HMS Tarpon (N17)
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 | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United Kingdom | |
| Builder | Scotts, Greenock |
| Laid down | 5 October 1937 |
| Launched | 17 October 1939 |
| Commissioned | 8 March 1940 |
| Identification | Pennant number N17 |
| Fate | Sunk with all hands, 14 April 1940[1] |
| Badge |  |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type | British T class submarine |
| Displacement |
|
| Length | 275 ft (84 m) |
| Beam | 26 ft 6 in (8.08 m) |
| Draught | 16.3 ft (5.0 m) |
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed |
|
| Range | 4,500 nautical miles at 11 knots (8,330 km at 20 km/h) surfaced |
| Test depth | 300 ft (91 m) max |
| Complement | 59 |
| Armament |
|
The second HMS Tarpon (N17) was a T-class submarine of the Royal Navy. She was laid down by Scotts, Greenock and launched in October 1939. She is named after the large fish Tarpon; one species of which is native to the Atlantic, and the other to the Indo-Pacific Oceans.[2]
Tarpon had a short career, serving in the North Sea. She left Portsmouth on 5 April 1940 for Rosyth in company with HMS Severn. The following day they were ordered to Norway. On the 10th Tarpon was ordered to take up a new position. Tarpon was never heard from again.
It is asserted that there is a combination of British and German records which state that she was engaged by Schiff 40.[3] The records show that Tarpon had attacked the Q-ship Schiff 40/Schürbek, but her first torpedoes had missed. The Q-ship picked up the Tarpon on her sonar and her periscope was sighted. The ship dropped numerous depth charges in a sustained counterattack that went on most of the morning. Finally a pattern of depth charges brought wreckage to the surface. The Q-ship remained on the scene until 0500 the next morning when it became clear the submarine had been sunk. Tarpon was reported overdue on 22 April 1940.[4][5]
