HMS Safari facts for kids
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|} HMS Safari was a special type of submarine built for the Royal Navy during World War II. She was one of the third group of S-class submarines, which were a bit bigger and better than earlier ones. Safari was put into service in 1942 and sent to the Mediterranean Sea. During the war, she was very successful, sinking twenty-five enemy ships, mostly Italian ones.
Contents
| History | |
|---|---|
 United Kingdom |
|
| Name | Safari |
| Ordered | 23 January 1940 |
| Builder | Cammell Laird, Birkenhead |
| Laid down | 5 June 1940 |
| Launched | 18 November 1941 |
| Commissioned | 14 March 1942 |
| Honours and awards |
Sicily 1943, Mediterranean 1943 |
| Fate |
|
| Badge |  |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | S-class submarine |
| Displacement |
|
| Length | 217 ft (66.1 m) |
| Beam | 23 ft 9 in (7.2 m) |
| Draught | 14 ft 8 in (4.5 m) |
| Installed power |
|
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed |
|
| Range | 6,000 nmi (11,000 km; 6,900 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) (surfaced); 120 nmi (220 km; 140 mi) at 3 knots (5.6 km/h; 3.5 mph) (submerged) |
| Test depth | 300 ft (91.4 m) |
| Complement | 48 |
| Sensors and processing systems |
|
| Armament |
|
- Early Patrols in the West Mediterranean
- Missions in the Adriatic Sea
- Operations Near Southern Italy
- Joining the Algiers Flotilla
- Supporting Operation Husky
- The End of Her Service
About HMS Safari
Building a Submarine
Safari was ordered on January 23, 1940. Her construction began on June 5, 1940, at Cammell Laird in Birkenhead, England. She was launched into the water on November 18, 1941, and officially joined the Royal Navy on March 14, 1942, at Holy Loch.
Submarine Design and Features
S-class submarines like Safari were designed to patrol in smaller waters, like the North Sea and the Mediterranean. They were about 217 feet (66.1 m) long and 23 feet 9 inches (7.2 m) wide. When on the surface, they weighed about 842 long tons (856 t), and when underwater, they weighed 990 long tons (1,010 t). Each submarine had a crew of 48 sailors. They could dive to a depth of 300 feet (91.4 m).
For moving on the surface, Safari used two diesel engines, which gave her a top speed of 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph). When underwater, she used two electric motors, allowing her to reach 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). She could travel 6,000 nautical miles (11,000 km; 6,900 mi) on the surface without refueling.
Safari was armed with six torpedo tubes at the front, which fired 21-inch (533 mm) torpedoes. She carried twelve torpedoes in total. Instead of torpedoes, she could carry twelve mines. She also had a three-inch (76 mm) deck gun for fighting on the surface. For finding enemies, she used a special ASDIC system and an early-warning radar.
Safari's War Missions
Early Patrols in the West Mediterranean
After her training, Safari sailed to Gibraltar in May 1942. Her first mission was in the Alboran Sea. She tried to attack enemy ships but they were too far away. On her second patrol, she sank her first ship, an Italian merchant vessel named Adda. She also damaged another ship.
In her next patrol, Safari helped protect a big Allied convoy called Operation Pedestal, which was bringing supplies to Malta. She then sank two more Italian ships and damaged another.
Missions in the Adriatic Sea
In September, Safari moved to Malta and began patrolling the Adriatic Sea. She damaged several Italian ships, forcing some to be left on the shore. During one attack, an Italian torpedo boat dropped depth charges on Safari, but she only got minor damage. She later sank an Italian merchant ship named Titania.
Operations Near Southern Italy
In November, Safari was sent to patrol north of Sicily to support the Allied landings in North Africa. She was attacked by German planes but wasn't damaged. She sank several ships, including a German transport. In one incident, a torpedo she fired missed a ship and hit a port's mole (a pier), causing damage and sadly killing five people. She continued to sink more ships and damage others in this area.
Joining the Algiers Flotilla
In January 1943, Safari moved to Algiers. During a patrol near Naples, she was accidentally bombed by a British plane, but luckily, she wasn't damaged. She sank four more boats and then carried out special missions, landing soldiers in Sicily and later in Sardinia. She also sank four more ships during the Allied landings in North Africa.
Supporting Operation Husky
In July 1943, Safari was part of Operation Husky, the Allied invasion of Sicily. Her job was to act as a radio beacon to guide American destroyers. She was accidentally bumped by a French tugboat before this mission, but her crew quickly fixed the minor damage. After her special mission, she was bombed by German planes but managed to avoid damage.
Safari then patrolled west of Corsica and Sardinia. She sank several more ships, including minesweepers and transport vessels. She was very busy and successful during this time.
The End of Her Service
After a final patrol in the Bay of Biscay where she found no targets, Safari returned to England in September 1943. She then spent the rest of the war training new submarine commanders. In March 1944, she was briefly sent to patrol off Norway because there were fears that the German battleship Tirpitz might try to move. However, the battleship stayed put, and Safari returned to training.
After World War II ended, Safari was put into reserve. She was sold for scrap on January 7, 1946. But the very next day, while being towed to the scrapyard, she sank off Portland.
Images for kids
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Safari in Algiers alongside the depot ship HMS Maidstone
