1939 – 1945 THE WAR YEARS
During World War II war years each town was asked to raise monies for the war effort.
Warship Weeks were British National savings campaigns during the Second World War, with the adoption of a Royal Navywarship by a civil community. A level of savings would be set to raise enough money to provide the cost of building a particular naval ship. The aim was for cities to raise enough to adopt battleships and aircraft carriers, while towns and villages would focus on cruisers and destroyers. Smaller towns and villages would be set a lower figure. Once the target money was saved for the ship, the community would adopt the ship and its crew.
Local charity organisations, churches and schools would provide the crews of the adopted ship with gloves, woollen socks and balaclavas. Children would often write letters and send cards to the crew. When possible, officers and men from the adopted ship would visit the local community. To celebrate their visit, a parade would often be organised in their honour.
During the early parts of the war, the Royal Navy not only had lost many capital ships but was facing increasing pressure to provide escorts to precious convoys in the Atlantic. While there was not a shortage of sailors, ships sunk by enemy action had to be replaced.
Between 1941 and 1942, the concept of National Savings was introduced by the British government. Each region in the country was provided with a savings target to achieve. This was based on the region’s population, with each general level of savings having a class of warship assigned. This became known as Warship Week, due to its similarities with War Weapons Week – which was a drive to replace the materiel lost at Dunkirk through a savings campaign.
The ship’s commanding officer would exchange plaques, objects and photographs with the city or town that reached the target set, and an adoption would begin. The number of warships adopted was over 1200, and this number included the battleships, cruisers, destroyers and trawlers.
The total amount raised for the war effort was £955,611,589. A community would sponsor a ship through individual savings in government bonds and national savings certificates. The campaigns were organised by the National War Savings Committee with the full support of the Admiralty. There were a total of 1,178 warship weeks organised during the campaign’s duration, involving a total of 1,273 districts. A press announcement quoted the adoption of eight battleships, four carriers, forty-nine cruisers, three hundred and one destroyers, twenty-five submarines, one hundred and sixty-four corvettes and frigates and two hundred and eighty-eight minesweepers.
Other national war campaigns included the 'Wings For Victory' Week to purchase bomber planes, a 'Spitfire Week' to purchase fighter planes, a 'War Weapons Week' and a 'Tanks For Attack' Week.
Bedford was asked to raise to raise £425,000, the amount raised was £610,000 and Bedford adopted HMS Thorn a type T Submarine.
HMS Thorn (N 11)
Submarine of the T class
HMS Thorn (N11) was a T-classsubmarine of the Royal Navy. She was laid down by Cammell Laird & Co Limited, Birkenhead and launched in March 1941.
Thorn had a short-lived career, serving in the Mediterranean.
Commencing operations in late 1941, Thorn sank the German tanker Campina, the Italian tanker Ninuccia, the Italian submarine Medusa, the Italian auxiliary patrol vessel AS 91 / Ottavia and the Italian transport ship Monviso. She also attacked an Italian convoy in the central Mediterranean, but failed to hit any ships.
On 7 August 1942 Thorn encountered the Italian torpedo boat Pegaso, escorting the steamer Istria from Benghazi, off southern Crete. Pegaso spotted an escorting aircraft machine-gunning the sea’s surface and moved in to investigate. Just four minutes after the aircraft’s attack the Pegaso picked up a contact and carried out seven attacks after which contact was lost. Thorn failed to return from the patrol and is believed to have been lost in this attack. She was declared overdue on 11 August 1942.
General characteristicsClass and type: / British T class submarine
Displacement: / 1,090 tons surfaced
1,575 tons submerged
Length: / 275ft (84m)
Beam: / 26ft6in (8.08m)
Draught: / 16.3ft (5.0m)
Propulsion: / Two shafts
Twin diesel engines 2,500 hp (1.86 MW) each
Twin electric motors 1,450 hp (1.08 MW) each
Speed: / 15.25 knots (28.7 km/h) surfaced
9 knots (20 km/h) submerged
Range: / 4,500 nautical miles at 11 knots (8,330 km at 20 km/h) surfaced
Test depth: / 300ft (91m) max
Complement: / 61
Armament: / 6 internal forward-facing torpedo tubes
2 external forward-facing torpedo tubes
3 external backward-facing torpedo tubes
6 reload torpedoes
4 inch (100 mm) deck gun
3 anti-aircraft machine guns
Navy / The Royal Navy
Type / Submarine
Class / T
Pennant / N 11
Built by / Cammell Laird Shipyard (Birkenhead, U.K.)
