Depth Charging

A representative of the third group would be a particularly nice bonus, but I was taken just with her story. Further, I've always had a soft spot for the more whimsical or humorous names on the Royal Navy's rather lengthy lists. It was quite difficult choosing between Trident and Truculent, but the former's history won out by a hair . . . or perhaps a reindeer. But if Tiptoe has some ballet in her (apparent from the crest) and a personal connection to Churchill, I am truly sold. It's fascinating learning the stories of the T class and the men who sailed them. Remarkable group of sailors.

 

Well i'm pretty confident in saying she has been the only Tiptoe on the lists but she had a very long service and was the last of the Triton's to go to the yard. It does always make me chuckle seeing all the collisions "Tiptoe" was involved in though.

She also does seem to have been a bit showbiz.

Apart from Churchill's naming my grandfather told me that he took an ongoing interest in her activities, even down to the length of the skirt on her mast crest (too short and racy for Churchill apparently - not so her crew from what ive heard ). There is another thread where i am trying to nail this down some more.

Moira Shearer a film star of the time presented Tiptoe with the Ballet shoes she wore in "the Red Shoes". These are on display at the Submarine museum. There is a lovely photo somewhere of ballerinas dancing on her deck as she came into port.

She starred in the film "Morning Departure" where she was used for external shots to play the part of HMS Trojan. Sometimes this seems to be attributed to "We dive at Dawn" but i think that is incorrect.

(Still need to double check this) Made the last torpedo attack of the war.

That's hilarious and taught me something new! As if life on board a diesel was not uncomfortable enough without introducing a reindeer to proceedings. It just raises so many questions.

 

It has been fascinating reading. I've toured several American and one German submarine. I fail to see how you could even fit a reindeer on a sub, but Trident's crew supposedly took to the creature, and it to they. I really need to find a good history of the T-class. It seems as though every ship in the class had a colorful and interesting history, and they seem to have been unusually effective as a group. (Never hurts when your enemy's ASW is sub-standard, or more accurately sub-British, which virtually all ASW during the war indeed was. If you will pardon a bit of terrible poetry . . .

'Twas surely better to stand your sub 'neath any other convoy
Than to serve aboard a u-boat that must sink beneath a Brit.

That said, the more I learn about the Ts the more I am impressed.

 

Ditto. Great bunch of very interesting chaps and boats. I also need to kick the research up a step as my knowledge is woefully slim despite the personal connection.

 

Had to add this in having seen your photo of the replicas. It was too coincidental not to.

HMS Tiptoe backing away from alongside 2 other Ts and HMS Maidstone. Taken from the deck of HMS Maidstone during filming for "Morning Departure"

 

Just about as "bad"...in my mind...would to be on a battle ship, or any ship for that matter.
All the guys below decks had no idea what was happening above. You could be way down in the engine room, or operating one of the big guns. Enemy shells, bombs, and torpedoes, might find you trapped down there.
Fires, flooding, explosions, and all manner of egress blocked.
I would rather take my chances topside.
Don't dig being confined.