Class and type S class submarine Laid down 13 November 1940 Fate Sold on 14 July 1946 Launched 8 December 1941 Draft 3.4 m | Name HMS Shakespeare Commissioned 10 July 1942 Construction started 13 November 1940 Length 66 m | |
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Displacement 814-872 tons surfaced990 tons submerged | ||
HMS Shakespeare was an S class submarine of the Royal Navy, and part of the Third Group built of that class. She was built by Vickers-Armstrongs and launched on 8 December 1941.
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Service history
She served in the Mediterranean and later in the Eastern Fleet during the Second World War, from December 1944. Whilst serving in the Mediterranean, she sank the Italian sailing vessels Sant' Anna M. and Adelina, the Greek sailing vessel Aghios Konstantinos and two unidentified sailing vessels. She also sank the Italian submarine Velella, which was lost with all hands, and unsuccessfully attempted to torpedo what is identified as an Italian light cruiser. On transferral to the Far East, she sank the Japanese merchant cargo ship Unryu Maru.
She was damaged by gunfire and air attack in the Nankauri Strait, Andaman Islands on 3 January 1945, whilst engaged with the Japanese auxiliary minesweeper Wa 1. Both ships were damaged. Shakespeare returned to port, but was written off as a constructive total loss.
She was sold on 14 July 1946 and was broken up by Thos W Ward, of Briton Ferry.