Ordered / 4 Sep 1939
Laid down / 20 Jan 1940
Launched / 18 Mar 1941
Commissioned / 26 Aug 1941
Lost / 6 Aug 1942
Loss position / 34.25N, 22.36E
History / HMS Thorn (Lt.Cdr. Robert Galliano Norfolk, DSO, RN) was most likely sunk while attacking a convoy about 30 nautical miles south-west of Gavdos Island in position 34º25'N, 22º36'E. At 1255 hours one of the escorting Ju-88 aircraft was seen to machine-gun the surface of the sea about 5000 yards ahead of the convoy and the Italian torpedo boat Pegaso moved in to investigate. Four minutes after the aircraft attack, Pegaso picked up a contact and carried out seven depth charge attacks. At 1345 hours an enormous air bubble was seen, followed by a large oil slick. Pegaso was escorting the transport Istria (5441 GRT, built 1921) on passage from Benghazi to Piraeus.
HMS Thorn was declared overdue on 11 August 1942 when she did not arrive at Beirut.
Commands listed for HMS Thorn (N 11)
Commander / From / To1 / Lt.Cdr. Robert GallianoNORFOLK, RN / 27 Jun 1941 / 6 Aug 1942 (+)
Noteable events involving Thorn include:
The history of HMS Thorn as compiled on this page is extracted from Thorn's patrol reports and logbooks. Corrections and details regarding information from the enemy's side (for instance the composition of convoys attacked) is kindly provided by Mr. Platon Alexiades, a naval researcher from Canada who has done several decades of research in several archives around the world.
22 Sep 1941
After a short period of trials and training on the West coast of Scotland HMS Thorn (Lt.Cdr. R.G. Norfolk, RN) departs Holy Loch for Gibraltar. She is to proceed to Alexandria to join the 1st Submarine Flotilla.
25 Sep 1941
At 2130 hours HMS Thorn (Lt.Cdr. R.G. Norfolk, RN) was informed of the presence of a U-boat in 45º59.5'N, 09º37'W and attempted to intercept but nothing was seen.
29 Sep 1941
HMS Thorn (Lt.Cdr. R.G. Norfolk, RN) arrives at Gibraltar.
3 Oct 1941
HMS Thorn (Lt.Cdr. R.G. Norfolk, RN) departs Gibraltar for exercises off that base. She is to proceed to Malta as of 1900 hours (Time zone -1) the following day.
8 Oct 1941
HMS Thorn (Lt.Cdr. R.G. Norfolk, RN) attacks an Italian convoy of one merchant ship and one escorting destroyer about 50 nautical miles West-North-West of Isola di Marettimo in position 38º12'N, 11º11'E. All torpedoes fired missed their intended targets.
(All times are zone -1)
1838 hours - Sighted a merchant vessel of about 3000 tons escorted by a destroyer of the Sauro or Sella class bearing 120 degrees, range 8000 yards. The course of the merchant vessel was 055 degrees, speed 8 knots. The destroyer was zig-zagging ahead but shortly afterwards steadied on the same course as the merchant vessel. Started attack.
1856 hours - Fired two torpedoes against the destroyer from 6000 yards.
1858 hours - Fired two torpedoes against the merchant. Range was also 6000 yards.
No explosions however followed and both ships continued on their course as if nothing happened.
For the moment (Feb. 2012) we have no information about the composition of this convoy.
10 Oct 1941
HMS Thorn (Lt.Cdr. R.G. Norfolk, RN) arrives at Malta.
13 Oct 1941
HMS Thorn (Lt.Cdr. R.G. Norfolk, RN) departs Malta for her 1st war patrol. She is ordered to patrol in the Ionian Sea off the West coast of Greece. She exercised with HMS Abingdon (Lt. G.A. Simmers, RNR) before departing.
20 Oct 1941
HMS Thorn (Lt.Cdr. R.G. Norfolk, RN), HMS Truant (Lt.Cdr. H.A.V. Haggard, DSC, RN) and HMS Trusty (Lt.Cdr. W.D.A. King, DSO, DSC, RN) are ordered to form a patrol line in the Ionian Sea to intercept a convoy that was expected to proceed from Taranto to Brindisi.
27 Oct 1941
HMS Thorn (Lt.Cdr. R.G. Norfolk, RN) ends her 1st war patrol at Alexandria.
