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HMS Totem (P352)
Encyclopedia
HMS Totem (pennant number P352) was a group three T class submarine
of the Royal Navy
which entered service in the last few months of World War II
. To-date, she is the only ship of the Royal Navy to have been named Totem.
The Totem was sold to Israel
in 1965 and commissioned into the Israeli Sea Corps
in 1967 as INS Dakar
. She sank whilst on passage from the United Kingdom
to Israel in January 1968.
by the Cowichan Tribes
in 1945, which was stolen during the 1950s when the boat was visiting Halifax, Canada
. The pole was fitted to the front of the bridge fin when the submarine was in harbour.
At the end of the war, all surviving Group 1 and Group 2 boats were scrapped, but the group 3 boats (which were of welded rather than riveted construction) were retained and fitted with snorkel mast
s.
In January 1948 it was formally acknowledged that the main operational function of the British submarine fleet would now be to intercept Soviet submarines slipping out of their bases in Northern Russia
to attack British and Allied merchant vessels. The following April, the Assistant Chief of Naval Staff, Rear-Admiral Geoffrey Oliver
circulated a paper in which he proposed that British submarines take a more offensive role by attacking Soviet submarines off the Northern Russian coast and mining the waters in the area. With the dramatically reduced surface fleet following the end of the Second World War, he commented that this was one of the few methods the Royal Navy had for "getting to the enemy on his home ground".
To accomplish this new role, Totem was one of eight boats which were extensively modified to become "Super T-Conversions", giving them higher speed and quieter operation underwater. Five further T-class submarines were given much less extensive streamlining improvements.
The work on Totem was done between 1951 and May 1953 at Chatham Dockyard
(which carried out all 8 Super T-Conversions), and involved inserting an additional 14 feet (4.3 m) long hull section to accommodate extra switchgear and an extra pair of electric motors and the batteries replaced. The hull was streamlined, which included the removal of the deck gun and the replacement of the bridge fin with a taller one enclosing the periscopes and masts. The radar
and sonar
were updated at the same time. After the submarine had returned to service, its top speed exceeded 18 knots (35.3 km/h), aided by the unofficial removal in the dockyard at Malta
of the housing for the airguard radar aerial which added 3/4 knot to her top speed.
Her captain at the time, Commander John Coote, reported that the modifications made evading her hunters during exercises easy, since the submarine could cover a mile in four minutes at 18 knots (35.3 km/h), and following another ten minutes running silently at 12 knots (23.5 km/h) could be 3 miles (4.8 km) away from the escort.
in 1965, along with two of her T-class sisters - HMS Truncheon
and Turpin
. She was commissioned
into the Israeli Sea Corps on 10 November 1967 as INS Dakar (דקר, Grouper) under the command of Lieutenant Commander Ya'acov Ra'anan.
On 9 January 1968, Dakar departed from Portsmouth
for Haifa
. On the morning of 15 January Dakar put into Gibraltar
, departing at midnight, and proceeded across the Mediterranean Sea
underwater using her snort mast. Her last position report was at 0610 on 24 January, when she gave a location just east of Crete
. There were three further routine messages which did not provide a position, the last being at 0002 on 25 January.
Despite an extensive search, no trace was found of the vessel. Her stern emergency marker buoy washed ashore on the coast of Khan Yunis
, an Arab town southwest of Gaza
, almost a year later, on 9 February 1969.
The wreck was finally discovered on 24 May 1999 at a depth of 3,000 meters (9,800 ft). The precise cause of the accident is not known but as no emergency measures appear to have been carried out it is thought that the submarine dived suddenly and rapidly past her maximum depth and suffered a catastrophic hull rupture. The emergency buoy was released by the violence of the hull collapse, and washed ashore after drifting for a year.
On 11 October 2000, Dakar’s bridge and forward edge of her sail were raised, and are now a memorial display in the Naval Museum in Haifa
.
British T class submarine
The Royal Navy's T class of diesel-electric submarines was designed in the 1930s to replace the O, P and R classes. Fifty-three members of the class were built just before and during the Second World War, where they played a major role in the Royal Navy's submarine operations...
of the Royal Navy
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...
which entered service in the last few months of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. To-date, she is the only ship of the Royal Navy to have been named Totem.
The Totem was sold to Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
in 1965 and commissioned into the Israeli Sea Corps
Israeli Sea Corps
The Israeli Navy is the naval arm of the Israel Defense Forces, operating primarily in the Mediterranean Sea theater as well as the Gulf of Aqaba and the Red Sea theater. The current commander in chief of the Israeli Navy is Aluf Ram Rothberg.-History:...
in 1967 as INS Dakar
INS Dakar
INS Dakar was the former modified British T-class submarine of the Royal Navy. In 1965, she was purchased by Israel as part of a group of three T-class submarines. She was commissioned into the Israeli Sea Corps in November 1967 and underwent sea and diving trials in Scotland. Dakar departed for...
. She sank whilst on passage from the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
to Israel in January 1968.
As HMS Totem
The submarine was presented with a totem poleTotem pole
Totem poles are monumental sculptures carved from large trees, mostly Western Red Cedar, by cultures of the indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast of North America...
by the Cowichan Tribes
Cowichan Tribes
The Cowichan Tribes First Nations government, located in and around the Cowichan Valley and Duncan, British Columbia, it is the single largest band government in British Columbia....
in 1945, which was stolen during the 1950s when the boat was visiting Halifax, Canada
City of Halifax
Halifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...
