HMS X2 was an Archimedes-class submarine operated by the British Royal Navy during World War Two. Originally the Italian Regina Marina submarine Galileo Galilei, it was captured on 19 June 1940 after an engagement with the British anti-submarine warfare trawler HMS Moonstone.
Towed to Port Said, she was repaired and commissioned into the Royal Navy as HMS X2. This was later changed to HMS P711. During her service she as used as a training submarine in the east. Following the conclusion of the Second World War she was scrapped in January 1946.
Galileo GalileiGalileo GalileiGalileo Galilei being captured 19 June 1940 by the British armed trawler MoonstoneGalileo Galilei after her capture along with along with HMS KandaharHMS X2 (ex-Galileo Galilei) at Aden after her capture showing the damage to her finGalileo Galilei after her captureGalileo Galilei after being capturedGalileo Galilei after being captured
HMS Seal was a Grampas-class minelaying submarine of the British Royal Navy. Launched on 28 September 1938, she was commissioned on 28 January 1939.
On 4 May 1940 after laying a minefield in the Skagerrak, Seal was hunted by German trawlers after being spotted by aircraft. Successfully avoiding the trawlers, she ran into an uncharted minefield. Suffering considerable damage she sank to the bottom and waited until nightfall before attempting to surface.
After considerable difficulty, the crew managed to raise her, but she could no longer submerge and damage to her rudder meant she could only steer in reverse. After destroying all confidential papers and equipment Seal made for Sweden and internment. Unfortunately she was spotted by two Arado Ar 196 floatplanes, which were soon joined by a Henkel He 115. With his guns out of action, wounded crew members and unable to dive, Captain Lonsdale surrendered.
Despite the crew’s expectation that the submarine would sink by herself as she was listing and holed, the Germans managed to salvage her. She was repaired at huge cost, renamed UB and used as a training ship and for propaganda purposes. A lack of spares and high maintenance costs saw her paid off, stripped and abandoned in 1943. KMS UB was never used operationally against British forces.
HMS SealHMS SealHMS Seal after being capturedFlags after the surrender of HMS SealKMS UJ 128 towing HMS Seal toward Frederikshavn, Denmark. Note the white surrender flag on Seal’s periscopeGermans examining HMS Seal20mm cannon damage to HMS SealHMS Seal riddled with gunfire at Frederikshavn after she was captured on May 5th 1940HMS Seal after being capturedHMS Seal in Kiel after her captureHMS Seal at the Krupp Shipyard ready to be refurbished as a German U-boat. Note the unidentified German light cruiserHMS Seal undergoing repairs at Frederikshavn, Denmark, May 1940The first German crew to man UB (ex-HMS Seal). The photo was probably taken at the commissioning ceremonyKMS UB (ex-HMS Seal) being taken by its German crew for a trial run. UB was never used as a warships against the British
HMS K4 was a K-class submarine of the British Royal Navy. Launched on 13 July 1916, she was commissioned on 1 January 1917.
K4 had an accident prone career, first being stranded on Walney Island in January 1917, followed by a collision with HMS K1 on 17 November 1917. This resulted in the loss of K1 although her crew were rescued.
On 31 January 1918, during a night time fleet exercise K4 was sunk after colliding with K6 and K7, while she was attempting to avoid K3. HMS K4 was lost with all hands.
HMS K-4 at sea with diesel engines runningHMS K4 at seaHMS K3 and HMS K4 at seaHMS King George V at anchor in the Firth of Forth, 1917 with the submarine HMS K4 alongsideHMS K-4 on the shallows of Walney Island at low tide, January 1917HMS K4 BeachedHMS K-4 on the shallows of Walney Island at low tide, January 1917