10 Nov 1941
HMS Thorn (Lt.Cdr. R.G. Norfolk, RN) departs Alexandria for her 2nd war patrol. She is ordered to patrol in the Aegean Sea and to perform two special operations.
13 Nov 1941
At 2050 hours (zone -2) a torpedo was fired accidentally from No.2 tube with the front door closed, fracturing it. The torpedo was heard to explode.
14 Nov 1941
HMS Thorn (Lt.Cdr. R.G. Norfolk, RN) carries out the first part of her special operation. During the evening personnel and stores were landed on Despotiko Island, Greece.
1945 hours (14th) to 0115 hours (15th) - Landed Captain Grammatikakis, Lieutenant J.G.P. Atkinson and Sergeants J.A.Redpath and A.B. Empson with three tons of stores, this was an operation for M.I.9, to arrange a pickup of escapees.
16 Nov 1941
HMS Thorn (Lt.Cdr. R.G. Norfolk, RN) makes a torpedo attack on the Turkish relief ship Kurtulus (1756 GRT, built 1883) South-East of the Gulf of Athens. The torpedo fired luckily missed it's target as the Kurtulus was granted safe passage.
(All times are zone -2)
2043 hours - Sighted a illuminated vessel bearing 310 degrees, distance 5 nautical miles. Closed to attack.
2143 hours - Fired one torpedo from 700 yards. As Thorn was yawing due to the heavy weather conditions the torpedo missed. Just now the ship was identified as a Turkish relief ship that was not to be attacked.
20 Nov 1941
Shortly after noon on 20 November 1941 HMS Thorn (Lt.Cdr. R.G. Norfolk, RN) sighted a convoy leave the Gulf of Athens proceeding South. The convoy was thought to be making for either SudaBay or leave the Aegean to the West.
Lt.Cdr. Norfolk could not reach a favourable attack position during the night if the convoy was to proceed towards SudaBay. Therefore course was set to the Anti-Kythira Channel to intercept if the convoy was to leave the Aegean to the West. The convoy however was not seen again and was most likely en-route to SudaBay.
23 Nov 1941
During the night of 23/24 November 1941 HMS Thorn (Lt.Cdr. R.G. Norfolk, RN) carries out the 2nd part of her special operation. 21 Escapees were picked up from Despotiko. Captain Grammatikakis and Sergeant Redpath remained behind to prepare for another batch of escapees (see also HMS Triumph).
24 Nov 1941
At 1748 hours (zone -2) HMS Thorn (Lt.Cdr. R.G. Norfolk, RN) shelled a power station in VoudiaBay (36º44'56"N, 24º31'57"E), 25 rounds were expended and 17 hits were claimed.
27 Nov 1941
HMS Thorn (Lt.Cdr. R.G. Norfolk, RN) ends her 2nd war patrol at Alexandria.
18 Dec 1941
HMS Thorn (Lt.Cdr. R.G. Norfolk, RN) departs Alexandria for her 3rd war patrol. She is ordered to patrol off the West coast of Greece. En-route to her patrol area she is to pass to the North of Crete.
20 Dec 1941
0001 hours to 0200 hours (zone -2) - HMS Thorn (Lt.Cdr. R.G. Norfolk, RN) attempted to carry out a bombardment of the harbour of Spinalonga (near Candia, Crete) but the target was hardly visible and it was abandoned.
At 1125 hours - Thorn was examining the harbour from about three cables from the entrance and her periscope came under fire, forcing her to retire.
22 Dec 1941
0655 hours to 0804 hours (zone -2) - HMS Thorn (Lt.Cdr. R.G. Norfolk, RN) was in position 114 degrees, 12 nautical miles from Cape Drepano when she was depth-charged by two torpedo-boats, one ot them similar to Albatros. Five depth-charges were dropped singly, the first was a small depth charge but very close.
These torpedo boats belonged to a convoy made up of the Italian merchants Città di Alessandria (2498 GRT, built 1930), Città di Agrigento (2480 GRT, built 1930) and Città di Savona )2500 GRT, built 1930' escorted by the armed merchant cruiser Brioni (1987 GRT, built 1931), the torpedo-boats Lupo, Sirio and Lira and the submarine chaser Drache.
28 Dec 1941
HMS Thorn (Lt.Cdr. R.G. Norfolk, RN) makes a torpedo attack on the Italian tanker Volturno (3424 GRT, built 1914) about 10 nautical miles West-South-West of Cape Dukato, Greece. All torpedoes fired missed so Thorn surfaced and engaged the target with gunfire. This action had to be broken off due to the fact that Thorn was not able to decrease the range.
