Shark on the surface
History
United Kingdom
Name	HMSShark
Ordered	2 January 1933
Builder	Chatham Dockyard
Laid down	12 June 1933
Launched	31 May 1934
Commissioned	31 December 1934
Fate	Scuttled, 6 July 1940
Badge
General characteristics
Class & type	S-classsubmarine
Displacement	768 long tons (780 t) surfaced 960 long tons (980 t) submerged
Length	208 ft 8 in (63.6 m)
Beam	24 ft 0 in (7.3 m)
Draught	11 ft 10 in (3.6 m)
Installed power	1,550 bhp (1,160 kW) (diesel) 1,300 hp (970 kW) (electric)
Propulsion	2 ×diesel engines 2 ×electric motors
Speed	13.75knots (25.47 km/h; 15.82 mph) surfaced 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) submerged
Range	6,000 nmi (11,000 km; 6,900 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surface 64 nmi (119 km; 74 mi) at 2 knots (3.7 km/h; 2.3 mph) submerged
Test depth	300 feet (91 m)
Complement	40
Armament	6 × bow21 in (533 mm)torpedo tubes 1 ×3-inch (76 mm)deck gun

HMSShark was a second-batchS-classsubmarine built during the 1930s for theRoyal Navy. Completed in 1934, the boat fought in theSecond World War.Shark is one of twelve boats named in the song "Twelve Little S-Boats".

The second batch ofS-classsubmarines were designed as slightly improved and enlarged versions of the earlier boats of theclass and were intended to operate in theNorth andBaltic Seas.^[1] The submarines had a length of 208 feet 8 inches (63.6 m)overall, abeam of 24 feet 0 inches (7.3 m) and a meandraught of 11 feet 10 inches (3.6 m). Theydisplaced 768 long tons (780 t) on the surface and 960 long tons (980 t) submerged.^[2] The S-class submarines had a crew of 40 officers andratings. They had a diving depth of 300 feet (91 m).^[3]

For surface running, the boats were powered by two 775-brake-horsepower (578 kW)diesel engines, each driving onepropeller shaft. When submerged each propeller was driven by a 650-horsepower (485 kW)electric motor. They could reach 13.75knots (25.47 km/h; 15.82 mph) on the surface and 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) underwater.^[4] On the surface, the second-batch boats had a range of 6,000nautical miles (11,000 km; 6,900 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) and 64 nmi (119 km; 74 mi) at 2 knots (3.7 km/h; 2.3 mph) submerged.^[3]

The S-class boats were armed with six21-inch (533 mm)torpedo tubes in the bow. They carried six reload torpedoes for a total of a dozen torpedoes. They were also armed with a3-inch (76 mm)deck gun.^[2]

Ordered on 12 June 1933,Shark waslaid down on 15 June 1933 atHM Dockyard, Chatham and waslaunched on 31 May 1934. The boat was completed on 31 December 1934.^[5]

The submarine was attacked by German aircraft while surfacing on patrol off the coast of Norway nearSkudenes on 5 July 1940. While trying to fight off the aircraft, the submarine succeeded in shooting down aDornier Do 17.^[6] Due to the damage the submarine had suffered and likely further attack from the enemy aircraft overhead it was decided to surrender the submarine. The next day at about 04:00 the German minesweeping trawlersM-1803,M-1806 andM-1807 arrived at the scene and took the crew on board.^[7]Shark was taken under tow but the crew hadscuttled her prior to leaving. Amidst much cheering from the captured British sailors, the German trawler crews were forced to cut the hawsers beforeShark sank and took the towing vessels with her.Shark sank stern first about 25 nautical miles (46 km) west-south-west ofEgersund, Norway.

The boat's captain, Lieutenant Commander Peter Buckley, was involved in planning a number of escape attempts from hisprisoner of war camp.^[8]

ERA W. E. "Wally" Hammond made a number of escape attempts before being held inOflag IV-C – Colditz. With ERA Don "Tubby" Lister (from the captured submarineHMS Seal) he made a successfulescape by campaigning for a transfer from Colditz, arguing that he was not an officer. He was transferred to Lamsdorf prison, escaped from a Breslau work party, and reached England via Switzerland in 1943.^[9][10][11]

• Akermann, Paul (2002).Encyclopaedia of British Submarines 1901–1955 (reprint of the 1989 ed.). Penzance, Cornwall: Periscope Publishing.ISBN 1-904381-05-7.
• Bagnasco, Erminio (1977).Submarines of World War Two. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press.ISBN 0-87021-962-6.
• Chesneau, Roger, ed. (1980).Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946. Greenwich, UK: Conway Maritime Press.ISBN 0-85177-146-7.
• Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969].Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of All Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy from the 15th Century to the Present (Rev. ed.). London: Chatham Publishing.ISBN 978-1-86176-281-8.OCLC 67375475.
• Harrison, A. N. (January 1979)."The Development of HM Submarines From Holland No. 1 (1901) to Porpoise (1930) (BR3043)". RN Subs. Retrieved27 September 2022.
• McCartney, Innes (2006).British Submarines 1939–1945. New Vanguard. Vol. 129. Oxford, UK: Osprey.ISBN 1-84603-007-2.
• Rohwer, Jürgen (2005).Chronology of the War at Sea 1939–1945: The Naval History of World War Two (Revised & Expanded ed.). Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press.ISBN 1-59114-119-2.

• IWM Interview with Peter Buckley

58°18′N5°13′E / 58.300°N 5.217°E /58.300; 5.217

• British S-class submarines (1931)
• World War II shipwrecks in the Atlantic Ocean
• 1934 ships
• World War II submarines of the United Kingdom
• Submarines sunk by aircraft
• Maritime incidents in July 1940
• Naval ships of the United Kingdom captured by Germany during World War II
• Ships sunk by German aircraft
• Scuttled vessels of the United Kingdom

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