HMS Simoom (P225), she was a Royal Navy S-class submarine of the Third Group, built by Cammell Laird at Birkenhead during the Second World War. She was laid down on 14 July 1941, launched on 12 October 1942, and commissioned on 30 December 1942.
Service History
After trials and training in UK waters, Simoom was deployed to the Mediterranean. She conducted several war patrols from bases including Gibraltar, Algiers, and later the eastern Mediterranean.
One of her most notable actions occurred in August 1943. While attacking the Italian light cruiser Giuseppe Garibaldi, her torpedoes missed the cruiser but struck and sank the Italian destroyer Vincenzo Gioberti instead.
Loss
Simoom sailed from Port Said, Egypt, on 2 November 1943 for a patrol in the Aegean Sea. Communication was subsequently lost, and she failed to return. The Admiralty concluded that the submarine had been lost with all hands sometime between 4 and 19 November 1943.
For many years her fate remained uncertain. In 2016, Turkish wreck hunter Selçuk Kolay located the wreck approximately 6 nautical miles northwest of Bozcaada (Tenedos), Turkey, in about 67 metres of water. Examination of the wreck indicated extensive damage near the starboard hydroplane, leading researchers to conclude that she most likely struck a mine while running on the surface.
Key Facts
- Pennant Number: P225
- Class: Third Group S-class submarine
- Crew: 48 officers and ratings
- Length: 217 ft (66.1 m)
- Lost: November 1943 in the Aegean Sea, probably due to a mine
If you're researching a family member who served aboard HMS Simoom, I can also help locate crew lists, patrol reports, or casualty records.
