| Navy | The Royal Navy |
| Type | Submarine |
| Class | Ferraris |
| Pennant | P 711 |
| Built by | Cantieri Tosi (Taranto, Italy) |
| Ordered | |
| Laid down | 15 Oct 1931 |
| Launched | 19 Mar 1934 |
| Commissioned | 19 Jun 1940 |
| End service | |
| History | The Italian submarine Galileo Galilei was stationed in the Red Sea in June 1940. While on patrol her air-conditioning unit malfunctioned and she was forced to the surface where she was engaged by British warships until she was captured south of Aden in position 12º48'N, 45º12'E by the British ASW trawler HMS Moonstone. She was named X 2 by the Royal Navy and in June 1942 she was renamed P 711. She was used as a training boat. |
Commands listed for HMS P 711 (P 711)
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. (retired) Patrick Ernest Heathfield, RN | 22 Sep 1940 | Ca. late41 |
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Notable events involving P 711 include:
10 Sep 1940
Convoy BN 5.
This convoy departed Bombay on 10 September 1940.
On departure from Bombay is was made up of the following transports; Akbar (British, 4043 GRT, built 1924), Crista (British, 2590 GRT, built 1938), Jalaganga (British, 4981 GRT, built 1936), Karoa (British, 7009 GRT, built 1915), Santhia (British, 7754 GRT, built 1925) and Talma (British, 10000 GRT, built 1923).
On departure from Bombay she was escorted by the armed merchant cruisers HMS Antenor (Capt.(Retd.) D.I. McGillewie, RN) and HMS Hector (Capt.(Retd.) R.W.M. Lloyd, DSO, RN).
Around 1230D/16, the light cruiser HMS Caledon (Capt. C.P. Clarke, RN) took over the escort duties from both armed merchant cruisers which then set course to return to Bombay.
Around 0600D/18, the sloop HMS Auckland (Cdr. J.G. Hewitt, DSO, RN) joined the convoy.
On the 19th, the following merchant vessels joined coming from Aden; Alavi (British, 3566 GRT, built 1924), Ancylus (British (tanker), 8017 GRT, built 1935), Ashbury (British, 3901 GRT, built 1924), Bankura (British, 3185 GRT, built 1912), Bhima (British, 5280 GRT, built 1939), British Emperor (British (tanker), 3663 GRT, built 1916), City of Christiania (British, 4940 GRT, built 1921), Clearpool (British, 5405 GRT, built 1935), Cyclops (British, 9076 GRT, built 1906), Glenlea (British, 4252 GRT, built 1930), Guido (British, 3921 GRT, built 1920), Heron (British, 2374 GRT, built 1937), Nils Moller (British (tanker), 6907 GRT, built 1922), Ovington Court (British, 6095 GRT, built 1924), Pellicula (British (tanker), 6254 GRT, built 1936), Theseus (British, 6527 GRT, built 1908), Tomislav (Yugoslavia, 5387 GRT, built 1928), Treminnard (British, 4964 GRT, built 1922) and Westralia (British, 4568 GRT, built 1937).
The captured Italian submarine HMS X 2 (?) were also part of the convoy. With her was the salvage vessel Protector (British, 562 GRT, built 1906).
They were escorted by the light cruiser HMS Leander (from the New Zealand Division) (Capt. H.E. Horan, RN) and the sloops HMIS Indus (Cdr. E.G.G. Hunt, RIN) and HMAS Parramatta (Lt.Cdr. J.H. Walker, MVO, RAN). HMAS Parramatta had actually conducted an A/S sweep ahead of the convoy and then joined it. HMS Caledon remained with the convoy until the vicinity of Perim.
The tanker Crista was detached from the original convoy from Bombay and arrived at Aden on the 19th.
Soon after departure both engines of HMS X 2 broke down and she had to be towed back to Aden arriving on the 20th.
On 20 September 1940, the convoy was attacked by Italian aircraft but no damage was done.
On 21 September 1940, Italian aircraft again attacked and the merchant vessel Bhima was hit and had to return to Aden being towed by the merchant vessel Ashbury. HMS Caledon and the sloop HMAS Yarra (Lt.Cdr. W.H. Harrington, RAN) were sent from Aden to escort them back there.
On 23 September 1940, six ships from the convoy arrived at Port Sudan having been detached from the convoy the previous day. These were Akbar, Alavi, Bankura, British Emperor, Santhia and Talma. They had been escorted to Port Sudan by HMAS Parramatta.
