Hugh Patrick de Crery Steel, RN
| Born | 16 Mar 1903 | Bahia, Brazil | |
| Died | 11 Apr 2000 | (97) | Edinburgh, Scotland, U.K. |
| Ranks
Retired: 19 Sep 1949 Decorations |
Warship Commands listed for Hugh Patrick de Crery Steel, RN
| Ship | Rank | Type | From | To |
| HMS Triton (N 15) | Lt.Cdr. | Submarine | 7 Jun 1938 | 25 Nov 1939 |
| HMS Oberon (N 21) | Lt.Cdr. | Submarine | 28 Dec 1941 | 1 Jan 1942 |
Career information
We currently have no career / biographical information on this officer.
Events related to this officer
Submarine HMS Triton (N 15)
2 Sep 1939
Around 1200A/2, HMS Triton (Lt.Cdr. H.P. de C. Steel, RN) departed from Portsmouth for Dundee. She was joined around 1300A/2 by HMS Sardonyx (Lt.Cdr. W.A.F. Hawkins, RN) as escort. While off Hastings, at 1900 hours, HMS Beagle (Lt.Cdr. R.H. Wright, RN) took over the escort duties from HMS Sardonyx. (1)
3 Sep 1939
At 1315A/3, off the Humber Light vessel, HMS Triton (Lt.Cdr. H.P. de C. Steel, RN) parted company with her escort, HMS Beagle (Lt.Cdr. R.H. Wright, RN) and continued her passage to Dundee independently. (1)
4 Sep 1939
Around 1215A/4, HMS Triton (Lt.Cdr. H.P. de C. Steel, RN) arrived at Dundee where she secured, ironically (see event of 10 September 1939), alongside HMS Oxley (Lt.Cdr. H.G. Bowerman, RN). (1)
5 Sep 1939
Shortly after 2000A/5, HMS Triton (Lt.Cdr. H.P. de C. Steel, RN) departed from Dundee for her 1st war patrol. She was ordered to patrol off the South-West coast of Norway near Stavanger.
For the daily and attack positions of HMS Triton during this patrol see the map below.
(2)
10 Sep 1939 (position 58.30, 5.30)
HMS Triton (Lt.Cdr. H.P. de C. Steel, RN) torpedoed and sank (in error) the British submarine HMS Oxley (Lt.Cdr. H.G. Bowerman, RN) some 28 nautical miles south-south-west of Stavanger, Norway in position 58°30'N, 05°30'E. HMS Triton picked up two survivors, one of these was Lt.Cdr. Bowerman.
2004A/10, Triton surfaced. A fix was taken from the Norwegian lighthouses and this showed that Triton was in her patrol area.
2055 hoursA/10, the Officer of the Watch (Lt. H.A. Stacey, RN) reported a light right ahead and altered course to starboard. Almost immediately afterwards he sighted an object on the Starboard bow. He immediately called Lt.Cdr. Steele to the bridge. When Lt.Cdr. Steele arrived on the bridge it took a brief moment for him to get his eyes adjusted to the conditions outside. The Officer of the Watch and the two lookouts were certain that the contact was a submarine. Lt.Cdr. Steele meanwhile ordered 'stand by tubes 7 and 8'. At the same time the crew went to diving stations. The charge was broken (Port engine) and the Starboard engine was stopped. Triton now went ahead on both motors. By now Lt.Cdr. Steele also identified the contact as a submarine. Triton was kept bows on.
A challenge was now made. No reply was received. Lt.Cdr. Steele ordered to make the challenge again after about 20 seconds. Once again no reply was received. While the challenges were made Lt.Cdr. Steele studied the contact very closely. She was low in the water and no outstanding points of identification were visible. Upon receiving no reply to the second challenge a third was made. Once again no reply was seen. Now a signal grenade was fired which burst correctly. After about 15 seconds there was still no reply. Now Lt.Cdr. Steele was firmly convinced the contact was enemy so he gave the order to fire torpedoes. No. 7 and 8 torpedo tubes were fired.