. The pole was fitted to the front of the bridge fin when the submarine was in harbour.
At the end of the war, all surviving Group 1 and Group 2 boats were scrapped, but the group 3 boats (which were of welded rather than riveted construction) were retained and fitted with snorkel mast
Submarine snorkel
A submarine snorkel is a device which allows a submarine to operate submerged while still taking in air from above the surface. Navy personnel often refer to it as the snort.-History:...
s.
In January 1948 it was formally acknowledged that the main operational function of the British submarine fleet would now be to intercept Soviet submarines slipping out of their bases in Northern Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
to attack British and Allied merchant vessels. The following April, the Assistant Chief of Naval Staff, Rear-Admiral Geoffrey Oliver
Geoffrey Oliver
Admiral Sir Geoffrey Nigel Oliver GBE, KCB, DSO & Two Bars was a British Royal Navy officer during the Second World War.-Early career:...
circulated a paper in which he proposed that British submarines take a more offensive role by attacking Soviet submarines off the Northern Russian coast and mining the waters in the area. With the dramatically reduced surface fleet following the end of the Second World War, he commented that this was one of the few methods the Royal Navy had for "getting to the enemy on his home ground".
To accomplish this new role, Totem was one of eight boats which were extensively modified to become "Super T-Conversions", giving them higher speed and quieter operation underwater. Five further T-class submarines were given much less extensive streamlining improvements.
The work on Totem was done between 1951 and May 1953 at Chatham Dockyard
Chatham Dockyard
Chatham Dockyard, located on the River Medway and of which two-thirds is in Gillingham and one third in Chatham, Kent, England, came into existence at the time when, following the Reformation, relations with the Catholic countries of Europe had worsened, leading to a requirement for additional...
(which carried out all 8 Super T-Conversions), and involved inserting an additional 14 feet (4.3 m) long hull section to accommodate extra switchgear and an extra pair of electric motors and the batteries replaced. The hull was streamlined, which included the removal of the deck gun and the replacement of the bridge fin with a taller one enclosing the periscopes and masts. The radar
Radar
Radar is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The radar dish or antenna transmits pulses of radio...
and sonar
Sonar
Sonar is a technique that uses sound propagation to navigate, communicate with or detect other vessels...
were updated at the same time. After the submarine had returned to service, its top speed exceeded 18 knots (35.3 km/h), aided by the unofficial removal in the dockyard at Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
of the housing for the airguard radar aerial which added 3/4 knot to her top speed.
INS Dakar
The submarine was purchased by IsraelIsrael
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
in 1965, along with two of her T-class sisters - HMS Truncheon
HMS Truncheon (P353)
HMS Truncheon was a group three T Class submarine of the Royal Navy which entered service in the last few months of World War II. So far she has been the only ship of the Royal Navy to be named Truncheon...
and Turpin
HMS Turpin (P354)
HMS Turpin was a group three T Class submarine of the Royal Navy which entered service in the last few months of World War II. So far she has been the only ship of the Royal Navy to be named Turpin...
. She was commissioned
Ship commissioning
Ship commissioning is the act or ceremony of placing a ship in active service, and may be regarded as a particular application of the general concepts and practices of project commissioning. The term is most commonly applied to the placing of a warship in active duty with its country's military...
into the Israeli Sea Corps on 10 November 1967 as INS Dakar (דקר, Grouper) under the command of Lieutenant Commander Ya'acov Ra'anan.
On 9 January 1968, Dakar departed from Portsmouth
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
for Haifa
Haifa
Haifa is the largest city in northern Israel, and the third-largest city in the country, with a population of over 268,000. Another 300,000 people live in towns directly adjacent to the city including the cities of the Krayot, as well as, Tirat Carmel, Daliyat al-Karmel and Nesher...
. On the morning of 15 January Dakar put into Gibraltar
Gibraltar
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...
, departing at midnight, and proceeded across the Mediterranean Sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
underwater using her snort mast. Her last position report was at 0610 on 24 January, when she gave a location just east of Crete
Crete
Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...
. There were three further routine messages which did not provide a position, the last being at 0002 on 25 January.
Despite an extensive search, no trace was found of the vessel. Her stern emergency marker buoy washed ashore on the coast of Khan Yunis
Khan Yunis
Khan Yunis - often spelt Khan Younis or Khan Yunnis - is a city and adjacent refugee camp in the southern part of the Gaza Strip. According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics the city, its refugee camp, and its immediate surroundings had a total population of 180,000 in 2006...
, an Arab town southwest of Gaza
Gaza
Gaza , also referred to as Gaza City, is a Palestinian city in the Gaza Strip, with a population of about 450,000, making it the largest city in the Palestinian territories.Inhabited since at least the 15th century BC,...
, almost a year later, on 9 February 1969.
The wreck was finally discovered on 24 May 1999 at a depth of 3,000 meters (9,800 ft). The precise cause of the accident is not known but as no emergency measures appear to have been carried out it is thought that the submarine dived suddenly and rapidly past her maximum depth and suffered a catastrophic hull rupture. The emergency buoy was released by the violence of the hull collapse, and washed ashore after drifting for a year.
On 11 October 2000, Dakar’s bridge and forward edge of her sail were raised, and are now a memorial display in the Naval Museum in Haifa
Haifa
Haifa is the largest city in northern Israel, and the third-largest city in the country, with a population of over 268,000. Another 300,000 people live in towns directly adjacent to the city including the cities of the Krayot, as well as, Tirat Carmel, Daliyat al-Karmel and Nesher...
.