Allied Warships

HMS Tempest (N 86)

Submarine of the T class

Navy	The Royal Navy
Type	Submarine
Class	T
Pennant	N 86
Mod	Second Group
Built by	Cammell Laird Shipyard (Birkenhead, U.K.)
Ordered	4 Sep 1939
Laid down	6 Jan 1940
Launched	10 Jun 1941
Commissioned	6 Dec 1941
Lost	13 Feb 1942
Loss position	39° 15'N, 17° 45'E

History	On 13 February 1942, HMS Tempest (Lt.Cdr. William Alexander Keith Napier Cavaye, RN) was forced to the surface by depth charges the Italian torpedo boat Circe. Tempest was on patrol in the Gulf of Taranto / Ionian Sea some 30 nautical miles north-east of Crotone, Italy in position 39°15'N, 17°45'E. The Italians tried to take Tempest in tow but this failed since she suddenly started to sink. Around 0300 hours Tempest was detected by an Italian destroyer / torpedo boat that started dropping depth charges. This destroyer never lost contact and dropped depth charges throughout the morning. All depth charges were very close. In each attack minor damage was caused, resulting in it being very difficult to maintain depth control. Around 0900 hours a double pattern of depth charges was dropped causing major damage. The boat was filling with chlorine gas from the cracked battery. Lt.Cdr. Cavaye ordered to surface and abandon ship. The Italian destroyer picked up 3 officers and 20 ratings from the water. Tempest did not sink despite attempts to scuttle her. She was eventually scuttled by the Italians as she was beyond salvage.

Commands listed for HMS Tempest (N 86)

Please note that we're still working on this section
and that we only list Commanding Officers for the duration of the Second World War.

	Commander	From	To
1	Lt.Cdr. William Alexander Keith Napier Cavaye, RN	8 Oct 1941	13 Feb 1942 (+)

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Notable events involving Tempest include:

The history of HMS Tempest as compiled on this page is extracted from Tempest's patrol reports and logbook (only December 1941 available) was created in November 2011. Corrections and details regarding information from the enemy's side (for instance the composition of convoys attacked) is kindly provided by Mr. Platon Alexiades, a naval researcher from Canada.

This page was last updated in August 2023.

1 Dec 1941
HMS Tempest (Lt.Cdr. W.A.K.N. Cavaye, RN) conducted compass swing trials at Birkenhead. (1)

3 Dec 1941
HMS Tempest (Lt.Cdr. W.A.K.N. Cavaye, RN) departed from her builders yard at Birkenhead (Liverpool) for Holy Loch. She is escorted by HMS Periwinkle (Lt.Cdr. P.G. MacIver, RNR). (1)

4 Dec 1941
HMS Tempest (Lt.Cdr. W.A.K.N. Cavaye, RN) arrived at Holy Loch for a period of trials and exercises. (1)

5 Dec 1941
HMS Tempest (Lt.Cdr. W.A.K.N. Cavaye, RN) conducted full power trials in the Clyde area. (1)

6 Dec 1941
HMS Tempest (Lt.Cdr. W.A.K.N. Cavaye, RN) conducted trials in the Clyde area. (1)

7 Dec 1941
HMS Tempest (Lt.Cdr. W.A.K.N. Cavaye, RN) conducted exercises in the Clyde area. (1)

8 Dec 1941
HMS Tempest (Lt.Cdr. W.A.K.N. Cavaye, RN) conducted exercises in the Clyde area. (1)

9 Dec 1941
HMS Tempest (Lt.Cdr. W.A.K.N. Cavaye, RN) conducted exercises in the Clyde area. (1)

10 Dec 1941
HMS Tempest (Lt.Cdr. W.A.K.N. Cavaye, RN) conducted exercises in the Clyde area. (1)

11 Dec 1941
HMS Tempest (Lt.Cdr. W.A.K.N. Cavaye, RN) conducted exercises in the Clyde area. (1)

12 Dec 1941
HMS Tempest (Lt.Cdr. W.A.K.N. Cavaye, RN) conducted noise trials at Loch Goil. (1)

13 Dec 1941
HMS Tempest (Lt.Cdr. W.A.K.N. Cavaye, RN) conducted attack exercises in the Clyde area during which HMS Alecto (Cdr. R.M.G. Gambier, RN) served as target. (1)

14 Dec 1941
HMS Tempest (Lt.Cdr. W.A.K.N. Cavaye, RN) conducted attack exercises in the Clyde area during which HrMs Z 5 (Lt. J.J. Steensma, RNN) served as target. (1)

15 Dec 1941
HMS Tempest (Lt.Cdr. W.A.K.N. Cavaye, RN) conducted attack exercises in the Clyde area during which HrMs Z 5 (Lt. J.J. Steensma, RNN) served as target. (1)

18 Dec 1941
HMS Tempest (Lt.Cdr. W.A.K.N. Cavaye, RN) conducted attack exercises in the Clyde area during which HMS White Bear (Cdr.(Retd.) C.C. Flemming, RN) served as target. These also included night exercises. (1)

