HMS Traveller (N48)

For other ships of the same name, see HMS Traveller.
HMS Traveller in the Gareloch (southwest Scotland), in April 1942
Career (UK)
Name: HMS Traveller
Builder: Scotts, Greenock
Laid down: 17 January 1940
Launched: 27 August 1941
Commissioned: 10 April 1942
Fate: sunk on 4 December 1942
Badge:
General characteristics
Class and type:British T class submarine
Displacement:1,090 tons surfaced
1,575 tons submerged
Length:275 ft (84 m)
Beam:26 ft 6 in (8.08 m)
Draught:16.3 ft (5.0 m)
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
Nine knots (20 km/h) submerged
Range:4,500 nautical miles at 11 knots (8,330 km at 20 km/h) surfaced
Test depth:300 ft (91 m) max
Complement:61
Armament:Six internal forward-facing torpedo tubes
Two external forward-facing torpedo tubes
Three external backward-facing torpedo tubes
Six reload torpedoes
4 inch (100 mm) deck gun
Three anti-aircraft machine guns

HMS Traveller (N48) was a T-class submarine of the Royal Navy. She was laid down by Scotts, Greenock and launched in August 1941.

Career

Traveller spent most of her career serving in the Mediterranean. She was unsuccessful in most of her attacks, sinking the Italian merchantman Albachiara, but launching failed attacks against the Italian merchant ship Ezilda Croce, the Italian 'small light cruiser' Cattaro (the former Yugoslavian Dalmacija), the Italian tanker Proserpina (the former French Beauce) and the Italian torpedo boats Castore and Ciclone. She also claimed to have attacked two so far unidentified submarines.[1]

Traveller left Malta on 28 November 1942 for a patrol in the Gulf of Taranto. She carried out a reconnaissance of Taranto harbour for a Chariot human torpedo attack (Operation Principal). The submarine did not return from the operation and was reported overdue on 12 December. She probably struck an Italian mine on or about 4 December.[2]

During the War Traveller was adopted by the Borough of Leyton in London as part of Warship Week. The plaque from this adoption is held by the National Museum of the Royal Navy in Portsmouth.[3]

References

Publications