HMS Lady Shirley
Encyclopedia
HMS Lady Shirley (ASW) was a fishing trawler requisitioned by the Royal Navy
in 1940 and converted for anti-submarine warfare
. In its brief career it sunk German submarine U-111
.
under the command of Lt Cdr Arthur Henry Callaway DSO
RANVR
.
On 4 October 1941, German submarine U-111 was sunk by Lady Shirley south-west of Tenerife
, in position 27º15'N, 20º27'W, by depth charges. Of the U-boat crew of 52, 8 were killed and 44 survived. The survivors were later interrogated. The sinking of U-111 by Lady Shirley was the first time prisoners of war were captured from a U-boat operating in the South Atlantic.
German survivors claimed it was the first U-Boat to be lost of those operating in that area. According to the lengthy interrogation report, the crew of U-111 put up a poor fight and surrendered speedily to their much less powerful adversary. The crew of U-111 consisted of four officers, three chief petty officers, fourteen petty officers and thirty ratings plus an officer under instruction as a prospective U-Boat Captain. The Captain, Kapitänleutnant Wilhelm Kleinschmidt
, First Lieutenant, Junior Officer and five ratings were killed in the action with the Lady Shirley. POWs said that the normal complement was 43 including officers.
POWs were taken by the Lady Shirley to Gibraltar and then by British warship to England with a convoy. Several members of the Lady Shirley were injured and one killed in the fighting that occurred after the U-boat surfaced.
On 11 December 1941 Lady Shirley was hit by one torpedo from German submarine U-374 and sunk in the Straits of Gibraltar in position 35°59′N 5°17′W. All 33 hands on board were lost with the ship.
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
in 1940 and converted for anti-submarine warfare
Anti-submarine warfare
Anti-submarine warfare is a branch of naval warfare that uses surface warships, aircraft, or other submarines to find, track and deter, damage or destroy enemy submarines....
. In its brief career it sunk German submarine U-111
German submarine U-111 (1940)
German submarine U-111 was a Type IXB U-boat of the German Kriegsmarine during World War II. U-111 was ordered by the Kriegsmarine on 8 August 1939 in violation of the Treaty of Versailles and as part of the German naval rearmament program known as Plan Z. Her keel was laid down by AG Weser in...
.
Service record
After conversion, which included fitting an ASDIC anti-submarine dome, the ship went into service in January 1941 and served with the 31st Anti-Submarine Group based at GibraltarGibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
under the command of Lt Cdr Arthur Henry Callaway DSO
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
RANVR
RANVR
Royal Australian Naval Volunteer Reserve is a defunct reserve force of the Royal Australian Navy. The current Royal Australian Naval Reserve was formed in June 1973, from a merger of the RANVR and the RANR ....
.
On 4 October 1941, German submarine U-111 was sunk by Lady Shirley south-west of Tenerife
Tenerife
Tenerife is the largest and most populous island of the seven Canary Islands, it is also the most populated island of Spain, with a land area of 2,034.38 km² and 906,854 inhabitants, 43% of the total population of the Canary Islands. About five million tourists visit Tenerife each year, the...
, in position 27º15'N, 20º27'W, by depth charges. Of the U-boat crew of 52, 8 were killed and 44 survived. The survivors were later interrogated. The sinking of U-111 by Lady Shirley was the first time prisoners of war were captured from a U-boat operating in the South Atlantic.
German survivors claimed it was the first U-Boat to be lost of those operating in that area. According to the lengthy interrogation report, the crew of U-111 put up a poor fight and surrendered speedily to their much less powerful adversary. The crew of U-111 consisted of four officers, three chief petty officers, fourteen petty officers and thirty ratings plus an officer under instruction as a prospective U-Boat Captain. The Captain, Kapitänleutnant Wilhelm Kleinschmidt
Wilhelm Kleinschmidt
Kapitänleutnant Wilhelm Kleinschmidt was captain of U-111 during World War II which was sunk on 4 October 1941 by HMS Lady Shirley a Royal Navy Anti-submarine warfare trawler when he was killed in action....
, First Lieutenant, Junior Officer and five ratings were killed in the action with the Lady Shirley. POWs said that the normal complement was 43 including officers.
POWs were taken by the Lady Shirley to Gibraltar and then by British warship to England with a convoy. Several members of the Lady Shirley were injured and one killed in the fighting that occurred after the U-boat surfaced.
On 11 December 1941 Lady Shirley was hit by one torpedo from German submarine U-374 and sunk in the Straits of Gibraltar in position 35°59′N 5°17′W. All 33 hands on board were lost with the ship.