Tribune file photo [6065]

Tribune

CountryUnited Kingdom
Ship ClassT-class Submarine
BuilderScotts Shipbuilding and Engineering Company, Greenock, Scotland, UK
Laid Down3 Mar 1937
Launched8 Dec 1938
Commissioned17 Oct 1939
Decommissioned1 Jul 1947
Displacement1,090 tons standard; 1,575 tons submerged
Length275 feet
Beam27 feet
Draft14 feet
MachineryTwo diesel engines at 2,500hp each, two electric motors at 1,450hp each, two shafts
Speed15 knots
Range4,500nm at 11 knots
Crew59
Armament6x internal forward torpedo tubes, 4x external forward torpedo tubes, 6x spare torpedoes, 1x100mm deck gun
Submerged Speed9 knots

Contributor:

ww2dbaseTribune, part of the first group of T-class submarines, began her WW2 career with a rather lacking record off Northern and Western Europe with Lieutenant Commander G. P. S. Davies and then Lieutenant E. F. Balson. Her record in the North Sea was rather terrible. On 17 Jan 1940, she fired six torpedoes against an enemy submarine in the Skagerrak Strait northeast of Skagen, Denmark, and all torpedoes missed; an interesting fact with this attack was that no German submarine reported this attack. On 22 Jun, she made an torpedo attack against a German merchant ship off Standlandet, Norway; once again, all torpedoes missed. On 6 Sep, she made an attack with two torpedoes against German submarine U-56 northeast of St. Kilda, Outer Hebride Islands, Scotland, UK; both torpedoes missed, and once again the German submarine reported no such attack. On 16 Dec, she attacked the German tanker Karibisches Meer in the Bay of Biscay east of Ile de Yeu, France, with all torpedoes missing the target. Three days later, in the Bay of Biscay off Belle Ile, France, she attacked German merchant ship Birkenfels with similar ineffectiveness.

ww2dbaseIn early 1943, Tribune was transferred to the Mediterranean, where she achieved some limited successes. On 10 Jan 1943, she attacked and damaged French merchant ship Dalny 15 nautical miles off of San Remo, Italy; Dalny beached off Cape Cervo, Sardinia, Italy to prevent sinking, and Tribune followed up her attack with another torpedo on the following day to further damage the French ship. On 22 Mar, she damaged the German tanker Präsident Herrenschmidt by torpedo in the Tyrrhenian Sea. On 30 Mar, she fired torpedoes at Italian merchant ship Benevento north of Ustica, Italy; all torpedoes missed. After WW2, she was sold for scrap in Jul 1947 and was broken up in Nov that year.

ww2dbaseSource: Uboat.net.

Last Major Revision: May 2008

Photographs

Submarine Tribune underway, Sep 1942; photo taken from atop the conning tower

Tribune Operational Timeline

17 Oct 1939 Tribune was commissioned into service.
6 Sep 1940 British submarine HMS Tribune attacked German submarine U-56 40 miles west of Isle of Lewis, Outer Hebrides, Scotland; all torpedoes fired missed.
26 Sep 1940 British submarine HMS Tribune fired four torpedoes at German submarine U-138 off Lorient, France. All torpedoes missed.
1 Jul 1947 Tribune was decommissioned from service.




Did you enjoy this article or find this article helpful? If so, please consider supporting us on Patreon. Even $1 per month will go a long way! Thank you.

Share this article with your friends:

 Facebook
 Reddit
 Twitter

Stay updated with WW2DB:

 RSS Feeds




Visitor Submitted Comments

1. Commenter identity confirmed Alan Chanter says:
5 May 2008 02:45:59 PM

U.S. Submarines, of course, ALWAYS achieve 100% success?
2. Ian Sutherland says:
18 Apr 2016 04:32:02 AM

Saw Antiques Roadshow last evening when Lt.Porters medals were displayed. He commanded HMS TRIBUNE when they landed a small party on the coast of Corsica in Jan 43.
In 1994 we were in Corsica and stumbled on a fine memorial obelisk to the event on 50th anniversary. The wording said 'HMS' but did not have the actual name of the submarine.
The special group of three were all killed before the Germans withdrew from Corsica in October 1943. The group was led by a Belgian Lieutenant.

All visitor submitted comments are opinions of those making the submissions and do not reflect views of WW2DB.

Posting Your Comments on this Topic

Your Name
Your Email
 Your email will not be published
Comment Type
Your Comments
 

Notes:

1. We hope that visitor conversations at WW2DB will be constructive and thought-provoking. Please refrain from using strong language. HTML tags are not allowed. Your IP address will be tracked even if you remain anonymous. WW2DB site administrators reserve the right to moderate, censor, and/or remove any comment. All comment submissions will become the property of WW2DB.

2. For inquiries about military records for members of the World War II armed forces, please see our FAQ.
Search WW2DB
News

Submarine Tribune Photo Gallery
Submarine Tribune underway, Sep 1942; photo taken from atop the conning tower


Current Site Statistics

Famous WW2 Quote
"Among the men who fought on Iwo Jima, uncommon valor was a common virtue."

Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, 16 Mar 1945


Support Us

Please consider supporting us on Patreon. Even $1 a month will go a long way. Thank you!

Or, please support us by purchasing some WW2DB merchandise at TeeSpring, Thank you!