Allied Warships
HMS Shark (i) (N 54)
Submarine of the S class
HMS Shark as seen from one of the German trawlers before the submarine was scuttled by her crew.
Photo from Imperial War Museum (IWM), A-30496
| Navy | The Royal Navy |
| Type | Submarine |
| Class | S |
| Pennant | N 54 |
| Mod | Second Group |
| Built by | Chatham Dockyard (Chatham, U.K.) |
| Ordered | 2 Jan 1933 |
| Laid down | 12 Jun 1933 |
| Launched | 31 May 1934 |
| Commissioned | 31 Dec 1934 |
| Lost | 6 Jul 1940 |
| Loss position | 58° 18'N, 5° 13'E |
| History | On 5 July 1940, while on patrol off Skudesnes, south-west Norway, HMS Shark (Lt.Cdr. Peter Noel Buckley, RN) was on the surface when a seaplane was sighted astern. As the submarine submerged to avoid the aircraft two or three bombs exploded close to the stern, followed closely by at least two more. The explosions caused considerable damage. Without steering gear and the hydroplanes jammed hard to rise, the submarine’s bow broached the surface to be greeted by more bombs. The submarine began to sink by the stern and all high-pressure air was used to return her to the surface. Once on the surface Shark got underway steering on main engines. Being sighted yet again the submarine came under sustained attack and No. 4 ballast tank was holed. Finally more aircraft arrived and Shark had no option but to capitulate. At about 0400 hours the next day three German minesweeping trawlers M-1803, M1806 and M-1807 arrived to take Shark under tow but the submarine was beyond saving and she began to sink stern first about 25 nautical miles west-south-west of Egersund, Norway in position 58º18'N, 05º13'E. |
Commands listed for HMS Shark (i) (N 54)
Please note that we're still working on this section
and that we only list Commanding Officers for the duration of the Second World War.
| Commander | From | To | |
| 1 | Lt. Peter Noel Buckley, RN | 16 Jan 1939 | 6 Jul 1940 |
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Notable events involving Shark (i) include:
The history of HMS Shark as compiled on this page is extracted from the patrol reports and logbooks of this submarine.
This page was last updated in August 2017.
4 Sep 1939
HMS Shark (Lt. P.N. Buckley, RN) conducted exercises off Malta. (1)
7 Sep 1939
During 7 and 8 September 1939, HMS Shark (Lt. P.N. Buckley, RN), conducted exercises off Malta. These included night exercises. (1)
16 Sep 1939
HMS Shark (Lt. P.N. Buckley, RN) conducted exercises off Malta. (1)
16 Sep 1939
HMS Otway (Cdr. H.R. Conway, RN) conducted exercises off Malta together with HMS Shark (Lt. P.N. Buckley, RN) and HMS Sealion (Lt.Cdr. B. Bryant, RN). (2)
18 Sep 1939
HMS Shark (Lt. P.N. Buckley, RN) conducted exercises off Malta. (1)
22 Sep 1939
HMS Shark (Lt. P.N. Buckley, RN), conducted exercises off Malta. (1)
22 Sep 1939
HMS Otway (Cdr. H.R. Conway, RN) conducted exercises off Malta together with HMS Shark (Lt. P.N. Buckley, RN). (2)
26 Sep 1939
HMS Shark (Lt. P.N. Buckley, RN) conducted exercises off Malta. (1)
27 Sep 1939
HMS Shark (Lt. P.N. Buckley, RN) conducted exercises off Malta. (1)
29 Sep 1939
HMS Shark (Lt. P.N. Buckley, RN) was docked in No.1 dock at Malta. (1)
30 Sep 1939
HMS Shark (Lt. P.N. Buckley, RN) was undocked. (1)
4 Oct 1939
HMS Shark (Lt. P.N. Buckley, RN) conducted exercises off Malta. (3)
11 Oct 1939
HMS Shark (Lt. P.N. Buckley, RN) departed Malta for Gibraltar. Shark was to proceed to the U.K.
For the daily positions of HMS Shark during the passage from Malta to Portsmouth see the map below.
