bay of Biscay. A month later, a minefield laid by her sank the German auxiliary minesweeper M 1604 Österreich.
Loss
On 26 July 1941, Cachalot left Malta for Alexandria. During the early hours of 30 July 1941, she encountered the Italian torpedo boat Generale Achille Papa north of Benghazi, Libya. After diving and later resurfacing, she came under attack. When the submarine attempted to dive again, a hatch jammed, preventing a safe submergence. The Italian vessel rammed her, forcing the crew to abandon ship and scuttle her.
According to contemporary accounts, nearly the entire crew was rescued and taken prisoner by the Italians; only a Maltese steward was lost.
Specifications
- Class: Grampus-class mine-laying submarine
- Pennant number: N83
- Length: 293 ft (89 m)
- Crew: 59
- Armament:
- 6 × 21-inch torpedo tubes
- 12 torpedoes
- 1 × 4-inch deck gun
- 50 mines