About half a minute after firing the torpedoes flashing was seen from the contact. It was however unreadable and it stopped after a few seconds. Very shortly afterwards one of the torpedoes hit the submarine.
Triton now proceeded towards the spot where the submarine had sunk. Upon closing cries for help were heard and three men were seen swimming in the water. Lieutenants Watkins and Stacey attached lines to themselves and jumped in the oil covered sea. They managed to rescue the commanding officer of Oxley and able seaman Guckes (one of the lookouts). The third men (Lt. Manley, RNR, Oxley's Officer of the Watch) was seen to sunk suddenly. he was not seen again. A further search was made for any other survivors but none were seen.
------------------
On board Oxley the challenges were apparently incorrectly acted upon by her Officer of the Watch. When Lt.Cdr. Bowerman came to the Bridge he ordered a signal grenade to be fired as answer to Tritons grenade. However when fired the grenade malfunctioned. Oxley was hit by the torpedo before any more action could be taken. (2)
20 Sep 1939 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 2225A/20, HMS Triton (Lt.Cdr. H.P. de C. Steel, RN) departed patrol to proceed to Rosyth. (2)
22 Sep 1939
Around 0915A/22, HMS Triton (Lt.Cdr. H.P. de C. Steel, RN) ended her 1st war patrol at Rosyth. (2)
24 Sep 1939
Around 0030A/24, HMS Triton (Lt.Cdr. H.P. de C. Steel, RN) departed Rosyth for Dundee where she arrived around 0715A/24. (1)
6 Oct 1939
Shortly after 1845A/6, HMS Triton (Lt.Cdr. H.P. de C. Steel, RN) departed from Dundee for her 2nd war patrol. She was ordered to patrol off the South coast of Norway between Kristiansand and Stavanger.
For the daily positions of HMS Triton during this patrol see the map below.
(2)
22 Oct 1939 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 1200A/22, HMS Triton (Lt.Cdr. H.P. de C. Steel, RN) left patrol for Rosyth. (2)
24 Oct 1939
Around 1215A/24, HMS Triton (Lt.Cdr. H.P. de C. Steel, RN) ended her 2nd war patrol at Rosyth. The patrol had been uneventful. No enemy patrol vessels had been sighted. Merchant shipping had remained in Norwegian territorial waters. (2)
6 Nov 1939
For the daily positions of HMS Triton during her 3rd war patrol see the map below.
(2)
6 Nov 1939
HMS Triton (Lt.Cdr. H.P. de C. Steel, RN) departed from Rosyth for her 3rd war patrol. She was ordered to patrol in the Skagerrak.
Before proceeding on patrol Triton carried out A/S exercises with HMS Grimsby (Capt. A.S. Russell, RN). (2)
19 Nov 1939 (position 0.00, 0.00)
At 1638A/21, HMS Triton (Lt.Cdr. H.P. de C. Steel, RN) surfaced after a days submerged patrol in position 57°56'N, 06°27'E. She then left patrol to return to Rosyth. (3)
21 Nov 1939
Around 1125A/21, HMS Triton (Lt.Cdr. H.P. de C. Steel, RN) ended her 3rd war patrol at Rosyth. The patrol had been uneventful. (2)
Submarine HMS Oberon (N 21)
31 Dec 1941
HMS Oberon (Lt.Cdr. H.P.deC. Steel, RN) conducted exercises in the Clyde area for the C.O.Q.C. (Commanding Officers Qualifying Course) with HMS Turbulent (Cdr. J.W. Linton, DSC, RN) as target. (4)
Sources
- ADM 173/16210
- ADM 199/1847
- ADM 173/16212
- ADM 173/16825
ADM numbers indicate documents at the British National Archives at Kew, London.
You can help improve officers Hugh Patrick de Crery Steel's page
Click here to Submit events/comments/updates for this officer.
Please use this if you spot mistakes or want to improve his page.