(3)
15 Oct 1939
HMS Shark (Lt. P.N. Buckley, RN) arrived at Gibraltar. (3)
16 Oct 1939
HMS Shark (Lt. P.N. Buckley, RN) departed Gibraltar for Portsmouth. (3)
22 Oct 1939
HMS Shark (Lt. P.N. Buckley, RN) arrived at Portsmouth. (3)
28 Oct 1939
HMS Shark (Lt. P.N. Buckley, RN) departed Portsmouth for her 1st war patrol. She was ordered to patrol in the North Sea (Dogger Bank area).
For the daily positions of HMS Shark during this patrol see the map below.
(4)
7 Nov 1939
HMS Shark (Lt. P.N. Buckley, RN) ended her 1st war patrol at Rosyth. (4)
12 Nov 1939
HMS Shark (Lt. P.N. Buckley, RN) departed Rosyth for Sheerness. She made the passage together with HMS Sealion (Lt.Cdr. B. Bryant, RN), HMS Snapper (Lt. W.D.A. King, RN) and HMS Sunfish (Lt.Cdr. J.E. Slaughter, RN). They were escorted by HMS Flamingo (Cdr. J.H. Huntley, RN) until 0900/13 when HMS Boadicea (Lt.Cdr. G.B. Kingdon, RN) took over the escort. (5)
14 Nov 1939
HMS Shark (Lt. P.N. Buckley, RN) arrived at the Chatham Dockyard. (5)
15 Nov 1939
HMS Shark (Lt. P.N. Buckley, RN) was docked in No.5 dock at the Chatham Dockyard. (5)
23 Nov 1939
HMS Shark (Lt. P.N. Buckley, RN) was undocked. (5)
24 Nov 1939
HMS Shark (Lt. P.N. Buckley, RN) departed the Chatham Dockyard for Harwich. (5)
25 Nov 1939
HMS Shark (Lt. P.N. Buckley, RN) arrived at Harwich. (5)
5 Dec 1939
HMS Shark (Lt. P.N. Buckley, RN) departed Harwich for her 2nd war patrol. She was ordered to patrol off Texel, the Netherlands. Later she moved to the Heligoland Bight.
For the daily positions of HMS Shark during this patrol see the map below.
(6)
21 Dec 1939
HMS Shark (Lt. P.N. Buckley, RN) ended her 2nd war patrol at Harwich. (6)
3 Jan 1940
HMS Shark (Lt. P.N. Buckley, RN) departed Harwich for her 3rd war patrol. She was ordered to patrol in the North Sea.
Before proceeding on patrol exercises were carried out with HMS Gallant (Lt.Cdr. C.P.F. Brown, RN). (6)
3 Jan 1940
For the daily positions of HMS Shark during her 3rd war patrol see the map below.
(6)
13 Jan 1940
HMS Shark (Lt. P.N. Buckley, RN) ended her 3rd war patrol at Harwich.
Shortly before entering harbour A/S exercises were carried out with HMS Grafton (Cdr. C.E.C. Robinson, RN) and HMS Griffin (Lt.Cdr J. Lee-Barber, DSO, RN). (6)
2 Feb 1940
HMS Shark (Lt. P.N. Buckley, RN) shifted from Harwich to the Chatham Dockyard to refit there. (7)
1 Apr 1940
With her refit completed, HMS Shark (Lt.Cdr. P.N. Buckley, RN), returned to Harwich from the Chatham Dockyard. (7)
7 Apr 1940
HMS Shark (Lt.Cdr. P.N. Buckley, RN) departed Harwich for her 4th war patrol. She was ordered to patrol in the Heligoland Bight.
No log is available for this period therefore no map can be displayed. (6)
10 Apr 1940
HMS Shark (Lt.Cdr. P.N. Buckley, RN) was ordered to patrol further to the North. (6)
11 Apr 1940
HMS Shark (Lt.Cdr. P.N. Buckley, RN) was ordered to patrol of the Skaw. (6)
13 Apr 1940
HMS Shark (Lt.Cdr. P.N. Buckley, RN) was ordered to patrol off Kristiansand, Norway. Later she returned to her area off the Skaw. (6)
15 Apr 1940
HMS Shark (Lt.Cdr. P.N. Buckley, RN) attacked a convoy made up of the German transports Ahrendsburg (2988 GRT, built 1939) and Angelburg (3069 GRT, built 1938). They were escorted by the submarine tender Saar.
