HMS Trooper (N91)

HMS "Trooper" (N91) was a T-class submarine of the Royal Navy. She was laid down by Scotts, Greenock and launched in March 1942.

Career

"Trooper" spent most of her short career serving in the Mediterranean. She sank the Italian tanker "Rosario", the Italian merchant "Forli", a sailing vessel and the Italian submarine "Pietro Micca". She also damaged two other enemy vessels, and unsuccessfully attacked the Italian merchant "Belluno" (the former French "Fort de France"). [ [http://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/3503.html HMS Trooper] , Uboot.net]

On her first operation, she took part in Operation Principal, which used human torpedoes to sink Italian ships in Palermo harbour.

"Trooper" sailed from Beirut on 26 September 1943, on her 8th War Patrol to patrol in the Aegean Sea off the Dodecanese islands. On 14th October she challenged Levant Schooner Flotilla F8 off Alinda Bay, Leros. She failed to return on 17th October and was reported overdue on that day. She is presumed lost on German mines around Leros.

The Germans claimed that "Trooper" was sunk by Q-ship "GA.45" on 15 October 1943. The submarine "GA-45" attacked was actually HMS "Torbay" which escaped undamaged. [ [http://www.rnsubmus.co.uk/general/losses.htm Submarine losses 1904 to present day] , RN Submarine Museum, Gosport]

References

*"Submarines, War Beneath The Waves, From 1776 To The Present Day", by Robert Hutchinson
*Colledge
*Grant, David Renwick: "A Submarine at War - the brief life of HMS Trooper" Periscope Publishing, 2006