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Desperate times call for desperate measures, this was definitely the case in the early years of the Second World War for the British. In 1940 the Royal Navy was struggling to keep up with the threat of German submarines. Escorts, minesweepers and training ships were in high demand, but in short supply. They used outdated vessels for all sorts of tasks, training of new crews of course, but operational uses as well, including surveillance. One of the craft used was the submarine HMS H-49. This boat was built just after the Great War and was commissioned on Oct. 25, 1919. One of 23 H-class submarines built, she was part of the group built in the U.K. (The others being built in Canada and the U.S.A.) Of the 23 boats built 2 were lost in the Great War, 3 others were lost in collisions in the 1920's and 2 were lost to enemy action in World War II. H-49 had been used to observe the Dutch coast and give early warning of any German ship movements. She sailed for the area again on Oct. 17, 1940, this time with a new commander, Lt. Richard E. Coltart, D.S.C., R.N. Early on the morning of the October 18, 1940 H-49 submerged for the day, but in the mid afternoon she surfaced off Texel Island. The area was covered in mist and nobody had seen the German sub chasers which were nearby. The soundman on H-49 apparently had not even picked up the screws of the ships. Once outside the boat Coltart or one of his men, sighted the Germans straight away and ordered the boat to dive. However a very observant German on Uj-116 had seen the submarine only 3,000 yards away and reported the sighting to his commander, Kapitänleutnant d. Res. Wolfgang Kaden, who ordered an immediate attack. Kaden in Uj-116 and a second sub chaser, Uj-118, searched the area until they found the boat. Four separate depth charge attacks were made against the target. A fifth was called off when a man was seen in the water. Kaden had the man picked up and interrogated. Leading Stoker George W. Oliver, who had been in the engine room of H-49, was the only survivor. He was blown out of the boat through a hatch or through an opening in the hull, it is unclear which was the case. Oliver spent the rest of the war as a prisoner of the Germans. The possible loss of H-49 was reported to the War Cabinet the following week, but not reported to the public until Nov. 11th. Forty-four years later the wreck of H-49 was located in 30 feet of water west of Texel, the site is now a war grave. The decision to surface during the day and why the German ships were not heard on the sound gear are questions that can never be answered. The only survivor was in the engine room at this time and could have no idea why these decisions were made. As for Kplt. Kaden, he was awarded the Ritterkreuz on Dec. 18, 1940 for sinking H-49 and was soon promoted to Korvettenkapitän. He was killed on July. 9, 1942 when his Uj-1110 was sunk by a mine laid by the Russian submarine K-21. |
© 2015 Michael W. Pocock MaritimeQuest.com |
Roll of Honour |
In memory of those who lost their lives in HMS H-49 "As long as we embrace them in our memory, their spirit will always be with us" |
Name |
Rate |
Notes |
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Amery, Jack |
Engine Room Artificer 3rd Class |
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Boyles, Alexander |
Stoker Petty Officer |
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Caie, Ernest J. |
Leading Telegraphist |
Mentioned in Despatches |
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Carew-Hunt, Adrian |
Sub-Lieutenant |
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Coleman, Frederick G. |
Able Seaman |
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Coltart, D.S.C., Richard E. |
Lieutenant |
Commanding Officer |
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Cotton, D.S.M., William A. |
Chief Engine Room Artificer |
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Cripps, Ronald V. |
Engine Room Artificer 2nd Class |
Mentioned in Despatches |
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Davidson, D.S.M., James H. |
Chief Petty Officer |
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Dearden, Lionel H. L. |
Sub-Lieutenant |
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Edmonds, Charles W. |
Able Seaman |
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Feary, Ernest W. |
Petty Officer |
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Gasser, Thomas J. |
Telegraphist |
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Goffe-Wood, William F. |
Stoker 1st Class |
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Herrett, Donald |
Stoker 1st Class |
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Hills, Fred G. |
Leading Signalman |
Mentioned in Despatches |
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Hobbs, Henry T. B. |
Able Seaman |
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Hull, John |
Telegraphist |
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Knowles, August C. |
Leading Signalman |
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McKay, Stewart N. |
Able Seaman |
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Peterkin, D.S.C. Claude H. |
Lieutenant |
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Simpson, Frank D. |
Stoker 1st Class |
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Soar, Patrick J. |
Stoker 1st Class |
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Stevens, Robert |
Able Seaman |
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West, Ernest F. |
Leading Stoker |
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White, Clifford W. |
Able Seaman |
HMS H-49, date and location not available. |
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Kapitänleutnant Wolfgang Kaden. |
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