HMS Poseidon

HMS Poseidon. Photos and history of HMS Poseidon, one of the Parthian Class Submarines of the Royal Navy. HMS Poseidon collided with the Chinese Merchant ship Yula off Wai Hei Wai on the 9th of June 1931 at approximately 12:45pm and sank within four minutes. At 3:15pm, aided by the 'Davis Submarine Escape Apparatus' & Petty Officer Willis's cool courage, four more came to the surface after being two and a half hours in the submerged submarine. Displacement: 1,475 Tons, Full Load 2,040 TONS. Speed: 167.5 Knots surface speed and 9 Knots submerged. Crew 53 Armament :One 4 -inch Gun 2 machine Guns (20mm Oerlikon )Eight 21 inch Torpedo Tubes (Six in the Bow and two in the Stern)
Poseidon	21st June 1929		Lost on 9th June 1931.
Ian Lyell has kindly sent in these two photographs of the loss of HMS Poseidon in 1931. His grandfather was on HMS Berwick at the time. The comments were on the back of the original photographs
HMS Poseidon. A reproduction of this original photo / photo-postcard size 10" x 7" approx available. Order photograph here © Walker Archive. Order Code PHS306
The sinking of HMS Poseidon, 9th June 1931. From HMS Hermes. Submarine HMS Perseus next to the oil patch where the Poseidon went down. Behind Perseus is HMS Marazion, the submarine tender, and a destroyer (H.05). To the right is what appears to be an Odin class submarine. Twenty seconds after this photo was taken, four men appeared on the surface. A reproduction of this original photo / photo-postcard size 10" x 7" approx available. Order photograph here © Walker Archive. Order Code PHS334
Survivors being brought to HMS Hermes. A reproduction of this original photo / photo-postcard size 10" x 7" approx available. Order photograph here © Walker Archive. Order Code PHS335		Survivors being brought aboard HMS Hermes. A reproduction of this original photo / photo-postcard size 10" x 7" approx available. Order photograph here © Walker Archive. Order Code PHS336
Close up of one of the survivors coming aboard HMS Hermes. A reproduction of this original photo / photo-postcard size 10" x 7" approx available. Order photograph here © Walker Archive. Order Code PHS337		Laying black flags to mark the position of the sunken HMS Poseidon. A reproduction of this original photo / photo-postcard size 10" x 7" approx available. Order photograph here © Walker Archive. Order Code PHS338
Scene of Poseidon Disaster 3½ hours after she sank. Spot marked X plainly shows air bubbles rising from her. 5 minutes after this was taken the T.I. Willis came to the surface with two men and one Chinese. Taken from HMS Berwick. O - Ship which rammed her.		Poseidon Disaster 9th June 1931. HMSub Perseus near the spot endeavouring to get into communication. Note the air bubbles are getting weaker. Taken from HMS Berwick.
Below are a selection of photographs taken after the Poseidon was lost showing various funeral processions and services taking place on several vessels and on land. These scans of original photos have been kindly sent in by Steve Inchcoombe.
The list of those lost on the Poseidon. W.H.H. Pike. E.R.A. H.J.Bagley. Sto. C.J. Beaumont. Sto. G.C.Hewes. A.B. A.V. Paine. E.R.A. W.R. Pyne. Sto. P.T.A. Pointer. Sto. D. Collings. A.B. S. Sherrocks D. Sto. R. Balshaw. Sto. A.R. Winter. Sto. R.C. Bowers. A.B. E.G. Gaines. L. Sto W. Whitley. Sto. T.V. Grills. P.O. P.C. Tolliday. A.B. H. Cliff. L. Sto. A. Gray. Sto. P. Dowling. L. Sea. A.J. Lovock. A.B. We have since discovered the name of one of the survivors was Vincent Nagle.
A diagram of the collision between Yula and HMS Poseidon, probably sketched by a crew member of HMS Maidstone.











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Naval Historians, Crew & Family Noticeboard Message Board for naval enthusiasts, crew & descendents of HMS Poseidon. This website is not part of any governmental body or official websites of HMS Poseidon. MESSAGES ROBERT BALSHAW... My Uncle, Robert Balshaw, served as a Stoker on the Poseidon and died when it sank in June 1931. I am trying to find out were it sank, and were the Memorial is situated. Any information you could provide, would be of great interest to me, and I would be extremely grateful. Mr J.D. Murray.