HMS Unity (N66)

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HMS Unity
Career RN Ensign
Name: HMS Unity
Builder: Vickers Armstrong, Barrow-in-Furness
Laid down: 19 February 1937
Launched: 16 February 1938
Commissioned: 5 October 1938
Fate: Sunk 29 April 1940
General characteristics
Displacement: Surfaced - 540 tons standard, 630 tons full load
Submerged - 730 tons
Length: 58.22 m (191.5 feet)
Beam: 4.90 m (16 ft 1 in)
Draught: 4.62 m (15 ft 2 in)
Propulsion:

2 shaft diesel-electric
2 Paxman Ricardo diesel generators + electric motors

615 / 825 hp
Speed:

11.25 knots max surfaced


10 knots max submerged
Complement: 27
Armament: 4 bow internal 21 inch torpedo tubes, 2 external
10 torpedoes
3 anti-aircraft machine guns

HMS Unity was a British U class submarine, of the first group of that class, built by Vickers Armstrong, Barrow-in-Furness. She was laid down on 19 February 1937 and was commissioned on 5 October 1938.

She served in home waters in the North Sea, making a failed attack on the German Submarine U-2.[1]

[edit] Sinking

Unity sailed from Blyth on 29 April 1940 to patrol off Norway. The visibility was down to 300 yards as Unity moved out of the harbour into the main channel, where the Norwegian ship Atle Jarl was proceeding on her way from Scotland to the Tyne. A short while later visibility was down to 100 yards and neither vessel was aware of the other until the submarine spotted the ship at 50 yards and on a collision course. There was just time to shut the bulkhead doors and order the engines astern before the Atle Jarl smashed into the submarine. The order to abandon the submarine was given and Unity sank only five minutes after the collision.[2]

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ HMS Unity, Uboot.net
  2. ^ Submarine losses 1904 to present day, RN Submarine Museum, Gosport