RN Submarine Minelaying in WW2

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Accessed: 14Aug2018-08-14

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MINELAYING - Battles, Major Warship Losses
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Part 1 of 2 - Navies Daily, 1939-42
- Admiralty War Diaries

HMS Express, served as minelaying destroyer, badly damaged on to Part 2

1940 - see Heligoland Bight (Navy Photos, click to enlarge) or World War 2, 1939-1945

by Geoffrey B Mason, Lieutenant Commander, RN (Rtd) (c) 2006

Contents Part 1 Part 2

These six papers,

between them,
give a valuable 1. Surface Ship 5. Minelaying by
summary of Minelaying, 1939 to Light Coastal
Royal Naval 1945 Forces in Home
minelaying Waters And
operations in Mediterranean,
World War 2, a 1940 to 1945
largely neglected 2. Annual Summary of
area of study. Operations
Worldwide
Click for list of 6. Types of British
Royal Navy Code Mines Used
Names, including between 1939 and
Minefields 3. Surface Ships Used 1945 by Surface
for Minelaying 1939 Minelayers
To 1945
 4. Chronological
Sequence of
Submarine Minelaying
Operations 1939-45

1. SURFACE SHIP MINELAYING, 1939 to 1945

This Monograph outlines surface minelaying operations by Royal Navy warships during
WW2. It was prepared for the Librarian of the Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust. Further
details are available in the Naval Staff History (Mining) copies of which are held in the
National Archives at Kew and in the Naval Historical Branch, HM Dockyard Portsmouth.
Reference can also be made to the individual Chronologies of War Service for the warships
listed in this Digest. These contain the identity and dates of the individual Operations
concerned.

Introduction

This digest of minelaying covers the activities of major war vessels, submarines and coastal
forces craft and excludes the very extensive minelaying carried out by aircraft. Apart from
the Naval Staff History "British Mining Operations 1939-45" which provides a
comprehensive record of all these activities and some details in Roskill's "War at Sea”, very
few details are available about this arduous and dangerous work.

British minelaying operations were carried out from the day that hostilities commenced
until 10 May 1945 when the submarine RORQUAL laid 44 mines off Thousand Islands in the
Pacific. They were carried out in all types of weather and ships deployed in coastal waters
had the additional hazard of enemy mines apart from encounters with hostile warships and
aircraft.
Three types of minelaying can easily be identified. Defensive minefields, as laid in the Dover
Straits, along the East Coast of UK and in the North Atlantic, including the Denmark Strait.
Anti-submarine traps as placed in both the NW and SW Approaches, the Irish Sea and
English Channel.

The overall effect of the Defensive Barriers cannot be said to have been worth the very
considerable expenditure of material and manpower. On the other hand, Offensive
minelaying, particularly by aircraft was far more rewarding in terms of the ratio of mines
laid to casualties inflicted. Minefields laid in shallow coastal waters, especially those with a
high density of shipping, not only disrupted enemy shipping but also made necessary the
deployment of significant numbers of mine countermeasures vessels.

At the beginning of the war a programme was in hand to convert a number of merchant
ships for use in laying large numbers of mines to establish Defensive Barrier minefields. The
only Offensive minelaying capability available was that provided by the cruiser ADVENTURE,
the six "E" and "I" Class destroyers designed for this duty, six submarines with a minelaying
capability and a Coastal Minelayers (PLOVER). Construction of new Fast Minelayers of the
ABDIEL Class was not completed and the "T" Class submarines which were designed for
minelaying had not yet joined the Fleet. (See Appendix I.)

The following Table shows the number of mines in the different types of minefield laid by
surface warships.

Analysis of Mines Laid

Type of Minefield No. of Mines Effort (%)

Defensive 159,992 60
Deep Trap 26,546 10
Offensive by Major 11,223 2
Vessels
Offensive by Coastal 10,443 7
Forces and
Submarine
Offensive by Aircraft 55,646 21

Total 263,850 100

Offensive Minefields - Proportion of Effort and Results

 Type of Vessel Mines Laid (%) Casualties (%)

Fast Minelayers 54 19
Submarines 16 28
Coastal Forces Craft 30 53

Royal Navy minelaying amounted to 28% of total number of mines laid and 13% of total
casualties. For mines laid by aircraft, the proportion was 72% for 87% of total casualties.

