HMS Odin (N84) was an Odin-class (O-class) submarine of the Royal Navy, built at Chatham Dockyard. She was launched on 5 May 1928 and commissioned on 21 December 1929.
Key Facts
- Class: Odin-class submarine.
- Pennant Number: N84.
- Builder: Chatham Dockyard.
- Length: 283 ft 6 in (86.4 m).
- Crew: 53 to 55 officers and men.
- Armament: Eight 21-inch torpedo tubes and a 4-inch deck gun.
Pre-War and Early War Service
After commissioning, Odin served with the:
- 5th Submarine Flotilla at Portsmouth (1929-30),
- 4th Submarine Flotilla at Hong Kong (1930-39),
- 8th Submarine Flotilla at Colombo, Ceylon (1939-40).
At the outbreak of the Second World War she operated in the Far East, carrying out patrols in the Sunda Strait, near the Maldives, around the Chagos Archipelago, and in the Indian Ocean.
In 1940 she transferred to the Mediterranean and joined the 1st Submarine Flotilla operating from Alexandria and Malta.
Loss
Odin disappeared during her first Mediterranean war patrol in June 1940 under the command of Lt Cdr Kenneth Maciver Woods.
The generally accepted account is that she was attacked in the Gulf of Taranto by the Italian destroyers Strale and Baleno on 13-14 June 1940. Italian reports describe a submarine being depth-charged and attacked on the surface before sinking.
All hands were lost.
Historical Significance
Odin was among the first British submarines lost in the Mediterranean campaign following Italy's entry into the war on 10 June 1940. The loss of Odin marked the beginning of a particularly costly period for the Royal Navy submarine service in 1940.
