H.M.S. Opossum. ‘Oberon-Class’ Submarine

Pennant Number: S19

Badge: An Opossum suspended by his tail from a tree trunk all proper.

Crest: Field:White.

Built By: Cammell Laird and Co Ltd, Birkenhead.

Laid Down: 21 December 1961.

Launched: 23 May 1963.

Commissioned: 29 February 1964.

Decommissioned: June 1993.

Displacement: 2030 Tons Surfaced, 2400 Tons submerged

Dimensions: Length: 295 ft. 3 in. Beam: 26 ft. 6 in. Mean Draught: 18 ft.

Crew: 6 Officers, 62 Ratings.

Propulsion: 2 x Sets Admiralty Standard Range Diesel Engines developing 3680 BHP

Armament: Eight 21-inch Six Bow and Two stern torpedo tubes (for Homing Torpedoes). 2 x Sets Electric Motors developing 6000 S.H.P. Twin Screws.

Range: 9000 Nautical miles at 12 Knots.

Max Speed: 15 Knots Surfaced, 17 Knots Submerged. Commanding Officers

Lt.Cmdr. W. L Owen (29 Feb 1964);

Lt.Cmdr. B. R Trussler (16 Aug 1965);

Lt.Cmdr. M. J Osborne (16 Apr 1968);

Lt.Cmdr. R. C Meyrick (12 Nov 1969 - 3 Feb 1971);

Lt.Cmdr. J. J. S Daniel (4 Feb 1971);

Lt.Cmdr. M. C Boyce (14 Jan 974);

Lt.Cmdr. J. McLees (26 Jul 1975);

Lt.Cmdr. C. L Wreford-Brown (10 Sept 1976);

Lt. A. M Poulter (11 Aug 1977);

Lt. T. J Austin (20 Jan 1979):.

Lt.Cmdr. E. R Ruscombe-King (28 Apr 1980);

Lt.Cmdr. D. R Charlton ( ); Joined the 1st Submarine Squadron, HMS DOLPHIN 1964.

11 April 1964: Sea trials began at Rothesay.

12 June 1964: Accepted into the .

18 June 1964: Sailed for Clyde - work-up. Estimated time of departure from Clyde,

12 August 1964: Estimated time of arrival in Portsmouth,

14 August 1964: Estimated time of departure from Portsmouth,

10 September : For Cape Wrath and 'EXERCISE TEAMWORK' with HMS/m's FINWHALE, DREADNOUGHT, OSIRIS, GRAMPUS, TOTEM, OTUS, RORQUAL, ALARIC and ONSLAUGHT,8 Minesweepers, 11 Coastal Minesweepers, 7 Escorts and 7 .

Estimated time of departure from Cape Wrath 2 October 1964.

Estimated time of arrival in Portsmouth 5 October 1964 for repairs.

Estimated time of departure from Portsmouth 13 October 1964.

14 - 15 October 1964: Portland.

17 - 22 October 1964: Visited Emden, Germany.

23 October 1964 : Portsmouth.

26 October - 27 November 1964 : Maintenance. thence Londonderry for exercises.

7 December 1964 : Departed Londonderry for Portsmouth.

11 January 1965 : Special equipment fitted at Portsmouth.

25 January - 16 February 1965 : Docking. Departed from Portsmouth.

17 February 1965 : For exercises returned Portsmouth

20 February 1965 - 22 February 1965 : Departed from Portsmouth with HMS/m FINWHALE for exercises in the Clyde area.

8 March 1965 : Returned to Portsmouth. Exercises with HMS/m FINWHALE (Date unknown).

Estimated time of arrival in Portsmouth 26 March 1965.

17 April 1965: Departed from Portsmouth.

19 April 1965: Arrived in the Clyde area.

28 April - 20 May 1965: Commenced 'EXERCISE RED KNIGHT' with HMS/m's OTUS, OLYMPUS, DREADNOUGHT, CACHALOT and 1 Escort.

22 May 1965: Portsmouth, repairs.

15 June 1965: Repairs completed.

16 June - 4 August 1965 : In home waters visiting Birkenhead, Londonderry, Clyde and Portsmouth.

6 - 11 August 1965 : Visited Heligoland, Germany. 13 August 1965 Portsmouth.

1 September 1965 : Departed from Portsmouth.

3 - 6 September 1965 : Gibraltar.

6- 10 September 1965: Commenced 'EXERCISE EMERALD GREEN' with HMS/m's FINWHALE, CACHALOT and 3 Escorts.

10 - 19 September 1965 : Gibraltar.

22 September 1965 : Portsmouth.

28 September - 8 October 1965 : Portland.

8 October 1965 Portsmouth.

11 - 26 October 1965 : Maintenance.

