SUBMARINES:  CHATHAM BUILT

HM Submarine Tigris

Tigris was ordered under the 1937 building programme and laid down at No.7 Slip on 11 May 1938.
She was launched by Mrs Lady Brown Rigg on 31 October 1939.
The first use of the name Tigris was in 1813 and this submarine would be the fifth RN vessel to have the name.

Following her completion on 21st June 1940 she sailed for her trials and on to Rothsay.
On completion of trials and Workup, she joined the 7th Flotilla. Her first War Patrol began on 18th July 1940 in the Bay of Biscay.
Her first success came off Lorient on 1st September 1940 while on patrol looking for U-boats. She attacked and sunk what she thought was a u-boat but it was only the French trawler Sancte Michael.
On 5th October she attacked three Italian submarines and although explosions were heard no submarines were sunk. During November she sank a 300 ton Barque by gunfire.
On 12 Feb 1941 in the bay of Biscay, another success with the sinking of the French 500 ton coaster Jacobsen and on the 19th she sank the 3000 ton French Gulvenec.
In April 1941 Tigris carried out two Cloak and Dagger operations and also sank the 5500 ton German tanker Thorn.
July 5th 1941 saw Tigris sink the Italian submarine Michele Bianchi while on patrol near Bordeaux. Then, she torpedoed and sunk the Norwegian ship Haakon Jarl near Sværholt, Norway. In September 1941 Tigris torpedoed and sank the German ship Richard With off Norway. Limited success followed when she torpedoed and damaged the German submarine chaser UJ 1201. Although the bow of the ship sank, the stern was recovered and the ship rebuilt.
Early in 1942 she took part in commando raids on Norway.
In December 1942 Tigris sank her second submarine when she attacked the Italian boat Porfido.
On 21 January 1943 she torpedoed the Italian merchant ship Citta di Genova in the Adriatic.
During February 1943, Tigris was patrolling off Naples when she received orders to return to base. She never arrived.
It had been assumed that Tigris had hit a mine but records researched after the war showed she had been depth charged by the German submarine chaser UJ-2210.

Tigris was lost with all hands, Commanding Officer, 5 officers and 57 men.