# Submarine at Arrochar, Loch Long, 1933



## vitalspark (Jan 15, 2006)

This submarine was photographed by my father off Arrochar, at the head of Loch Long, Argyll in 1933. I believe that the Royal Navy had a torpedo testing facility there. 

I would be grateful for any information concerning the type and/or identity of the submarine. Any relevant information would be welcome. 

Thank you,
Dave


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## JimC (Nov 8, 2007)

vitalspark said:


> This submarine was photographed by my father off Arrochar, at the head of Loch Long, Argyll in 1933. I believe that the Royal Navy had a torpedo testing facility there.
> 
> I would be grateful for any information concerning the type and/or identity of the submarine. Any relevant information would be welcome.
> 
> ...


Hi Davy,

The Navy did indeed have a very big torpedo testing unit establishment at Arrochar. A lot of the infrastructure is still there including personnel housing. If you're coming to Glasgow from Inverarary you can see loads of evidence of it all along the north bank from Ardgarten to the head of the Loch. A number of years ago the MOD tried to sell off the property. Don't know if they still own it. I recall there used to be quite a lot of good stories about the place but don't remember any myself. Perhaps I'm teaching my 'grannie'? as they say. Perhaps even you've got something to do with the 'Arctic Penguin' lot hence your 'handle'.

Cheers!


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## vitalspark (Jan 15, 2006)

JimC said:


> Hi Davy,
> 
> The Navy did indeed have a very big torpedo testing unit establishment at Arrochar. A lot of the infrastructure is still there including personnel housing. If you're coming to Glasgow from Inverarary you can see loads of evidence of it all along the north bank from Ardgarten to the head of the Loch. A number of years ago the MOD tried to sell off the property. Don't know if they still own it. I recall there used to be quite a lot of good stories about the place but don't remember any myself. Perhaps I'm teaching my 'grannie'? as they say. Perhaps even you've got something to do with the 'Arctic Penguin' lot hence your 'handle'.
> 
> Cheers!


Hello, Jim,
Thanks for your prompt response. As you can see from my flag, I am resident in South Africa, but Scottish born and educated. I happened to pass the head of Loch Long just last month on my way to Campbeltown, and saw what was left of the old naval facility. I have nothing to do with the "Arctic Penguin" lot, as you put it......the name comes from the little steam puffer used by the BBC for the 'Para Handy' series in 1994. I first saw that puffer in Ardrishaig basin in 1994 - she still had steam up, would you believe - and then she was dumped in or around Crinan Basin for the next 14 years, growing ever more decrepit. I felt so sorry for her, I used to visit her every time I visited Scotland. She was originally VIC 27, then "Auld Reekie". Recently, however, Eilean Eisdeal (diesel-powered) was re-registered as Vital Spark, and my little puffer has been taken to Ardrishaig Basin where she now has the name "Maggie". Your Arctic Penguin pals talk of towing her to Inveraray for restoration, but how much of that is fact, and how much fiction, I do not know. The pictures show her at Ardrishaig last month.

Regards,
Dave


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## onestar (Apr 12, 2008)

This would be HMS PORPOISE, name ship of a class of six minelaying submarines. She was the only one of that class to have that notch on her forecastle. Launched 30 August 1932, completed 25 April 1933. 1500 tons surface displacement, 2060 dived. Dimensions 267 x 29 x 13.7. Six 21" tubes (bow), 4" gun. Mines carried both sides amidships. War loss, Straits of Malacca, 17 February 1945.


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## vitalspark (Jan 15, 2006)

onestar said:


> This would be HMS PORPOISE, name ship of a class of six minelaying submarines. She was the only one of that class to have that notch on her forecastle. Launched 30 August 1932, completed 25 April 1933. 1500 tons surface displacement, 2060 dived. Dimensions 267 x 29 x 13.7. Six 21" tubes (bow), 4" gun. Mines carried both sides amidships. War loss, Straits of Malacca, 17 February 1945.