4. CHRONOLOGICAL SEQUENCE OF SUBMARINE MINELAYING OPERATIONS

1939-45

(for more ship information, go to Naval History Homepage and type name in Site Search)

Click here for Service histories of some of the Submarines listed.

HMS Seal (NP)

Operation Date Submarine Mines Geographic

Laid Area

1940

FD 1 4 Apl 1940 NARWHAL 50 MkXVI Heligoland

Bight.
FD 5 13 Apl 1940 NARWHAL 50 MkXVI Laeso
Channel,
Norway.
FD 6 1 May 1940 NARWHAL 50 MkXVI Hirsholm,
Norway.
FD 7 4 May 1940 SEAL + 50 MkXVI Vinga,
Kattegat,
Norway.
+ SEAL subsequently captured.
FD 14 10 May 1940 RUBIS (FS) 32 SH4 Egersund,
(French) Norway.
FD 12 11 May 1940 NARWHAL 50 MkXVI North of Bud,
Norway.
FD 11 15 May 1940 PORPOISE 48 Mk Hovden Island,
XVI Norway.
FD 15 27 May 1940 RUBIS (FS) 32 SH4 North of
(French) Haugesund,
Norway.
FD 16 3 Jun 1940 NARWHAL 50 MkXVI Jaerens Rev,
Norway.
FD 17 9 Jun 1940 RUBIS (FS) 32 SH4 North of
(French) Bergen,
Norway.
FD 19 12 Jun 1940 NARWHAL 50 MkXVI North of
Haugesund,
Norway.
None 13 Jun 1940 GRAMPUS + 50 MkXVI Off Augusta,
Sicily
+ GRAMPUS subsequently lost on 16 June.
FD 18 14 Jun 1940 PORPOISE 50 MkXVI Ramsey Fjord,
Trondheim.
None 14 Jun 1940 RORQUAL 50 MkXVI Off Brindisi,
Italy.
FD 20 26 Jun 1940 RUBIS (FS) 32 SH4 Yetr Fjord,
(French) Trondheim.
FD 21 4 Jul 1940 NARWHAL 50 MkXVI Grip Holen,
Trondheim.
FD 22 Jul 1940 NARWHAL + 50 MkXVI Griptarene,
4-4- Trondheim
+ NARWHAL was presumed lost on 31 July
None 21 Jul 1940 RORQUAL 50 MkXVI Off Tolmieta,
Cyrenaica.
FD 23 29 Jul 1940 PORPOISE 50 MkXVI Heligoland
Bight.
None 17 Aug 1940 RORQUAL 50 MkXVI Off Taukra,
Cyrenaica.
FD 24 19 Aug 1940 CACHALOT 50 MkXVI West of
Gironde
FD 26 13 Sep 1940 PORPOISE 48 MkXVI North of La
Rochelle
FD 27 23 Sep 1940 CACHALOT 50 MkXVI Point
Penmarch
area.
None 4 Oct 1940 RORQUAL 50 MkXVI Off Taukra,
Cyrenaica.
None 5 Nov 1940 RORQUAL 50 MkXVI Off Misurata,
Tripolitania.
None 9 Nov 1940 RORQUAL 50 MkXVI Off Misurata,
Tripolitania.

