HMS Syrtis was a Royal Navy S-class submarine of the Third Group, built during the Second World War. She was constructed by Cammell Laird at Birkenhead, laid down on 14 October 1941, launched on 4 February 1943, and commissioned on 23 April 1943 under the command of Lieutenant Michael Hugh Jupp, DSC.
Service Record
After commissioning, Syrtis underwent trials and training in Scottish waters before joining operational patrols. Most of her wartime service was conducted in northern waters off occupied Norway and in the Arctic, where British submarines sought to disrupt German shipping and naval operations.
Among her notable operations was participation in Operation Source in 1943, the Royal Navy's attempt to attack German battleships in Norwegian fjords using X-class midget submarines. Syrtis was assigned to tow the midget submarine X9, but the towing connection parted during the voyage and X9 was lost with all hands.
During later patrols, Syrtis carried out reconnaissance and attacks against enemy shipping. On 22 March 1944 she sank the small Norwegian steamer Narvik by gunfire off the Norwegian coast.
Loss of HMS Syrtis
Syrtis departed Lerwick in the Shetland Islands on 16 March 1944 for a patrol off the Norwegian coast. On 20 March she was redirected to an area near Bodø. After reporting operations against enemy shipping, she was ordered to return to Lerwick but failed to acknowledge the signal and never arrived.
The most widely accepted explanation is that she struck a German mine near Bodø, probably after 22 March 1944. A search aircraft later found wreckage in the Norwegian Sea, but the exact circumstances and location of her loss remain uncertain. All 48 officers and ratings aboard were lost.
Legacy
HMS Syrtis was the only Royal Navy vessel to bear the name. Her name derives from the ancient Latin name for the Gulf of Gabès/Sidra in North Africa. Today she is remembered among the Royal Navy submarines lost during the Second World War, and memorial ceremonies continue to honour her crew and sacrifice.
Key Facts
- Class: S-class submarine (Third Group)
- Builder: Cammell Laird, Birkenhead
- Launched: 4 February 1943
- Commissioned: 23 April 1943
- Commanding Officer: Lt. Michael Hugh Jupp, DSC
- Operational Area: Arctic and Norwegian waters
- Notable Operation: Operation Source (tow of X9)
- Last Patrol: March 1944
- Fate: Presumed sunk by a German mine near Bodø, Norway, with all 48 hands lost.
