Neha Patil (Editor)

HMS Unity (N66)

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Name
  
HMS Unity

Commissioned
  
5 October 1938

Construction started
  
19 February 1937

Length
  
58 m

Builder
  
Vickers-Armstrongs

Laid down
  
19 February 1937

Class and type
  
U-class submarine

Launched
  
16 February 1938

Draft
  
4.62 m

HMS Unity (N66) httpsuploadwikimediaorgwikipediacommonsthu

Fate
  
Sunk 29 April 1940 in accidental collision

Displacement
  
Surfaced - 540 tons standard, 630 tons full load Submerged - 730 tons

HMS Unity was a U-class submarine, of the first group of that class constructed for the Royal Navy. The submarine entered service in 1938 and performed war patrols during the Second World War. On 29 April 1940, Unity was accidentally rammed and sunk in Blyth, Northumberland's harbour.

Contents

Construction and career

Unity was built by Vickers Armstrong, Barrow-in-Furness. She was laid down on 19 February 1937 and was commissioned on 5 October 1938.

At the onset of the Second World War, Unity was a member of the 6th Submarine Flotilla. From 26-29 August 1939, the flotilla deployed to its war bases at Dundee and Blyth. She served in home waters in the North Sea, making a failed attack on the German submarine U-2.

Sinking

Unity sailed from Blyth on 29 April 1940 to patrol off Norway. The visibility was down to 300 yards (270 m) 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 (91 m) and neither vessel was aware of the other until the submarine spotted the Atle Jarl at 50 yards (46 m) on a collision course. There was just time to shut the bulkhead doors and order the engines astern before Atle Jarl smashed into the submarine. The order to abandon the submarine was given and Unity sank only five minutes after the collision. Two members of her crew, Lieutenant John Low and able Seaman Henry Miller, gave their lives by remaining behind in the flooded control room so that their shipmates could escape from the sinking vessel.

References

HMS Unity (N66) Wikipedia