HMS Turbulent (N98) was a Royal Navy T-class submarine that served with distinction in the Mediterranean during the Second World War. She was built by Vickers-Armstrongs at Barrow-in-Furness, launched on 12 May 1941, and commissioned on 2 December 1941.
Service Record
Commanded by Commander John Wallace "Tubby" Linton VC, HMS Turbulent became one of the most successful British submarines operating against Axis shipping in the Mediterranean.
During her wartime patrols, she:
- Sank numerous Italian and German merchant vessels.
- Sank the Italian destroyer Emanuele Pessagno.
- Destroyed the German auxiliary submarine tender Bengasi.
- Damaged several other enemy ships.
One notable incident occurred when Turbulent torpedoed the Italian cargo ship Nino Bixio, unaware that it was carrying Allied prisoners of war. Hundreds of POWs were killed in the attack.
Loss
Turbulent left Algiers on 24 February 1943 for what was intended to be her final Mediterranean patrol before returning to Britain for refit. She never returned.
The exact cause of her loss remains uncertain:
- One theory is that she was sunk by depth charges from the Italian torpedo boat Ardito on 6 March 1943.
- Other theories suggest she may have struck a mine or been lost during anti-submarine actions near Sardinia or Corsica.
All aboard, approximately 63 to 67 officers and men, were lost.
Commander "Tubby" Linton
Commander John Wallace Linton was awarded the Victoria Cross for his exceptional leadership and bravery while commanding HMS Turbulent. He remains one of the Royal Navy Submarine Service's most celebrated officers.