27 October - 20 November 1965 : In home waters visiting Portland and Portsmouth.

20 November 1965 : Departed Portsmouth for NW Approaches.

2- 10 December 1965: Commenced 'EXERCISE CALPURNIA' with HMS/m's ALARIC, OTUS, OPPORTUNE, OCELOT, OSIRIS, with 5 Frigates, 4 Escorts and 1 Cruiser.

9 December 1965 : Departed Londonderry.

11 December 1965 : Portsmouth.

30 December 1965 - 10 January 1966 : Docking.

24 January 1966: Departed from Portsmouth.

29 January 1966: Blyth.

5 February 1966: Portsmouth.

9 February 1966: Birkenhead (Cammel Laird) for repairs.

9 May 1966 : Repairs completed.

9 May 1966: Left Birkenhead.

21 May 1966 : Arrived in Portsmouth for maintenance.

29 May 1966: Maintenance completed.

30 May - 27 July 1966 : In home waters visiting Plymouth, Portland and Portsmouth.

27 July 1966 : Commenced Emergency Docking at Portsmouth.

11 August 1966 : Docking completed.

Estimated time of departure from Portsmouth 13 August.

18 - 19 August 1966 : Visited Rota, .

19 August 1966: Gibraltar.

22 August 1966: Departed from Gibraltar.

26 August 1966: Malta.

16 - 19 September 1966: Visited Taranto, Italy.

20 - 23 September 1966: Malta practice area.

24 - 30 September 1966: Commenced 'MEDTACEX 6' with 3 Frigates.

2 - 17 October 1966 : Malta for maintenance.

17 - 18 October 1966: Commenced 'CANEX' with 2 Frigates.

19 October 1966 : Malta.

25 - 30 October 1966: Visited La Spezia, Italy.

1 - 8 November 1966: Toulon, .

11 November 1966 : Malta.

17 - 21 November 1966 : Visited Corfu.

22 - 26 November 1966: Commenced 'MEDSUBEX'.

29 November - 2 December 1966 : Visited Izmir, Turkey.

3 - 6 December 1966: Commenced 'MEDTACEX 7' with 2 Frigates.

11 - 12 December 1966 Gibraltar.

Estimated time of departure from Gibraltar 14 December 1966.

18 December 1966 : Portsmouth. 9 January 1967 : Departed from Portsmouth.

11 - 21 January 1967: Lorient Exercise areas.

22 - 25 January 1967: Lorient, France.

26 January - 13 March 1967 : In home waters visiting Dartmouth, Portland and Portsmouth.

14 - 20 March 1967: Visited HMS GANGES the Juniors Training Establishment, Shortly Gate, Ipswich.

27 - 31 March 1967: Portland.

1 April 1967 Portsmouth.

1 May 1967 : Departed Portsmouth for trials in SW Approaches.

16 May 1967 : Returned to Portsmouth.

17 - 19 May 1967 : Visited Lorient, France.

20 May 1967: Portsmouth.

24 - 29 May 1967 Visited Fredrickshavn, Denmark.

31 May 1967 Returned to Portsmouth.

9 - 14 June 1967 Barrow.

16 June 1967 Portsmouth.

20 June 1967: To Devonport to prepare for refit (3 July).

13 September 1968 : Refit completed.

5 October 1968 HMS/m OPOSSUM became re-operational and rejoined the 1st Submarine Squadron, HMS DOLPHIN.

7 October 1968 Faslane.

3 December 1968 Departed from Faslane.

6 December 1968: Portsmouth.

9 - 31 December 1968 : Due maintenance. 14 January - 20 February 1969 In home waters visiting Plymouth exercise area, Portland, Portsmouth, Londonderry and SW Approaches.

20 February 1969 : HMS/m's OPOSSUM and ALCIDE arrived at Newport's North Dock to begin a 5 day visit to the town.

24 February - 6 May 1969 In home waters visiting Plymouth exercise area, Portsmouth for maintenance, Moray Firth, Dundee and Portland exercise area.

6 - 8 May 1969: Commenced BRITEX with 3 Training ships.

9 - 11 May 1969 : Visited Brest, France.

3 May - 2 September 1969 In home waters visiting Portland, SW Approaches, Portland exercise area, Portsmouth (for docking 23 May - 16 June 1969),Devonport, Londonderry, Loch Ewe, Faslane, NW Approaches, Portsmouth (docks 4 - 13 August 1969) and Gosport.

2 September 1969 : Departed from Gosport.

11 September 1969 : Arrived in Malta for exercise.

16 September 1969: LRO C Wood serving on board HMS/m OPOSSUM, was drowned while swimming at Comino Island in the Mediterranean.

17 - 22 October 1969 : Visited Civitavecchia, Italy.