(All times are zone -2)
0759 hours - In position 38º31'N, 20º22'E sighted the funnel and masts of a merchant vessel bearing 130 degrees, range 8000 yards. The course of the vessel was 250 degrees.
0812 hours - The contact was seen to be a tanker of about 3000 tons. Started attack.
0820 hours - Fired three torpedoes from 2000 yards. The first torpedo was seen to break surface and then ran off to the right. The other two torpedoes missed.
0850 hours - Surfaced and engaged the target with the deck gun from 4000 yards. The enemy replied with gunfire from 2 guns 3" or 4" calibre. After 10 minutes the range had increased to 5000 yards. Two hits were obtained but the range could not be closed. The attack had to be broken off.
30 Dec 1941
HMS Thorn (Lt.Cdr. R.G. Norfolk, RN) torpedoes and sinks the Italian tanker Campina (3032 GRT, built 1913) about 5 nautical miles west off Cape Dukato in position 38º35'N, 20º27'E.
(All times are zone -2)
1608 hours - In position 38º37'N, 20º28'E sighted two vessels bearing 135 degrees. Range was 13000 yards. Closed submarged at high speed. The vessels were later seen to be a passenger / cargo ship of 5000 tons and a tanker of about 6000 tons. Both were steering a course of 290 degrees. Started attack.
1641 hours - Fired six torpedoes from 1400 yards at the tanker. Three explosions were heard about 1min30sec after firing. An escort, thought to be a torpedo boat was sene about 2000 - 3000 yards on the tankers quarter.
1646 hours - Thorn was counter attacked with in all 61 depth charges but none was close.
According to Italian sources the ships in this convoy were the above mentioned Campina. She was escorted by the Armed Merchant Cruiser Egitto. Campina and Egitto were joining up with another convoy bound from Patras for Taranto. This convoy was escorted by the torpedo-boat Pegaso and the submarine chaser Spanedda (the latter from X Gruppo Antisom). Spanedda fired four rounds at the periscope and dropped 10 depth-charges.
5 Jan 1942
HMS Thorn (Lt.Cdr. R.G. Norfolk, RN) ends her 3rd war patrol at Alexandria.
17 Jan 1942
HMS Thorn (Lt.Cdr. R.G. Norfolk, RN) departs Alexandria for her 4th war patrol. She is to patrol in the Adriatic. Two special operations are also to be carried out.
25 Jan 1942
HMS Thorn (Lt.Cdr. R.G. Norfolk, RN) attempts to carry out special operation ' Hydra '. A party of four was to be landed at Petrovac, Croatia. Due to the worsening weather conditions the attempt had to be abandoned.
It was decided to proceed towards MljetIsland to carry out operation ' Henna '. A party of two had to be landed.
27 Jan 1942
In the early moring hours HMS Thorn (Lt.Cdr. R.G. Norfolk, RN) carries out special operation ' Henna '. Yugoslav Lt. Rapotec and former police agent Steven Shinko and stores were landed on Mljet Island, Croatia near Saplunara.
28 Jan 1942
HMS Thorn (Lt.Cdr. R.G. Norfolk, RN) torpedoes and sinks the Italian merchant Ninuccia (4583 GRT, built 1910) off Cape Planka, Yugoslavia in position 43º30'N, 15º55'E. Before being sunk with a torpedo the ship had been missed with four other torpedoes. She had then been engaged and damaged with gunfire.
Shortly afterwards Thorn grounded at a depth of 80 feet. Some damage was inflicted and a number of torpedo tubes could not be used anymore.
(All times are zone -2)
1030 hours - Sighted a merchant vessel bearing 120 degrees, range 12000 yards. Started attack.
1121 hours - Fired three torpedoes from 800 yards. All missed. Two torpedoes were heard to explode on the shore.
1129 hours - Surfaced and engaged the target with the 4" gun from 600 yards. The first round appeared to have disabled the ships stearing gear.
1137 hours - 30 Rounds had now been fired. All were hits. The enemy was slowly proceeding towards the shore. Another torpedo was fired but was seen to run off track and it missed. Meanwhile the gun action had continued.
1146 hours - Thorn was now taken under fire from a shore battery and dived after firing 71 rounds at the target. Most of these had hit. The target was riddled with holes amidships and on fire. She showed no signs of sinking.
1155 hours - Fired one torpedo from 500 yards. It hit near the funnel.