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Cranston Fine Arts  Naval Art and Artists World War Two Ships HMS Sunflower to Ohio  HMS Thrasher |
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| HMS Thrasher Naval Art Prints, Paintings and Drawings |
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| Text for the above items : |
HMS/M Thrasher by John Pettitt. HMS Thrasher was on her 8th patrol when on the 16th June 1942, an unsuccessful torpedo attack was made on the German merchant vessel Arkadia off Crete. Later, at 1155 hours, they spotted a deeply laden merchant vessel of about 3000 tons and turned to attack. The vessel had 5 escorts and aircraft circling overhead. At 1234 hours they fired the first salvo from 2000 yards, and immediately the submarine shook from a muffled explosion - probably a bomb from an aircraft, and machine gun bullets were heard striking the water above soon after. Three minutes later, two distant explosions were heard a few seconds apart - perhaps the torpedoes exploding or it may have been depth charges. Thrasher dived and at 1245 experienced the first of 33 depth charges, an uncomfortable experience with minor damage caused to the submarine. The following day, at 0150 hours, the crew discovered a large hole in the side of the gun platform and an unexploded bomb laying on the casing just forward of the gun. With a protion of its tail still attached, the bomb could not roll off of the casing. At 0240 hours, Thrasher went full astern and lowered into the water to dislodge the bomb. After, it was discovered that a further unexploded bomb was inside the casing and lying on the pressure hull. To remove this meant dragging the device 20 feet through the casing with great danger of it exploding. Lt P S W Roberts and PO T W Gould carried out this task and safely disposed of the bomb over the side at 0330 hours. For this action, they were both awarded the Victoria Cross. The painting depicts HMS Thrasher in her blue liver heading for Alexandria at the end of this patrol. |
HMS Thrasher by Ivan Berryman. A T-Class submarine of the Royal Navy launched in 1940 and commissioned in May 1941, HMS Thrasher famously survived an attack by aircraft in 1942, her crew gaining two Victoria Crosses in the process. Immediately after attacking a supply vessel on 16th February, HMS Thrasher was bombed from the air but escaped unscathed. After resurfacing, two unexploded bombs were discovered within the casing of the submarine. The first was easily removed but the second took a contorted effort in confined spaces - an hour-long combined effort by Lt Roberts and PO Gould literally manhandled the lethal ordnance safely over the side. For actions that likely save the submarine, they were both awarded the Victoria Cross. |
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