A Kiwi Submariner

[kiwi_2005]

All new to me I stubbled on this article the other night half asleep I bookmarked the page and hit the sack ready to read it the next day. Ive always wondered if kiwis served in submarines during the war, ships, airforce & army yes but hardly anything is mention about them serving on subs. Till I found this. 200 kiwis served on british submarines one was given command of his own sub the UPROAR.

Thode was not the only Kiwi in the Alexandria-based submarines, others like him were RNZNVR men now mobilised, who volunteered for the submarine service, while some were Kiwis who had joined the RN pre-war. A total of some 200 New Zealand officers and ratings served in British submarines during the War. All the Kiwis who served in submarines had to reach a high level of training to earn their Dolphins, the badge for the qualified submariners. Some were unlucky; five Kiwis were lost with their shipmates when their boats were sunk by the enemy.
Another Kiwi, Larry Herrick, who had joined the Royal Navy in 1936 from Napier, was given command of a U-class submarine, which had previously had only a pennant number, ‘P31’. Herrick was informed that the boat was to be named ‘Ullswater’ but that was not appealing to any sailor; Herrick suggested instead UPROAR, which was accepted.

Full article
http://www.navy.mil.nz/know-your-nav...submariner.htm

[Sailor Steve]

Cool stuff!