Remembering today 14 August, the scuttling of HM Submarine Saracen by her Captain Lt. Michael Geoffrey Rawson Lumby, off Bastia, Corsica following fatal depth-charge attacks by the Italian corvettes Minerva and Euterpe. A/Stoker P.O. (Ty) Ronald George Ward and A.B. James William Dowen lost their lives during 'Abandon ship'. Subsequently four other crew members died as prisoners of war : Tel. James Gordon Hibbert, (by a land mine in unknown circumstances and in an unknown location, on 6 April 1944) Ldg.Tel. Victor James Crosby (shot by the Germans at Fontana Liri to the north of Cassino, on 12 December 1943) Sto.1 William Holt (of influenza in the work camp at Uttendorf, Austria, after having spent time in Dachau and Buchenwald on 1 March 1944) Ldg.Sto.(Ty) Thomas Herbert Barber (during the bombing by the USAAF of a pow train at Allerona in Umbria, on 28 January 1944) In addition, having reached safety in the Vatican, A/Sub. Lt. Roy Charlton Elliott was killed when falling from a window on 15 March 1944. Vitellino
Wreck of HM S/M Saracen discovered in 2015. HMS Saracen is discovered 72 years later in the Mediterranean Sea | Daily Mail Online Tim
In 2015, when Saracen was discovered, I was dismayed to read the Friday 13th story in the above article, given that our book on Saracen 'Twixt the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea' (pub Lulu.com) had come out the previous December and had sought to put the record straight: Newspaper article above Lt Michael Lumby, captain of the Saracen, deliberately waited a day because he did not want to sink his boat on the 'unlucky' Friday 13. This meant his entire crew staying underwater until 2am on the Saturday before he ordered his chief engineer to open the vents with the submarine's engines still running. This is a downright distortion of the truth, according to Lt. Lumby himself and his counterpart, Italian Captain Lt. Mario Baroglio of the 'Minerva'. EXERPT FROM Lt. Lumby's report to the Admiralty on the loss of his submarine, dated 13 May 1945 after he returned from Marlag und Milag nord (full version attached) Surfaced 8' N.E. of Bastia at about 2300 and patrolled up and down the moon, which was full and bearing south. At 0000/14 sighted 2 small objects to the northward. As we were silhouetted against the moon, dived immediately. It was thought at the time that these were E-boats. Shortly afterwards two E-boats passed overhead and one disappeared to the southward. At about 0020 loud Asdic impulses were heard from two vessels making slow motor H.E. They obtained contact and maintained it in spite of all manner of depth and course alterations. At 0100 motor H.E. suddenly changed to loud diesel H.E. and I realised that our pursuers were certainly not E-boats. A pattern of 30 to 36 fell very accurately around us while we were at 220 feet. One charge which exploded out of phase with the remainder of the pattern caused the submarine to whip violently. Damage did not appear to be any greater than that received the previous patrol and the pattern did not appear to be quite so accurate. However, shortly afterwards. I was informed that the pressure hull in the after ends had split for a length of 4 feet and that the compartment was flooding up rapidly and had been shut off. For the next quarter of an hour depth varied from 100 to 400 feet and every effort was made to trim on main ballast. This was a failure and as H.P.1 air was getting low I decided to surface. On reaching the surface, Saracen was floating very low in the water and the order was given to abandon ship. Shortly afterwards I opened main vents and Saracen sank in very deep water. EXCERPT FROM the day book of Lt. Mario Baroglio: 14 /0046 I start the bombardment and execute 4 volley of 8 bombs, plus two more volleys of 4 bombs each. Both reports are held in the Royal Submarine Museum, Gosport. Vitellino
The last British submarine to be fatally depth- charged by the Italian navy, scuttled off Bastia, Corsica, 80 years ago today.
On 4th August 1943 a merchant ship in Algiers harbour caught fire, and after having been beached outside the harbour, the fore-part blew up. Saracen, (Lieutenant M. G. R. Lumby) who was out exercising, closed the scene of the disaster, and was ordered to sink the after part of the ship, which was still afloat and blazing with the after hold containing ammunition. This Saracen proceeded to do by gunfire, and received the thanks of Commodore, Algeria, for undoubtedly saving a further disaster. ' Saracen left for patrol in the Bastia area on 7th August. According to information from Italian naval sources the corvettes Minerva and Euterpe left Bastia at 0015 on 14th August to hunt for a submarine reported in the approaches. Minerva obtained contact a short way outside the port and dropped a pattern of 28 depth-charges. The submarine was seen to break surface after a short interval, and soon afterwards it was observed that men were jumping overboard. The captain, all the officers and 41 out of the 43 ratings on board were picked up by the Italian ships. Saracen had sustained severe damage in the after compartment in the attack, a considerable inrush of water necessitating the compartment being shut off. An attempt to catch a main ballast trim soon proved impracticable, so she was brought to the surface and the main vents were opened to ensure her sinking, as her company escaped into the sea. Saracen, under Lumby's command, had had an outstanding record and her loss was a sad blow to her flotilla, mitigated by the survival of nearly all her company. Naval Staff History Vol II
What happened to her crew? I assume they were picked up and imprisoned on mainland Italy? Did they stay in the camps when the Italians surrendered?
See 'Twixt the devil and the deep blue sea' pub.Lulu com which I wrote with Anne Corke, daughter of ERA Bill Morris, my website p-247submarinesaracen.webador.com and You Tube HM Submarine Saracen . Just to summarise, the surviving 46 crew members were picked up by Minerva and Euterpe and taken firstly to Bastia Corsica and then to Piombino, Italy. The officers were sent to Rome before being transferred to PG 19 Bologna and then Marlag and Milag Nord. A/Lt Elliott escaped in Rome and took refuge in the Vatican, only to die in March '44 in a fall from a window. The 41 ratings were sent to the Interrogation Camp for submariners at Manziana near Lake Bracciano. On 9 September '43 following the armistice they were led out of the camp by interrogation officer Mario Cuneo. After hiding in caves for several days they split up into small groups and set off for Allied Lines. Eleven made it. Crosby was shot by the Germans. Holt was sent to Dachau and Buchenwald before being transferred to work camp at Uttendorf Austria where he died. Barber was killed in the friendly fire incident at Allerona on 28 02 44. Hibbert is reported as having stepped on a mine. I am still following this up. All the others, after a series of adventures, were recaptured and sent to M&MN, Thale or elsewhere in German-held territories. Vitellino (Janet Kinrade Dethick)
CWGC also lists one Saracen Officer casualty. He is buried in Rome, so presumably was still a POW when he died. ELLIOTT, Roy C, Act/Sub Lieutenant, RNR, died 15/3/44 [ROME (TESTACCIO) PROTESTANT CEMETERY]] Regards, Steve
He most certainly was. He was buried there after his fall from the window in the Vatican, which I referred to above. I have edited my original post to put the names of the deceased in bold. Although he had taken refuge in a neutral state he was still classed as a prisoner of war at the time of his death.
I should also mention A/Stoker P.O. (Ty) Ward and AB Dowen who were lost when the submarine was abandoned.
