HMS Utmost

HMS Utmost was a British U class submarine, of the second group of that class, built by Vickers Armstrong, Barrow-in-Furness. She was laid down on 2 November 1939 and was commissioned on 17 August 1940. So far she has been the only ship of the Royal Navy to bear the name Utmost.

HMS Utmost
History
United Kingdom
Name: HMS Utmost
Builder: Vickers Armstrong, Barrow-in-Furness
Laid down: 2 November 1939
Launched: 20 April 1940
Commissioned: 17 August 1940
Fate: sunk 25 November 1942
Badge:
General characteristics
Displacement:
  • Surfaced - 540 tons standard, 630 tons full load
  • Submerged - 730 tons
Length: 58.22 m (191 feet)
Beam: 4.90 m (16 ft 1 in)
Draught: 4.62 m (15 ft 2 in)
Propulsion:
  • 2 shaft diesel-electric
  • 2 Paxman Ricardo diesel generators + electric motors
  • 615 / 825 hp
Speed:
  • 11.25 knots max surfaced
  • 10 knots max submerged
Complement: 27-31
Armament:

Career

Utmost spent most of her career operating in the Mediterranean, where she sank the Italian merchants Capo Vita, Enrico Costa, and Frederico C., and the German tanker Languste and also damaged the Italian merchant Manfredo Camperio. Utmost also attacked a convoy of five German merchants and three Italian destroyers and torpedoed and sunk the German merchant Heraklea and torpedoed and damaged Ruhr. An attack on another convoy made up of the German merchant Tilly L.M. Russ and the Italian merchant Cadamosto, escorted by the Italian torpedo boats Pallade and Polluce, was less successful. All torpedoes fired missed their targets.

Crew of HMS Utmost with their "Jolly Roger" success flag

Utmost went on to destroy the (already grounded and damaged) Italian merchant Marigola, and together with her sister, since transferred to the Poles, ORP Sokół, sank the Italian merchant Balilla. Utmost later unsuccessfully attacked the Italian merchants Fabio Filzi and Siculo, as well as the Italian auxiliary minelayer Barletta.[1] She also torpedoed and damaged the Italian cruiser Trieste.

The Commanding Officer received a Distinguished Service Order for a mission, which is believed to have been the landing of agents behind enemy lines.[2]

Sinking

Utmost left Malta for a patrol in the Mediterranean in November 1942. On the 23rd she sank an enemy ship, but on 25 November 1942, during her return journey to Malta, she was located, attacked and sunk south west off Sicily by depth charges from the Italian torpedo boat Groppo.[3]

References
  1. HMS Utmost, Uboot.net
  2. O'Connell, John F (2011). Submarine Operational Effectiveness in the 20th Century: Part One (1900 - 1939). United Kingdom: iUniverse. ISBN 9781462042616.
  3. Submarine losses 1904 to present day, RN Submarine Museum, Gosport


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