Thank you so much for this information. Armed with her name, I searched for her on the Internet, and found her whole service record, including the sad fact that she was the last British submarine to be lost in WW II. She was lost with all hands.

Looking at the dates of manufacture, the photograph, taken probably during the Glasgow Fair, and certainly in 1933, would suggest that she was still on trials/shakedown, and may have been at Arrochar for crew training.

Many thanks for your reply.
Sincerely,
Dave


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## onestar (Apr 12, 2008)

Yes, I would agree that the photograph was probably taken during her post commissioning trials/shake down. 
The mines were stowed aft of the conning tower, and rolled out at the stern, giving the boxy shape. My previous post may have been a bit misleading saying the were stowed amidships, when they were amidships to aft!
Only one of her class survived the war. Tough times!
Best wishes 
Onestar


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## Steve Woodward (Sep 4, 2006)

I agree this is Porpoise, but she was a single ship of class, the other five very similar ships ( no step in the fore-deck) were the five ships of the Grampus class although they are frequently grouped with Porpoise on which design they were developed, they were some 4 feet longer and 4 feet narrower. Porpoise herself was a developement from the submarine M3, M3 was built in 1918 and converted to a minelayer in 1927
Popoises details
Built by Vickers-Armstrong at Barrow being launched on the 30th August 1932
L 289'00" B 29'10" Draft 15'11" disp 1768 tons surfaced and 2053 tons submerged
Machinery : twin screws Admiralty Diesel engines 1,650 BHP each 15.5 knots on the surface, two 815 HP electric motors 8.75 knots submerged 190 tons of diesel oil gave her a range of 10,750 miles at 8 knots 
Armamnet : originally a single 4.7" gun covered by a streamlined cover as in this image but from 1934 this was replaced with a single 4" C40 Mk2 gun with no cover - so this dates this image as pre 1934. also fitted with two machine guns
Torpedoes six 21" torpedo tubes in the bow only with a single full reload.
Mines : these were arranged in the superstructure - hence the step in the deck, up to 50 could be carried with another 12 mines of the M2 type in lieu of torpedoes. She was sunk by Japanese aircraft off Penang in the Malacca Straits on the 16th January 1945 
all her crew of 59 remain with her


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## Don Matheson (Mar 13, 2007)

The torpedo testing unit at Arrochar was based on the jetty near Arrochar as you pass through heading for the "rest and be thankful" road.
The jetty has I believe a dogleg the end of which points straight down the loch and was where the torpedoes were fired from. The torpedo then ran straight and true(?) down the loch past Finnart oil terminal and was collected by range boats MFVs etc. The straight and true bit was a lie as if you are in the area you will see a caravan park/camp site just down from the jetty the shore of which creates a small bay. This beach was the destination for many torpedoes much to the consternation of holiday makers who had turned out to watch the firing. 
Even had one torpedo pass under a group of canoes from our club one summer. 
Don


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## vitalspark (Jan 15, 2006)

JimC, Onestar, Steve, and Don, 

I can't believe how much information has been generated from a photograph of an anonymous submarine taken by my father 75 years ago. Well done and thanks to you all. It's a fascinating, and tragic, story, and your comments, Don, about the hazards of the Ardgartan caravan/camping site add a new and startling dimension to the whole affair! 

Sincerely,
Dave


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## onestar (Apr 12, 2008)

Jane's Fighting Ships 1937 lists them as one class, noting the minor differences.


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## Jock Rogers (Aug 2, 2008)

as a young lad, I can remember camping on the shores of loch long and watching the polaris submarines sail past,


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## vitalspark (Jan 15, 2006)

Jock Rogers said:


> as a young lad, I can remember camping on the shores of loch long and watching the polaris submarines sail past,


Unfortunately, Jock, they're still sailing past, although they're Trident subs now...............I wish they'd get rid of them.
Regards,
Dave


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