Christopher Haynes Hutchinson DSO, RN
| Born | 13 Mar 1906 |
| Ranks
Retired: 27 Jan 1962 Decorations
|
Warship Commands listed for Christopher Haynes Hutchinson, RN
| Ship | Rank | Type | From | To |
| HMS Sealion (N 72) | Lt.Cdr. | Submarine | 31 Jan 1940 | Feb 1940 |
| HMS Truant (N 68) | Lt.Cdr. | Submarine | 11 Feb 1940 | 28 Apr 1940 |
Career information
We currently have no career / biographical information on this officer.
Events related to this officer
Submarine HMS Truant (N 68)
16 Feb 1940
HMS Truant (Lt.Cdr. C.H. Hutchinson, RN) conducted exercises in the Firth of Forth together with HMS Triton (Lt.Cdr. E.F. Pizey, RN). (1)
17 Feb 1940
HMS Truant (Lt.Cdr. C.H. Hutchinson, RN) conducted exercises in the Firth of Forth together with HMS Tribune (Lt.Cdr. G.P.S. Davies, RN) which last submarine was also conducting engine trials. Practice attacks are made by both submarines on HMS Electra (Lt.Cdr. S.A. Buss, MVO, RN). (1)
18 Feb 1940
HMS Truant (Lt.Cdr. C.H. Hutchinson, RN) departed from Rosyth for her 4th war patrol. She was ordered to patrol off the South coast of Norway.
For the daily positions of HMS Truant during this patrol see the map below.
(2)
3 Mar 1940
HMS Truant (Lt.Cdr. C.H. Hutchinson, RN) ended her 4th war patrol at Rosyth. (2)
5 Mar 1940
HMS Truant (Lt.Cdr. C.H. Hutchinson, RN) is docked at Rosyth. (3)
7 Mar 1940
HMS Truant (Lt.Cdr. C.H. Hutchinson, RN) is undocked. (3)
12 Mar 1940
HMS Truant (Lt.Cdr. C.H. Hutchinson, RN) departed from Rosyth for her 5th war patrol. She is
ordered to a waiting position patrol in the Kattegat North Sea off the West coast of Denmark for Operation R-3. This is an intervention in Scandinavia to help the Finns in their war with the Soviet Union but with the occupation of the Swedish iron ore fields by an Anglo-French force as the true objective. Within a few hours the operation is cancelled following the Finnish armistice which deprives the Allies from their pretext.
For the daily and attack positions of HMS Truant during this patrol see the map below.
(2)
23 Mar 1940 (position 56.42, 8.04)
HMS Truant (Lt.Cdr. C.H. Hutchinson, RN) torpedoed and sank the German merchant Edmund Hugo Stinnes 4 (2189 GRT, built 1921) off Jylland, Denmark in position 56°42'N, 08°04'E.
(All times zone 0)
2200 hours - Sighted a merchant ship steering 180°, speed 7 knots. She was burning her navigation lights but was otherwise darkened. The ship was in territorial waters. Truant followed astern of this ship.
2300 hours - The ship altered course and by doing so got outside territorial waters.
2330 hours - After a careful fix had been taken the ship was found to be 0.5 mile outside territorial waters. She was now closed at speed.
When Truant was 2 cables of the contacts Port quarter the stern of the contact was illuminated with an Aldis lamp. Edmund Hugo Stinnes 4 / Hamburg was read and the Nazi ensign was sighted. A signal was made in plain English " Stop - do not radio ". The enemy proceeded and did not answer. One blank round was now fired followed by a repetition of the initial signal followed by " Sent boat ". The enemy altered course towards the land, increased speed and was signalling an SOS. 2 Rounds of 4" were fired into her bridge superstructure resulting in the enemy to stop. She did however sent another SOS mentioning that she was being attacked by a submarine. 5 More rounds of 4" silenced her radio.
Meanwhile, due to the change of course towards the land, she was in territorial waters. 3 Minutes after Truant ceased firing the enemy was seen listing and settling while her crew abandoned ship in two boats. These boats were seen to make off for the land. The boats were closed and the master taken prisoner.
It was learnt that all crew had abandoned ship and as the ship was sinking very slowly 2 torpedoes were put in her sinking her much quicker. (2)
26 Mar 1940
HMS Truant (Lt.Cdr. C.H. Hutchinson, RN) ended her 5th war patrol at Rosyth. (2)
6 Apr 1940
HMS Truant (Lt.Cdr. H.A.V. Haggard, RN) departed from Rosyth for her 6th war patrol. She was ordered to patrol off Kristiansand, Norway.
For the daily and attack positions of HMS Truant during this patrol see the map below.
(2)
9 Apr 1940 (position 57.55, 8.14)
HMS Truant (Lt.Cdr. C.H. Hutchinson, RN) torpedoed and damaged the German light cruiser Karlsruhe (8350 tons) off Kristiansand, Norway in position 57°55'N, 08°14'E. At 2150 hours the Karlsruhe was scuttled with two torpedoes by the German torpedo boat Greif. The other two torpedo boats that were escorting Karlsruhe were Luchs and Seeadler.
(All times are zone 0)
1833 hours - Sighted a cruiser hull down bearing 326°. Enemy course was 146°.
1852 hours - The cruiser was a 'Koln-class'. She was escorted by 3 'Maass-class' destroyers (In fact the Karlsruhe was escorted by three torpedo boats; Luchs, Seeadler and Greif). Range was now 4500 yards.
1856 hours - Fired a salvo of 10 torpedoes. 3 torpedo explosions were heard thought to be hits (In fact one torpedo hit Karlsruhe in the stern wrecking it and leaving her immobile).
1900 hours - Returned to periscope depth. Saw one of the escorts approach at high speed. Went to 60 feet and altered course to 90° from the firing course.
1902 hours - 2 Depth charges exploded close. Went to 150 feet. Between this time and 2330 hours Truant was hunted by 2 of the escorts. In all 31 depth charges were dropped. Most of them unpleasantly close. Truant even went to 300 feet to escape damage. (2)
12 Apr 1940
HMS Truant (Lt.Cdr. C.H. Hutchinson, RN) ended her 6th war patrol at Rosyth. She is immediately put into a floating dock. (2)
20 Apr 1940
HMS Truant (Lt.Cdr. C.H. Hutchinson, RN) is undocked. (4)
24 Apr 1940
HMS Truant (Lt.Cdr. C.H. Hutchinson, RN) departed from Rosyth for her 7th war patrol. She is to carry out operation Knife, supply Norwegian forces in the Sondefjord, North of Bergen with arms and ammunition. She is to land a small party to blow up a viaduct on the Bergen-Oslo railway and help extricate the Norwegian submarine B-6. This is to be the first special operation conducted by H.M. Submarines during this war. (2)
25 Apr 1940
HMS Truant (Lt.Cdr. C.H. Hutchinson, RN) is damaged when a mine detonates nearby. She returns to Rosyth where she is immediately put into a floating dock. (2)
26 Apr 1940
HMS Truant (Lt.Cdr. C.H. Hutchinson, RN) is undocked. (4)
Sources
- ADM 173/16663
- ADM 199/1861
- ADM 173/16664
- ADM 173/16665
ADM numbers indicate documents at the British National Archives at Kew, London.
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