Greek submarine Delfin
| History | |
|---|---|
.svg){kind=small} Greece
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| Ordered: | September 1910 |
| Builder: | Schneider Shipyards, Toulon |
| Laid down: | 1911 |
| Launched: | 1912 |
| Commissioned: | 21 August 1912 |
| Decommissioned: | 1920 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | Schneider-Laubeuf |
| Displacement: |
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| Length: | 50 m (160 ft) |
| Beam: | 4.7 m (15 ft) |
| Installed power: | 2 Schneider-Carels diesel engines, 2 Schneider electric motors, 2 shafts |
| Speed: |
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| Complement: | 24 |
| Armament: | 5 × 450mm T/T |
Delfin (Greek: Δελφίν, "dolphin") was a Greek submarine (actually called a "submersible", καταδυόμενον, according to the then current French terminology) which served during the Balkan Wars and World War I. It was the second submarine to enter service in the Greek navy, after the Nordenfelt I (in service 1886-1901), and is notable as the first submarine in the world to launch a torpedo attack (albeit without success) against a warship.
Delfin was ordered in 1910 from the Toulon shipyards along with its sister ship, Xifias. It was delivered to the Royal Hellenic Navy just before the outbreak of the First Balkan War. Its first captain, Lt Cmdr Stefanos Paparrigopoulos, together with the 17-man crew, had been sent to France to receive their training, which, in the event, was cut short when the outbreak of the war became inevitable. The Navy Ministry ordered them to sail home, and Delfin sailed from France on 29 September, arriving in Corfu on the very outbreak of the war, 4 October. This unescorted, non-stop journey of 1,100 miles set a world record and confirmed the abilities of its crew, despite their limited training. However, it also meant that no reserve crew could be trained, limiting its battle effectiveness due to the crew's fatigue.
From Corfu the submarine sailed to the main Greek naval station at Piraeus, where it remained until 19 October, its crew completing their training and preparations. From Piraeus, Delfin joined the Fleet at its forward anchorage of Moudros Bay in Lemnos, but did not sail out until the end of November, instead being engaged in diving exercises. Although the vessel was plagued by numerous mechanical problems, after 20 November it began patrolling outside the Dardanelles, retiring to Tenedos during the nights.
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