On 23 September 1940, HMS Leander, HMS Auckland and HMIS Indus parted company with the convoy and sloop HMS Grimsby (Cdr. K.J. D'Arcy, RN) joined.
The eight fastest ships of the convoy arrived at Suez on 26 September 1940 escorted by HMS Grimsby, the remaining eight (slower) ships arrived the following day. They had been unescorted during the last part of their voyage. (1)
27 Nov 1940
Convoy BN 10.
On departure from Bombay the convoy was made up of the following transports; El Madina (British, 3962 GRT, built 1937), Talamba (British, 8018 GRT, built 1924) and Talma (British, 10000 GRT, built 1923).
It was escorted by the armed merchant cruiser HMS Hector (Capt.(Retd.) F. Howard, DSC, RN).
Around 1310C/1, the light cruiser HMAS Hobart (Capt. H.L. Howden, RAN) relieved HMS Hector in position 14°11'N, 53°03'E.
At 0700C/3, the sloop HMIS Indus (Cdr. E.G.G. Hunt, RIN) joined in position 12°22'N, 45°30'E.
At 1630C/3, the convoy joined the ' Aden section ' of the convoy in position 12°25'N, 43°40'E.
The Aden section was made up of the following transports / tankers; Alcides (British, 7634 GRT, built 1930), Aldington Court (British, 4891 GRT, built 1929), Alpherat (Dutch, 5759 GRT, built 1928), British Destiny (British (tanker), 8470 GRT, built 1937), California Star (British, 8300 GRT, built 1938), City of Auckland (British, 8336 GRT, built 1914), City of Dunkirk (British, 5861 GRT, built 1912), Doris (Greek, 4604 GRT, built 1917), Elizabeth Moller (British, 4353 GRT, built 1906), Garmula (British, 5254 GRT, built 1920), Gazana (British, 5284 GRT, built 1920), Hatasu (British, 3198 GRT, built 1921), Islami (British, 5879 GRT, built 1934), Macoma (Dutch (tanker), 8069 GRT, built 1936), Naringa (British, 6607 GRT, built 1923), Nyholm (Norwegian (tanker), 5843 GRT, built 1927), Pontfield (British (tanker), 8319 GRT, built 1940), Riley (British, 4993 GRT, built 1936), Silvermaple (British, 5313 GRT, built 1937), Star of Suez (Egyptian, 4999 GRT, built 1926), Sygna (Norwegian, 3881 GRT, built 1907), Tanafjord (Norwegian, 5922 GRT, built 1921) and Trentbank (British, 5060 GRT, built 1929).
The captured Italian submarine HMS X 2 (Lt.Cdr.(Retd.) P.E. Heathfield, RN) was also part of the convoy.
The ' Aden section ' of the convoy was escorted by the AA cruiser HMS Carlisle (Capt. G.M.B. Langley, OBE, RN), destroyer HMS Kimberley (Lt.Cdr. J.S.M. Richardson, RN) and sloop HMS Auckland (Cdr. J.G. Hewitt, DSO, RN).
Around 1750C/5, in position 18°08'N, 40°08'E the transport Talma parted company to proceed to Port Sudan. She was escorted by HMS Calcutta and HMS Kimberley.
Around 0530C/5, the Alcides, Sygna and parted company to proceed to Port Sudan escorted by HMIS Indus.
The transport Islami also parted company to proceed to Jeddah.
Around 1600C/6, HMS Kimberley rejoined having fuelled at Port Sudan.
Around 1200C/7, convoy BN 10 and convoy BS 10 met in position 21°50'N, 37°50'E. HMAS Hobart, HMS Kimberley and HMS Auckland joined convoy BS 10 and the sloops HMS Grimsby (Cdr. K.J. D'Arcy, RN) and HMIS Clive (Cdr. H.R. Inigo-Jones, RIN) took over the escort of convoy BN 10.
One hour later HMS Kimberley was ordered to escort the transport Talma to convoy BN 10. This ship had been escorted to the rendezvous position from Port Sudan by HMIS Indus. HMIS Indus then joined convoy BS 10. After the Talma had rejoined convoy BN 10, HMS Kimberely proceeded south again to rejoin convoy BS 10.
Convoy BN 10, escorted by HMS Grimsby and HMIS Clive arrived at Suez on 10 December 1940. (1)
Sources
- ADM 199/383
ADM numbers indicate documents at the British National Archives at Kew, London.