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This website is brought to you in association with the Barrow-in-Furness Branch of the Submariners Association and is the premier UK internet resource for Submariners and anyone interested in Royal Navy Submarines.

Vickers and Barrow are names synonymous with the development of the submarine. Hundreds of submarines covering virtually every class have been built for the Royal Navy and foreign Navies. This site is dedicated to not only to those who have served on Her Majesty's Submarines but also to those employees past and present whose skills and efforts have given pride to the phrase 'Barrow built' and made the name Vickers known and respected throughout the world.

On This Day - December 19

1917 UB-57 German submarine UB-57 was sunk in the Dover Barrage. There was just one survivor who was picked up by HMS Gypsy.
1918 L 55 Completed
1918 P 553 Laid down
1922 Crescent 1899 - 1921 Sold for scrapping
1940 Tribune (N 76) HMS Tribune attacks the German merchant Birkenfels in the Bay of Biscay west-south-west of Belle Ile, France. All torpedoes missed.
1941 Unruffled (P 46) Launched
1941 O 20 (Dutch) Scuttled by her own crew, about 25 miles east of Kota Baru, to prevent her capture by Japanese destroyers. The Commanding Officer and 6 others died, the remainder of the crew were saved by the Japanese destroyer Uranami and made prisoners of war.

She had been damaged by depth charges from the Japanese destroyers Ayanami and Yugiri earlier that day. O20 then surfaced after dark but was spotted and engaged with gunfire by Uranami.
1942 Vox (P 73) Laid Down
1943 Sportsman (P 229) HMS Sportsman sinks a Greek sailing vessel with gunfire south of Lemnos Island, Greece.
1958 Grampus (S 04) Completed
Lastest Comments
05/12/2025 on page The History Of British Submarine Sonars
Alan Moore wrote:
The interim sonar prior to 2046 was 2061 not 2062. I worked on 2031z and 2061 between 1985 & 1987 at ARE Portland North. If I looked up from my desk I had a great view of a portion of Portland Harbour and lots of Weymouth Bay.
30/11/2025 on page Affray (P 421)
richard lacey wrote:
Not sure that a raised periscope and radar indicate a dived situation, as on my sub, they were always raised on the surface; otherwise, they could not be used
17/11/2025 on page P 222
Grace Absolom wrote:
Richard William Absolom is my grandfather. He was my dad\'s father. My dad was 3 years old when the P222 disappeared. We often talk about what might have happened.
10/11/2025 on page Thorn (N 11)
Stuart Newland wrote:
My uncle, John Leonard Newland went down on the Thorn. My dad was only about 6 when it happened but he still lays a poppy for him every year at the Royal Navy Memorial at Chatham where he is commemorated.
21/10/2025 on page Medway (F25) 1928 - 1942
L Bradley wrote:
My father Frederick Percival Collins was a leading torpedo man He served on HMS Medway and was in China 1931 I have family photos which are badly water /oil stained due I was told because they were in his wallet when his ship was torpedoed. No mention of this on his service records.