HMS Stygian (P249)

HMS Stygian
History
United Kingdom
Name:	HMS Stygian
Builder:	Cammell Laird Shipyard, Birkenhead
Laid down:	6 January 1943
Launched:	30 November 1943
Commissioned:	29 February 1944
Decommissioned:	29 October 1949
Fate:	Sold for scrapping 28 October 1949
Badge:
General characteristics
Class and type:	S-class submarine
Displacement:	814-872 tons surfaced 990 tons submerged
Length:	217 ft (66 m)
Beam:	23 ft 6 in (7.16 m)
Draught:	11 ft (3.4 m)
Speed:	14.75 kn (27.32 km/h; 16.97 mph) surfaced 8 kn (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) submerged
Complement:	48 officers and men
Armament:	6 × forward 21 in (533 mm) torpedo tubes, one aft 13 torpedoes 1 × 3 in (76 mm) gun 1 × 20 mm cannon 3 × .303-calibre machine guns

HMS Stygian (pennant number P249) was a S-class submarine of the British Royal Navy, and the only ship so far to bear the name. The boat is listed as being a member of the fourth group, although she had the external stern torpedo tube fitted as in the third group.

After an eventful career in the Pacific during the Second World War, she was sold to be broken up for scrap on 28 October 1949, and finally scrapped by Metal Industries of Ardgour in August 1950.

Career

On being commissioned, HMS Stygian was under the command of Lt. G.S.C. Clarabut, RN. She was assigned to operate with the Eastern Fleet in the Pacific Ocean. She had a short, but eventful wartime career, sinking eight Japanese sailing vessels, five Japanese coasters, six unidentified Japanese vessels and the ship Nichinan Maru . She also sank the Japanese auxiliary minesweeper Wa 104 (the former Dutch Djember) and damaged the Japanese auxiliary submarine chaser Cha 104 off Bali.

Stygian acted as tow for the midget submarine XE-3, when XE-3 successfully attacked the Japanese cruiser Takao in Singapore Harbour in Operation Struggle.^[1]

Notes

References

• Akermann, Paul (2002). Encyclopaedia of British Submarines 1901–1955 (reprint of the 1989 ed.). Penzance, Cornwall: Periscope Publishing. ISBN 1-904381-05-7. 
• Bagnasco, Erminio (1977). Submarines of World War Two. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-962-6. 
• Chesneau, Roger, ed. (1980). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946. Greenwich, UK: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-146-7. 
• Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969]. Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy (Rev. ed.). London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN 978-1-86176-281-8. OCLC 67375475. 
• McCartney, Innes (2006). British Submarines 1939–1945. New Vanguard. 129. Oxford, UK: Osprey. ISBN 1-84603-007-2. 

S-class submarines
Royal Navy	First Group Seahorse Starfish Sturgeon Swordfish Second Group Salmon Sealion Seawolf Shark Snapper Spearfish Sterlet Sunfish Third Group P222 Safari Saga Sahib Sanguine Saracen Satyr Sceptre Scorcher Scotsman Scythian Sea Devil Seadog Sea Nymph Sea Rover Sea Scout Selene Seneschal Sentinel Seraph Shakespeare Shalimar Sibyl Sickle Sidon Simoom Sirdar Sleuth Solent Spark Spearhead Spirit Spiteful Splendid Sportsman Springer Spur Statesman Stoic Stonehenge Storm Stratagem Strongbow Stubborn Sturdy Stygian Subtle Supreme Surf Syrtis
Other operators  French Navy Saphir class Saphir Sibylle Sirène Sultane  Israeli Navy Rahav Tanin  Royal Netherlands Navy Zeehond  Portuguese Navy Narval Náutilo Neptuno  Soviet Navy V-1
Preceded by: Rainbow class Followed by: River class List of submarines of the Royal Navy List of submarine classes of the Royal Navy

Coordinates: 5°42′N 98°57′E / 5.700°N 98.950°E / 5.700; 98.950