Boat Database

Medway was the first large submarine depot ship designed and built for the Royal Navy. She was launched at Vickers Armstrongs, Barrow on the 19th July 1928 and Commissioned at Devonport on the 6th July 1929.

She sailed with six Submarines to replace the Titania and her L-class boats remaining on the China station until April 1940, when she was sent to the Mediterranean based at Alexandria and operating the 1st Submarine flotilla.

On the 30th June 1942 she was torpedoed by U-372 off Alexandria whilst on passage to Haifa and Beirut. 30 of her crew were lost with a 3rd officer mentioned in dispatches. Fortunately 47 of her stock of 90 Torpedoes floated clear but much valuable equipment was lost with her.

The small depot ship Talbot moved from Malta to take her place at Beirut and changed her name to Medway II

Displacement: 14650 tons
Speed: 15 knots
Armament: Two 4 -inch Guns and Four 4-inch AA Guns.
Compliment: 400

Events
30-06-1942:	Submarine Depot Ship HMS Medway was torpedoed and sunk off Alexanddria by U-372

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Depot Ship

Submarines are relatively small compared to most oceangoing vessels, and generally do not have the ability to carry large amounts of food, fuel, torpedoes, and other supplies, nor to carry a full array of maintenance equipment and personnel.

The tender carries all these, and periodically meets up with a submarine at sea to replenish it. In some navies the tenders were equipped with workshops for maintenance and as floating dormitories with relief crews.

With the increased size and automation of modern submarines, plus their reliance on nuclear power, tenders are no longer as necessary as they once were. A nuclear power station. ...