HMS Truant (N68)

HMS Truant
History
United Kingdom
Builder:	Vickers Armstrong, Barrow
Laid down:	24 March 1938
Launched:	5 May 1939
Commissioned:	31 October 1939
Identification:	Pennant number: N68
Fate:	Sold for breaking up, wrecked under tow December 1946
General characteristics
Class and type:	T-class submarine
Displacement:	1,090 tons surfaced 1,575 tons submerged
Length:	275 ft (84 m)
Beam:	26 ft 6 in (8.08 m)
Draught:	16.3 ft (5.0 m)
Propulsion:	Two shafts Twin diesel engines 2,500 hp (1,900 kW) each Twin electric motors 1,450 hp (1,080 kW) each
Speed:	15.25 knots (28.24 km/h; 17.55 mph) surfaced 9 knots (17 km/h; 10 mph) submerged
Range:	4,500 nautical miles (8,300 km; 5,200 mi) at 11 knots (20 km/h; 13 mph) surfaced
Test depth:	300 ft (91 m) max
Complement:	59
Armament:	6 × internal forward-facing 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes 4 × external forward-facing torpedo tubes 6 × reload torpedoes 1 × 4-inch (102 mm) deck gun

HMS Truant was a T-class submarine of the Royal Navy. She was laid down by Vickers Armstrong, Barrow and launched on the 5 May 1939.

Truant had a relatively active career serving in the main naval theatres of war - Home waters, the Mediterranean and the Pacific Far East.

Truant's first major victory came when she torpedoed and damaged the German light cruiser Karlsruhe off Kristiansand, Norway, which disabled both engines and power stations. Karlsruhe had to be scuttled with two torpedoes by the German torpedo boat Greif. Truant later attacked the British merchant Alster, unaware that it had been recently captured from the Germans, but her torpedoes missed. She also intercepted the German merchant Tropic Sea. Tropic Sea had formerly been in Norwegian service, but had been captured by the German armed merchant cruiser Orion in the South Pacific. As well as 8,000 tons of wheat, she had on board the captain and 22 survivors of the British SS Haxby, which had been sunk by the raider, as well as her own Norwegian crew.Tropic Sea was scuttled by the German prize crew in the Bay of Biscay. Truant embarked the captain and survivors of Haxby, and the master of Tropic Sea and his wife. The majority of the Norwegians were rescued by British flying boats.

Truant had a narrow escape, when she was attacked by the River-class submarine Clyde, who had mistaken her for an enemy submarine. Fortunately, Clyde's torpedoes missed.

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Wikipedia