HMS Scorcher

HMS Scorcher was an S-class submarine of the Royal Navy, and part of the Third Group built of that class. She was built by Cammell Laird and launched on 18 December 1944. So far she has been the only ship of the Royal Navy to bear the name Scorcher. She was launched by Thomas Beacham, a Foreman Driller employed by Cammell Laird.

Scorcher
History
United Kingdom
Class and type: S-class submarine
Name: Scorcher
Ordered: 7 April 1943
Builder: Cammell Laird, Birkenhead
Laid down: 14 December 1943
Launched: 18 December 1944
Commissioned: 16 March 1945
Fate: broken up, 1962
Badge:
General characteristics
Displacement:
  • 814-872 tons surfaced
  • 990 tons submerged
Length: 217 ft (66 m)
Beam: 23 ft 6 in (7.16 m)
Draught: 11 ft (3.4 m)
Speed:
  • 14.75 knots surfaced
  • 8 knots submerged
Complement: 48 officers and men
Armament:
  • 6 × forward 21 inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes, one aft
  • 13 torpedoes
  • one three-inch (76 mm) gun (QF 4-inch on later boats)
  • one 20 mm cannon
  • three .303-calibre machine gun

Built as the Second World War was drawing to a close, she did not see much action. Along with her sisters, HMS Sirdar and Scythian, Scorcher took part in the search for the missing HMS Affray in 1951. Scorcher too had her fair share of accidents. She was damaged in a collision on 4 February 1956, and suffered a fire during exercises on 22 November 1956.[1] In 1953 she took part in the Fleet Review to celebrate the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.[2]

Scorcher was eventually paid off and broken up at Charlestown in 1962.

References
  1. HMS Scorcher, Uboat.net
  2. Souvenir Programme, Coronation Review of the Fleet, Spithead, 15th June 1953, HMSO, Gale and Polden

References
  • Akermann, Paul (2002). Encyclopaedia of British Submarines 1901–1955 (reprint of the 1989 ed.). Penzance, Cornwall: Periscope Publishing. ISBN 978-1-904381-05-1.
  • Bagnasco, Erminio (1977). Submarines of World War Two. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-0-87021-962-7.
  • Chesneau, Roger, ed. (1980). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946. Greenwich, UK: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 978-0-85177-146-5.
  • Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969]. Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy (Rev. ed.). London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN 978-1-86176-281-8.
  • McCartney, Innes (2006). British Submarines 1939–1945. New Vanguard. 129. Oxford, UK: Osprey. ISBN 978-1-84603-007-9.
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