25 October 1969: Gibraltar.

31 October 1969 Portsmouth.

20 November 1969 - 13 January 1970 In home waters visiting Dartmouth, Portland, SW Approaches and Portsmouth.

13 January 1970 : Due repairs.

23 March 1970 : Repairs completed.

Estimated time of departure from Portsmouth 4 April 1970 for 'EXERCISE STEEL RING' with HMS/m ARTEMIS, 4 Escorts from the Royal Canadian Navy, Atlantic Maritime Command, HMCS/m's 'Ojibwa' and 'Okanagan' and the operational support ship HMCS 'Protecteur'.

10 - 12 May 1970: At Halifax, Canada. 14 - 19 May 1970 , Massachusetts, USA.

20 - 25 May 1970: Providence (Rhode Island), Massachusetts, USA.

5 June 1970 : Portsmouth.

1 July - 2 October 1970 : In home waters visiting Dartmouth, Swansea, Devonport, Portland exercise area, Portsmouth (docking and essential repairs 24 August - 14 September), Portland exercise area (again) and Portsmouth.

2 - 7 October 1970: Visited Halsingborg, Sweden with HMS/m OCELOT.

10 - 30 October 1970 : Portsmouth.

31 October - 4 November 1970 : Plymouth/Portland areas.

4 November 1970 : Portsmouth.

12 November 1970: HMS/m's OPOSSUM, ORACLE, ARTEMIS and ACHERON entered Latchford Lock, Warrington on their way up the Manchester Ship Canal to pay a courtesy visit to Manchester. They were opened to the public at Trafford Wharf.

18 November 4 December 1970 : In home waters visiting Plymouth exercise area, Plymouth and Portsmouth.

2 January 1971: Departed from Portsmouth.

4- 13 January 1971: Commenced 'EXERCISE VENDETTA' with HMS/m's ORACLE, CACHALOT, OCELOT, WARSPITE, NARWHAL, ONYX and AURIGA.

16 January 1971: Portsmouth.

20 - 25 January 1971 : Visited Oostende.

26 January 1971: Portland.

29 January 1971: Portsmouth.

1 - 5 February 1971: Plymouth exercise area.

3 February 1971 : Lt.Cmdr. RC Meyrick collapsed while his submarine HMS/m OPOSSUM was submerging during exercises. The submarine surfaced immediately and the assault ship HMS 'Fearless' which was also taking part in the exercises was diverted and a helicopter took its medical officer to OPOSSUM. A heart specialist from the Stonehouse Naval Hospital boarded the submarine at the breakwater. He gave Commander Meyrick heart massage but on arrival at hospital the Commander was dead. 5 February 1971: Portsmouth.

22 March 1971 - 7 January 1972 : In home waters visiting Clyde exercise area, Portland, Manchester, Dartmouth, Portland exercise area, Plymouth exercise area and Portsmouth.

7- 17 January 1972: Commenced 'EXERCISE VENDETTA' with HMS/m's OSIRIS, AENEAS, OCELOT and DREADNOUGHT.

18 January 1972: Campbeltown.

20 January 1972: Portsmouth.

14 - 17 February 1972: Portland.

18 - 22 February 1972: Le Havre, France.

23 February 1972: Plymouth exercise area.

24 February 1972: Portsmouth.

6 March 1972 : Biscay area.

8 - 17 March 1972 : In home waters visiting Portland exercise areas, Dartmouth and Portsmouth.

19 April 1972: Departed from Portsmouth.

24 April 1972: Arrived in Gibraltar.

30 June - 4 July 1972 : Visited Agadir, Morocco.

8 July 1972 : Portsmouth.

10 - 12 July 1972 : Portland.

12 July 1972 : Portsmouth.

10 August 1972 : Departed from Portsmouth.

11 - 15 August 1972 : Visited Den Helder, Netherlands. 17 August 1972 : Plymouth exercise areas.

18 - 22 August 1972 : Visited Nantes, France.

23 August - 27 November 1972 : In home waters visiting Plymouth exercise areas, Chatham, Falmouth, Dartmouth, Portland areas and Portsmouth.

27 November 1972 : At Chatham for refit.

9 August 1974 : Refit completed.

10 August 1974 : Portsmouth, defects. Faslane (Date unknown).

9 December 1974 : Portsmouth for docking and repairs.

19 January 1975 : Docking and repairs completed.

15 February 1975 : Departed from Portsmouth.

17 - 19 February 1975: North Sea exercise areas.

19 - 27 February 1975 : Commenced JMC 751 with HMS/m ONSLAUGHT, 4 Frigates, 2 Guided Missile Destroyers, 1 Mine Countermeasures, 1 Fast Patrol Boat and the Destroyer HMCS 'Algonquin' from the Royal Canadian Navy, Atlantic Maritime Command.

