Laid down 14 July 1936 Construction started 14 July 1936 Length 64 m | Commissioned 6 April 1938 Fate Sunk 18 April 1940 Launched 22 September 1937 Draft 3.2 m | |
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HMS Sterlet was a Royal Navy S-class submarine which was launched on 22 September 1937 and fought in the Second World War. Sterlet is one of 12 boats named in the song Twelve Little S-Boats. So far she has been the only ship of the Royal Navy to be named Sterlet.
At the onset of the Second World War Sterlet was a member of the 2nd Submarine Flotilla. From 23-26 August 1939 the 2nd Submarine Flotilla transferred to its war bases at Dundee and Blyth.
On 8 April 1940 Sterlet left for a patrol in the Skagerrak, off Norway under the command of Lt. Gerard Henry Stacpoole Haward. Four days later she unsuccessfully attacked a convoy of three merchant ships and a destroyer. The following day she was assigned a new patrol area and on 14 April torpedoed the German gunnery training ship Brummer, leading to her sinking the following day.
She was possibly sunk by the German anti submarine trawlers UJ-125, UJ-126 and UJ-128 on 18 April. Alternatively, she may have struck a mine whilst returning to port.