1941

FD 28 26 Jan 1941 CACHALOT 50 MkXVI Off Bud,

Norway.
None 28 Jan 1941 RORQUAL 50 MkXVI Two fields in
Adriatic -
Sansegolsland,
and off
Ancona.
FD 30 15 Feb 1941 CACHALOT 50 MkXVI Vest Fjord,
Narvik area.
None 25 Mar 1941 RORQUAL 10 MkXVI Palermo
Approaches.
None 26 Mar 1941 RORQUAL 40 MkXVI Trapani
Approaches.
FD 32 28 Mar 1941 CACHALOT 50 MkXVI Gironde area.
None 11 May 1941 RORQUAL 50 MkXVI Off Salonika,
Greece.
FD 33 21 Aug 1941 RUBIS (FS) 18 Egersund.,
Vickers Norway.
TIII 4 ***
*** 14 mines not laid due to battery damage
after attack on two merchant ships.
None 26 Aug 1941 RORQUAL 50 MkXVI Off Zante
Island, Corinth.
None 8 Oct 1941 RORQUAL 50 MkXVI Gulf of Athens.
None 21 Oct 1941 RORQUAL 10 MkXVI Off Cavioli Is. ,
Sardinia
None 22 Oct 1941 RORQUAL 40 MkXVI Off Cape
Ferrate,
Sardinia.
FD 34 19 Nov 1941 RORQUAL 50 MkXVI Off La
Rochelle.

1942

None 11 Jan 1942 PORPOISE 46 MkXVI Suda Bay,

Crete.
FD 36 16 Jan 1942 RUBIS (FS) 32 Off St. Jean de
Vickers Luz.
TIII
FD 37 21 Mar 1942 RUBIS (FS) 32 Heligoland
Vickers Bight.
TIII
FD 38 12 Apl 1942 RUBIS (FS) 32 Grip Holen,
Vickers Norway.
TIII
FD39 5 Jun 1942 RUBIS (FS) 32 Bayonne -
Vickers Bordeaux area.
TIII
FD 40 7 Jul 1942 RUBIS (FS) 31 Bayone-
Vickers Bordeaux area.
TIII
None 12 Aug 1942 PORPOISE 46 MkVI Ras-el-Tin,
Cyrenaica
FD41 14 Aug 1942 RUBIS (FS) 32 Arachon Point
Vickers
TIII ***
*** 30 mines not laid because of defect in
mine rails
None 30 Aug 1942 RORQUAL 15 MkVI SE of Corfu
FD42 19 Sept 1942 RUBIS (FS) 32 Malangan
Vickers Fjord, Tromso
TIII
None 3 Oct 1942 PORPOISE 46 MkXVI West of Tobruk
None 8 Dec 1942 RORQUAL 36 MkVI Cani Rocks, off
*** Bizerta
*** 3 mines not laid and discarded later in
deep water
None 13 Dec 1942 RORQUAL 11 Mk Off Ischia,
XVI Naples

1943

None 18 January 1943 RORQUAL 48 Mk Cani Rocks off

XVI *** Bizerta
*** Mine doors jammed initially – 2 mines
not laid.
None 24 Feb 1942 RORQUAL 50 SE Marettimo
MKXVI Is, Sicily
None 22 Mar 1942 RORQUAL 50 Off Tranpani,
MKXVI Sicily
None 22 April 1942 RORQUAL 50 Off Favignana,
MKXVI Sicily
None 30 April 1943 RORQUAL 50 MkXVI Off Marettimo,
Sicily
None 15 May 1943 RORQUAL 50 MkVI Off Punta Stilo
None 2 July 1943 RORQUAL 29 MkXVI Gulf of
Kassandra,
Greece
3 July 1943 RORQUAL 21 Mk Skiathos
XVI Channel
Greece
FD43 5 July1943 RUBIS (FS) 32 MkXVI Arachon Point
FD44 5 Aug 1943 RUBIS (FS) 32 MkXVI Brest
None 5 Aug 1943 RORQUAL 29 MkXVI Gulf of
Salonika,
Greece
None 6 Aug 1943 RORQUAL 21 MkXVI Lemnos, N
Aegean Sea
FD45 30 Aug 1943 RUBIS (FS) 32 MkXVI Bayonne area
None 9 Sept 1943 RORQUAL 15 MkXVI Trikirich. N
Aegean
None 10 Sept 1943 RORQUAL 15 MkXVI Skiathos
Channel,
Greece
None 11 Sept 1943 RORQUAL 20 MkXVI Lemnos,N
Aegean Sea
FD46 2 Oct 1943 RUBIS (FS) 32 MkXVI Pointe de
Penmarch area

