HMS Union (N56) was a British U-class submarine of the Royal Navy, built by Vickers-Armstrongs at Barrow-in-Furness during the Second World War. She was laid down on 9 December 1939, launched on 1 October 1940, and commissioned on 22 February 1941.
Technical Characteristics
The submarine belonged to the second group of the U-class and had the following specifications:
- Length: 192 ft (58.5 m)
- Beam: 16 ft (4.9 m)
- Surface displacement: 960 tons
- Submerged displacement: 1,150 tons
- Surface speed: 11.25 knots
- Submerged speed: 9 knots
- Complement: 33 officers and men
- Armament:
- Four 21-inch bow torpedo tubes
- One 12-pounder deck gun
Service in the Mediterranean
After training in British waters, HMS Union was deployed to the Mediterranean, where British submarines played a crucial role attacking Axis shipping routes supplying forces in North Africa. [uboat.net], [en.wikipedia.org]
One of her notable successes was the sinking of the Italian merchant vessel Pietro Querini. The attack left the ship abandoned before it eventually sank. This was Union's most significant combat success during her short operational career.
Final Patrol and Loss
On 14 July 1941, HMS Union sailed from Malta with orders to intercept an Axis convoy north of Tripoli. She never returned from the patrol.
The most widely accepted account is that on 20 July 1941 she attacked a convoy south-west of Pantelleria. During the action, the Italian torpedo boat Circe counter-attacked with depth charges and is believed to have sunk the submarine. All 33 crew members were lost. When Union failed to return, she was reported overdue on 22 July 1941.
Commanding Officer
Throughout her operational career, the submarine was commanded by Lieutenant Robert Malcolm Galloway, RN, who remained in command until her loss in July 1941.
Historical Significance
Although her service lasted less than five months, HMS Union (N56) represents the dangerous submarine campaign fought from Malta against Axis shipping. British submarines operating from Malta helped disrupt supplies reaching Axis forces in North Africa, but losses were heavy, and Union was one of many submarines lost in the Mediterranean during 1941
