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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 2

1892 Bonaventure (F139) 1892 - 1920 Launched
1937 Cachalot (N 84) Launched
1939 Cachalot (N 84) Cachalot & Seal departed Halifax as convoy escorts
1939 Undaunted (N 55) Laid Down
1941 Turbulent (N 98) Completed
1942 Umbra (P 35) HMS Umbra torpedoes and sinks the Italian merchant Sacro Cuore about 15 nautical miles east of Mahdia, Tunisia.
1943 Unruly (P 49) HMS Unruly sinks a Greek sailing vessel with gunfire of Levitha island, Greece.
1943 Unsparing (P 55) HMS Unsparing sinks a Greek sailing vessel with gunfire south of Levitha island, Greece.
1944 Sturdy (P 248) HMS Sturdy sinks the Japanese Communication Vessel No.142 with gunfire in Makassar Strait.
1944 Sturdy (P 248) One member of the crew was lost. He was: Leading Telegraphist Ronald Hiett P/JX 166741.

Ronald Hiett was born in Portsmouth on 14th February 1923 and he was the son of George Edward Hiett (a printer) and Lucy Hiett. It is not established when he joined the Royal Navy or Submarines.

On 2nd December 1944 he was a lookout when a Japanese communications vessel was attacked and sunk with demolition charges in the Makassar Straits. After diving Ronald Hiett was found to be missing. Despite resurfacing and searching he could not be found.

Twenty-one-year-old Ronald Hiett of 36, Boston Road, Wymering, Portsmouth is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval War Memorial on Panel No. 84 Column No. 2.
1968 HMCS Rainbow HMCS Rainbow (ex-USS Argonaut) commissioned New London CT. Built by Portsmouth Navy Yard, Portsmouth NH.
1986 Upholder (S 40) Launched
2000 Unseen (S 41) HMCS Victoria commissioned Halifax NS
Lastest Comments
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.
09/10/2025 on page E 54
Ian Wallace wrote:
I can confirm that Leading Seaman Crust died by suicide. He used a signal gun that was available in the conning tower where he was on duty. The effect was to blow a large part of his head off. My wife\'s grandfather was responsible for cleaning parts of his brain up which were scattered over the con ...