Wreck of submarine HMS Triumph found (lost in January 1942)

[Platon Alexiades]

See:

https://greekreporter.com/2023/06/08/wwii-submarine-discovered-bottom-aegean-sea/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JPCNHno0Qu4

https://www.facebook.com/agapioceanis.thoctarides

Congratulations to Kostas Thoctarides and his team. The depth is 203 metres so outside the normal range of divers but it has been examined by ROV.

Another wartime mystery solved!

The story of her last patrol and secret operation ISINGLASS (SOE) was described in Chapter 11 of my book "Target Corinth Canal 1940-1944". Captain Atkinson of SOE was shot for having murdered an Italian officer.

Platon

[Darius]

Hi Platon,

thank you for this update!

In "Chronik des Seekrieges" wird für den 14.01.1942 ein möglicher Minentreffer angegeben. Der Angriff am 31.12 von ORSA scheint auszuscheiden, wenn das Boot zuletzt am 09.01. gesichtet wurde.


Regards

Darius

[TW]

Laut uboat.net wurde HMS TRIUMPH am 9.1. erwartet, aber vergeblich:

HMS Triumph (Lt. John Symons Huddart, RN) sailed from Alexandria on 26 December 1941 to land a party at Anti Paros before making a patrol in the Aegean Sea. She reported making the landing on the 30th, but did not show up on 9 January 1942 when she was to pick the party up again. She was declared overdue on 14 January 1942. Most likely she was mined.

Der Artikel der Griechen sagt:
The last time HMS Triumph was spotted was at 12:00 noon on January 9, 1942, by an Italian aircraft. It was sighted about 4 nautical miles southeast of Sounio. (...) The ultimate reason for the sinking seems to have been a significant explosion at the front of the submarine, which subsequently propelled HMS Triumph to a depth of 203 meters (666 feet). However, the researchers cannot yet determine the cause of the explosion.

Das Rätsel des Verlustes ist also noch nicht gelöst. Erst wenn wir herausfinden, ob ein Minentreffer 4 Seemeilen östl. Sounion denkbar ist, wäre das der Fall.
Gab es eine Minensperre in der Nähe. Gibt es eine Stömung, die eine Mine von einem entfernt liegenden Minenfeld an diese Stelle getrieben haben könnte?
Die Chronik des Seekrieges kann ich nicht mehr korrigieren, da sie von der Württemb. Landesbibiothek geschlossen/eingefroren wurde.

Gruß, Thomas

[t-geronimo]

Behalte die Änderungen, demnächst wieder möglich. 

[Platon Alexiades]

Hello Thomas and Darius,

Kostas seems to believe the explosion was internal but I think the possibility of a drifting mine cannot be ruled out. I do not know the exact position of the wreck but it is some distance from Cape Sounion. The nearest minefield to Cape Sounion was laid by the Italian minelayer Barletta on 6 December 1941: 150 UMB mines laid from 37°36.1' N, 23°58.7' E to 37°36.3' N, 24°03.3' E or about 2.5 miles south of Cape Sounion. Kostas has informed me that the submarine was not lost on any minefield but I suppose a drifting mine cannot be ruled out. Another possibility is the barrage laid by the same minelayer on 4 December 1941: 108 EMC mines from 37°29' N, 23°57.3' E to 37°35.4' N, 24°00.3' E a bit farther but between Cape Sounion and Aghios Georgios.

Best regards,

Platon

[TW]

Vielen Dank, Platon.
Ich werde Deine Erwägungen gerne in der "Chronik" berücksichtigen, wenn sie neueröffnet und zu neuem Leben erweckt wird.
Viele Grüße, Thomas

[crolick]

Hello Thomas and Darius,

Kostas seems to believe the explosion was internal but I think the possibility of a drifting mine cannot be ruled out. I do not know the exact position of the wreck but it is some distance from Cape Sounion. The nearest minefield to Cape Sounion was laid by the Italian minelayer Barletta on 6 December 1941: 150 UMB mines laid from 37°36.1' N, 23°58.7' E to 37°36.3' N, 24°03.3' E or about 2.5 miles south of Cape Sounion. Kostas has informed me that the submarine was not lost on any minefield but I suppose a drifting mine cannot be ruled out. Another possibility is the barrage laid by the same minelayer on 4 December 1941: 108 EMC mines from 37°29' N, 23°57.3' E to 37°35.4' N, 24°00.3' E a bit farther but between Cape Sounion and Aghios Georgios.

Best regards,

Platon

Happy Sunday Platon,

do we have any video/picture of the bow of the sub? That should answer the question whether the explosion was internal or external?


All the best,
Andrzej

[Platon Alexiades]

Happy Sunday Andrzej,

I suppose that more videos or photos will be released in time. Kostas can best answer this. I expect there will be a lot of speculation.

Best regards,

Platon