19 Dec 1941
HMS Tempest (Lt.Cdr. W.A.K.N. Cavaye, RN) conducted attack exercises in the Clyde area during which HMS White Bear (Cdr.(Retd.) C.C. Flemming, RN) served as target. (1)

20 Dec 1941
HMS Tempest (Lt.Cdr. W.A.K.N. Cavaye, RN) proceeded from Holy Loch to Arrochar where she was to conduct torpedo discharge trials at the torpedo range. (1)

23 Dec 1941
HMS Tempest (Lt.Cdr. W.A.K.N. Cavaye, RN) conducted torpedo discharge trials off Arrochar. (1)

24 Dec 1941
HMS Tempest (Lt.Cdr. W.A.K.N. Cavaye, RN) conducted torpedo discharge trials off Arrochar. (1)

25 Dec 1941
HMS Tempest (Lt.Cdr. W.A.K.N. Cavaye, RN) conducted torpedo discharge trials off Arrochar. (1)

26 Dec 1941
HMS Tempest (Lt.Cdr. W.A.K.N. Cavaye, RN) conducted torpedo discharge trials off Arrochar. (1)

27 Dec 1941
HMS Tempest (Lt.Cdr. W.A.K.N. Cavaye, RN) conducted torpedo discharge trials off Arrochar. (1)

28 Dec 1941
HMS Tempest (Lt.Cdr. W.A.K.N. Cavaye, RN) conducted torpedo discharge trials off Arrochar. (1)

29 Dec 1941
HMS Tempest (Lt.Cdr. W.A.K.N. Cavaye, RN) proceeded from Arrochar to Holy Loch. (1)

3 Jan 1942
Around 1115A/3, HMS Tempest (Lt.Cdr. W.A.K.N. Cavaye, RN) departed from Holy Loch for Gibraltar. HMS Turbulent (Cdr. J.W. Linton, DSC, RN) was also in company. During the passage south through the Irish Sea They were escorted by HMS La Capricieuse (Lt.Cdr. G.W. Dobson, RNR) until 0106A/5 when they parted company in position 270° - Bishops Rock - 5 nautical miles. (2)

3 Jan 1942
For the daily positions of HMS Tempest during the passage from Holy Loch to Gibraltar see the map below.

11 Jan 1942
Around 1230A/11, HMS Tempest (Lt.Cdr. W.A.K.N. Cavaye, RN) arrived at Gibraltar from Holy Loch. (2)

21 Jan 1942
Around 1700A/21, HMS Tempest (Lt.Cdr. W.A.K.N. Cavaye, RN) departed from Gibraltar for her 1st war patrol. This is a work up patrol in the Alboran Sea (East of Gibraltar).

[As no log is available for this period it is not possible to display a map.] (3)

22 Jan 1942
At 1410A/22, HMS Tempest (Lt.Cdr. W.A.K.N. Cavaye, RN) sighted a 2000 tons merchant vessel in position 36°36'N, 03°01'W, which turned out to be Spanish proceeding on course 085° at a speed of 7 to 8 knots. HMS Tempest then carried out a practice attack.

1630A/22, in approximately the same position two rather small merchant vessels were sighted. These too carried Spanish markings and were also proceeding westwards on course 085°.

23 Jan 1942
During the day, HMS Tempest (Lt.Cdr. W.A.K.N. Cavaye, RN) sighted a total of five merchant vessels all thought to be Spanish.

24 Jan 1942
During the day, HMS Tempest (Lt.Cdr. W.A.K.N. Cavaye, RN) sighted a total of four merchant vessels all thought to be Spanish.

25 Jan 1942
During the night and early morning hours, HMS Tempest (Lt.Cdr. W.A.K.N. Cavaye, RN) sighted a merchant vessel and a total of eight fishing vessels all thought to be Spanish.

26 Jan 1942
During the night and early morning hours, HMS Tempest (Lt.Cdr. W.A.K.N. Cavaye, RN) sighted three westbound merchant vessels all thought to be Spanish.

27 Jan 1942
Around 1205A/27, HMS Tempest (Lt.Cdr. W.A.K.N. Cavaye, RN) ended her 1st war patrol at Gibraltar.

At 0055A/27, a westbound lighted merchant vessel was sighted. Most likely Spanish. (3)

1 Feb 1942
HMS Tempest (Lt.Cdr. W.A.K.N. Cavaye, RN) departed from Gibraltar for Malta.

(As no log is available for this period it is not possible to display a map.) (3)

8 Feb 1942
HMS Tempest (Lt.Cdr. W.A.K.N. Cavaye, RN) arrived at Malta. (3)

10 Feb 1942
HMS Tempest (Lt.Cdr. W.A.K.N. Cavaye, RN) departed from Malta for her 2nd war patrol. She is to patrol in the Gulf of Taranto in a line with HMS Una (Lt. D.S.R. Martin, RN) and HMS Upright (Lt. J.W.D. Coombe, RN). HMS Tempest was in the centre of this patrol line.

At the end of this patrol Tempest was to proceed to Alexandria to join the 1st Submarine Flotilla based there. (4)