28 February - 1 March 1975 Rosyth.

3 March 1975 : Portsmouth.

12 March 1975 James Chapman (103 years old) from Wisbech visited HMS/m OPOSSUM in which he toured the length of the submarine, test fired 6 torpedoes and worked the 2 periscopes. The trip lasted 8 hours and traveled 100 miles. The submarine also dived 103 feet, 1 foot for every year of Mr. Chapman's life. Estimated time of departure from Portsmouth 24 March 1975.

27 March - 1 April 1975 : Visited Liverpool.

2 - 6 April 1975 Clyde exercise areas.

6 - 7 April 1975: Visited Faslane. 7 April - 11 May 1975 : Commenced 'COQC' exercise with HMS/m ONYX and 5 Frigates.

13 - 16 May 1975 Portland.

16 May 1975 : Portsmouth for docking.

4 June 1975 Departed from Portsmouth.

11 - 25 June 1975 : Gibraltar areas.

30 June -4 July 1975 : Portland.

4 - 14 July 1975 : Portsmouth.

18 - 23 July 1975 : Visited Kristiansand, Norway.

26 July - 27 September 1975 : In home waters visiting Portland, Portsmouth (Docking 27 August - 18 September) and Portland (again).

27 - 30 September 1975: Commenced 'EXERCISE HIGHWOOD' with HMS/m's ONSLAUGHT, SOVEREIGN, OCELOT, WARSPITE, ORACLE and RORQUAL.

1 - 3 October 1975: Moray Firth.

5 - 7 October 1975 North Sea exercise area.

8 October 1975 : Rosyth.

10 - 15 October 1975 Visited Fredrickshavn, Denmark.

18 - 22 October 1975: Moray Firth.

24 October 1975 Portsmouth.

8- 11 November 1975: Commenced 'EXERCISE MOBY DICK' with HMS/m's ONSLAUGHT and SOVEREIGN and 5 Frigates.

14 November 1975 Visited Inverary.

16 - 18 November 1975 On patrol.

22 November 1975: Portsmouth.

26 November 1975: Sailed Portsmouth for exercises returning Portsmouth 5 December 1975.

14 January - 12 February 1976 : In home waters visiting Portland, Manchester and Oban.

12 - 22 February 1976: Commenced 'EXERCISE GRATITUDE' with HMS/m's SWIFTSURE, COURAGEOUS, ONSLAUGHT, VALIANT and ORACLE.

23 - 25 February 1976 : Portland.

26 February 1976 Devonport.

27 February - 5 March 1976 : Biscay/Gibraltar areas.

6 - 23 March 1976 Gibraltar exercise areas.

29 March - 1 April 1976 Visited Ajaccio, Corsica.

7 - 12 April 1976 Genoa, Italy.

15 - 19 April 1976 : Gibraltar.

23 April 1976 Portsmouth for docking and essential defects.

12 July 1976 Docking and defects completed.

21 July - 20 December 1976 In home waters visiting Faslane, Portland, Aberdeen, Dartmouth, Portsmouth and Gosport.

29 August 1983: Took part in 'EXERCISE SEDGEMOOR' with HMS/m REVENGE. A total of 67 people were transferred between the 'distressed' submarine 'OPOSSUM 'and the mother submarine 'REVENGE' by means of a DSRV carried on board the 'REVENGE'.

9 April 1991 : HMS/m OPOSSUM returned to HMS DOLPHIN, Gosport after a 36,000 mile, 11-month voyage around the world. The voyage included stops at Tahiti, Pitcairn Island, Singapore and Sydney, Australia.

13 July 1993 : HMS/m OPOSSUM collided with the Irish Trawler 'Amber Rose' at 0500 in thick fog in the Clyde Exercise area. No one was injured and there was little damage. HMS/m OPOSSUM is thought to have had a fault on her radar.

Early August 1993 'OPOSSUM' visited the Russian port of Severomorsk, the first RN submarine to visit Russia since 1945.

26 August 1993 : HMS/m OPOSSUM Paid-off at HMS DOLPHIN and was taken out of active service. She carried out a last dive on the same day prior to her arrival.

24 September 1993 approx : Departed HMS DOLPHIN for Fareham Creek. Casualties:

• 16 September 1969: LRO C Wood drowned while swimming at Comino Island in the Mediterranean. • 3 February 1971: Lt.Cmdr. R C Meyrick collapsed and died while commanding 'OPOSSUM' on an exercise

N.B. HMS/m OPOSSUM was the last of the British Oberon-class submarines in the RN.

Disposal: June 2001 Pounds Shipbrakers at Tipner, Portsmouth.