| Navy | The Royal Navy |
| Type | Submarine |
| Class | T |
| Pennant | P 315 |
| Built by | Vickers Armstrong (Barrow-in-Furness, U.K.) |
| Ordered | |
| Laid down | 4 Dec, 1941 |
| Launched | 12 Sep, 1942 |
| Commissioned | 31 Dec, 1942 |
| End service | |
| Loss position | |
| History | HMS Truculent was sunk in the Thames Estuary on 12 January 1950 after a collision with the merchant Dvina. Truculent was returning to Sheerness after a refit at the Chatham Dockyard. 57 of her crew were swept away in the current after a premature escape attempt. 15 survivors were pciked up by a boat from the Dvina and 5 by Dutch ship Almdijk. Truculent was salvaged on 14 March 1950 and beached at Cheney Spit. The wreck was moved inshore the following day where 10 bodies were recovered. She was refloated on 23 March 1950 and towed into Sheerness Dockyard. An inquiry attributed 75% of the blame to Truculent and 25% to Dvina. The loss led to the introduction of the 'Truculent light', an extra steaming all round white light on the bow, on British submarines. Truculent was sold to be broken up for scrap on 8 May 1950.
Commanding Officers: Lt. Edmund Charles Croswell, DSC, RN |
| Noteable events involving Truculent include: 4 Jun, 1943 At 1420 hours (time zone -2) a lookout aboard HMS Truculent sighted a u-boat three to four nautical miles away. Lt.Cdr. Alexander dived and proceeded to attack. At 1445 hours 6 torpedoes were fired with 2 hits and the target sank. At 1456 hours Truculent surfaced. A large patch of oil fuel and wreckage was observed. No survivors were seen. (see map) 28 Mar, 1944 1 Apr, 1944 17 Jun, 1944 At 1015 hours (time zone -6.5) Truculent surfaced in position 04º37'N, 99º24'E and chased a junk that was sighted over 2 hours ago. The junk was boarded, seizing the master and the ships papers. The cargo consited of 102 large bags of coffee, 30 chests of tea and some other items. The ships name was Tongkang Penang. According to the ships papers the tonnage was 20.93 tons. The junk was sunk by gunfire and ramming after a demolition charge had failed. (see map) 24 Jun, 1944 Field one; Field two; Field three; 25 Jun, 1944 At 0430 hours a junk was sighted fairly close in position 03º36'N, 100º36'E. Truculent closed and the junk was boarded. The ships papers showed her size to be 18.3 tons and as the ship was carrying a valuable cargo of coffee it was decided to sink her with demolition charges. The crew of the junk set of in their boat. At 0600 hours Truculent finally sank the junk by ramming after demolition charges and gunfire failed to do the job. (see map) 26 Jun, 1944 At 0958 hours (time zone -6.5), in position 03º19'17"N, 99º47'E, Truculent sighted smoke bearing 266. Two minutes later it was noticed that an aircraft was circling in the same direction. Truculent closed for an attack. Later it became clear that Truculent was closing a Japanese convoy made up of one merchant of about 4000 tons, three merchants of about 1500 tons escorted by two submarine chasers and a motor launch. Overhead a twin-engined aircraft was circling. At 1112 hours four torpedoes were fired against the 4000 tons merchant vessel from 3500 yards. Two hits were obtained. Truculent went deep but hit the bottom at 58 feet. At 1116 hours the first depth charges were dropped, a pattern of six, but these were not close. At 1124 hours two more depth charges were dropped, this time much closer. At 1159 more depth charges (at least three) were dropped, also close aboard. After these no more depth charges were dropped and Truculent was able to slip away. (see map) 27 Jun, 1944 At 1024 hours (time zone -6.5) Truculent surfaced in position 03º48'N, 100º07'E to board a junk sighted previously. At 1030 hours Truculent was alongside the junk thst was found out to be of 22 tons. The master and her paper were seized and the tree remaining crewmemebers were allowed to leave in their boat. The junk was then sunk with demolition charges. (see map) 28 Jun, 1944 At 1700 hours (time zone -6.5) a junk was sighted bearing 000. Truculent turned to intercept. At 1826 hours Truculent surfaced in position 04º12'N, 99º18'E. The junk, that was well laden and carrying a cargo of rice, was boarded. The crew was taken aboard. The junk was then sunk with demolition charges. (see map) 29 Jun, 1944 At 0300 hours (time zone -6.5) a light was sighted that turned out to be a junk. The junk was boarded and sank at 0500 hours in position 04º45'5"N, 99º44'E after the crew was sent away in their sampam. (see map) 3 Aug, 1944 |