The torpedoes tracks were sighted and the convoy was able to evade them.
1407 hours - In position 57º55'N, 10º08'E sighted a convoy of two merchants that were thought to be escorted by the German minelayer Brummer. Started attack.
1418 hours - Fired five torpedoes at the second merchant ship from a range of 4000 yards. No hits were obtained. (6)
18 Apr 1940
Between 0326 and 0331 hours, HMS Shark (Lt.Cdr. P.N. Buckley, RN), was depth charged by enemy A/S trawlers. A total of six depth charges were dropped fairly close but no damage was sustained. (6)
21 Apr 1940
HMS Shark (Lt.Cdr. P.N. Buckley, RN) was ordered to return to base. (6)
26 Apr 1940
HMS Shark (Lt.Cdr. P.N. Buckley, RN) ended her 4th war patrol at Harwich. (6)
7 May 1940
HMS Shark (Lt.Cdr. P.N. Buckley, RN) departed Harwich for her 5th war patrol. She was ordered to patrol in the North Sea near Texel, the Netherlands.
No log is available for this period therefore no map can be displayed. (6)
24 May 1940
HMS Shark (Lt.Cdr. P.N. Buckley, RN) ended her 5th war patrol at Rosyth. (6)
11 Jun 1940
HMS Shark (Lt.Cdr. P.N. Buckley, RN) departed Rosyth for her 6th war patrol. She was ordered to patrol in the North Sea.
For the daily positions of HMS Shark during this patrol see the map below.
(6)
18 Jun 1940
HMS Shark (Lt.Cdr. P.N. Buckley, RN) was ordered to return to Rosyth. (6)
20 Jun 1940
HMS Shark (Lt.Cdr. P.N. Buckley, RN) ended her 6th war patrol at Rosyth. (6)
25 Jun 1940
HMS Seawolf (Lt.Cdr. J.W. Studholme, RN) conducted exercises off Rosyth together with HMS Shark (Lt.Cdr. P.N. Buckley, RN). (8)
3 Jul 1940
HMS Shark (Lt.Cdr. P.N. Buckley, RN) departed Rosyth for her 7th war patrol. She was ordered to patrol off Skudesnes, Norway. (4)
6 Jul 1940
Around 0230 hours, the light cruiser HMS Southampton (Capt. B.C.B. Brooke, RN, flying the flag of Rear-Admiral M.L. Clarke, DSC, RN), AA cruiser HMS Coventry (Capt. D. Gilmour, RN) and the destroyers HMS Cossack (Capt. P.L. Vian, DSO, RN), HMS Maori (Cdr. H.T. Armstrong, RN), HMS Fame (Cdr. P.N. Walter, RN) and HMS Fortune (Cdr. E.A. Gibbs, DSO, RN) departed Scapa Flow to go the aid of the submarine HMS Shark (Lt.Cdr. P.N. Buckley, RN) that had been depth charged and badly damaged by german A/S trawlers off Skudesnes, Norway and is unable to dive.
The submarine is however captured by the Germans. She later sank under tow.
HMS Fame was damaged shortly after noon by near misses from German bombs.
The 'rescue party' arrived at Rosyth around 0115/7. (9)
1 Jul 1941
HMS Otway (Lt.Cdr.(Retd.) J.R.G. Harvey, RN) arrived at Oban. She departed for Rothesay later the same day escorted by the A/S trawler HMS Veleta (T/Lt. R.C. Heron, RNVR). (10)
Sources
- ADM 173/16091
- ADM 173/15878
- ADM 173/16092
- ADM 199/373
- ADM 173/16093
- ADM 199/1840
- ADM 199/2570
- ADM 173/16524
- ADM 53/113254
- ADM 173/16860
ADM numbers indicate documents at the British National Archives at Kew, London.