1944

FD47 24 Feb 1944 RUBIS (FS) 32 Arachon Point

Vickers area
TIII
ML02 14 Mar 1944 TRESPASSER 12 M MkII Mati Bank
Malacca Str,
ML01 19 Mar 1944 TAURUS 12 M MK Arca Is.
II Malacca Str.
FD48 25 Mar 1944 RUBIS (FS) 31 West of La
Vickers Rodhelle
TIII
ML03 18 Apl 1944 TAURUS 12 M Mk South of
II Penang
MLO4 13 May 1944 SURF 8 M MK Off Pulo
II Terutan,
Malaya
ML05 14 May 1944 TALLY HO 12 M MK Buja Shoal
II Malacca Str
ML06 16 May 1944 TACTICIAN 12 M Mk Langkawi Snd,
II Malaya
ML07 18 May 1944 SEA ROVER 8 M Mk II Sembilan Is.
Malacca Str
ML09 2 June 1944 TANTALUS 12 M Mk Dindings,
II Malaya
ML10 3 June 1944 STOIC 8 M Mk II North of
Penang,
Malaya
ML08 4 June1944 TEMPLAR 12 M Mk Dindings,
II Malaya
ML011 7 June 1944 TANTIVY 12 M Mk Sembilang Is.,
II Malacca Str.
ML012 14 June 1944 SURF 8 M Mk II Off Pulo
Terutan,
Malaya
ML013 24 June1944 TRUCULENT 12 M MkII Klang Strait,
Malay
ML014 6 July 1944 PORPOISE 30 Mk Off Deli River,
XVI Sumatra
None 8 July 1944 PORPOISE 10 M Mk Malacca Straits
II
16 MkXVI Off Deli River,
Sunatra
ML015 16 Sept 1944 TRENCHANT 12 M MkII Sembilang Ch.
Sumatra
ML016 24 Sept 1944 TUDOR 10 M Mk Off Pulo
II Lantar, Malaya
FD 49 24 Sep 1944 RUBIS (FS) 31 Jaerens Rev,
Vickers Norway.
TIII
FD50 8 Oct 1944 RUBIS (FS) 31Vickers North of
TIII Bergen,
Norway.
ML017 30 Oct 1944 TRADEWIND 12 M MkII Off Mergui,
Siam.
ML018 19 Nov 1944 THOROUGH 12 M MkII Outer Mati
Bank, Sumatra
FD 51 24 Nov 1944 RUBIS (FS) 32 Off Egersund,
Vickers Norway
TIII
ML019 9 Dec 1944 PORPOISE 50MKXVI Off Penang.
ML020 16 Dec 194 THULE 12 M MkII Off Terutan,
Malaya.
FD 52 4 to 19 Dec 1944 RUBIS (FS) 30 Jaerens Rev,
Vickers Norway.
TIII
ML021 23 Dec 1944 THOROUGH 12M MkII Off Terutan,
Malay

1945
 ML022 3 Jan 1945 RORQUAL 50 MkXVI Off Pukhet Is.
Malaya
None 3 Jan 1945 O19 (Neth) 40 Off Bataviua
Vickers
TIII
ML023 4 Jan 1945 RORQUAL 12 M Off Pukhet Is.
Mk1I Malaya
ML024 + Jan 1945 PORPOISE 12 M MkII Off Penang
ML025 + Jan 1945 PORPOISE + 49 M MkII Off Penang
+ Lay completed before loss of PORPOISE
ML026 22 Jan 1945 RORQUAL 50M MkII Ritchies
Archipelago
ML027 23 Jan 1945 RORQUAL 12M Mk II Andaman Is.
None 10 May 1945 RORQUAL 12 M MK Sea of 1,000
II) Islands.
50 M MkII Off Java

Statistics and Notes:

The ratio of mines laid to casualties for all submarine minelaying was 1:49

The figure for the coast of Norway alone was 1:29.

Submarine minelaying accounted for 28% of all casualties due to naval minelaying.

Submarines laid 3,429 mines which was 16% of all mines laid by naval forces.

Casualties due to submarine minelaying:

 62 Vessels sunk totalling 71,797 GRT

 8 Vessels damaged totalling 20,904 GRT.