HMS Auriga (P419)

HMS Auriga (P419/S69), was an Amphion-class submarine of the Royal Navy, built by Vickers Armstrong and launched 29 March 1945.^[1]

Auriga after launching
History
United Kingdom
Name	Auriga
Builder	Vickers Armstrong, Barrow-in-Furness
Laid down	7 June 1944
Launched	29 March 1945
Commissioned	12 January 1946
Identification	Pennant number P419 (Later S69)
Fate	Sold to be broken up for scrap on 14 November 1974. Scrapped at Newport in February 1975.
General characteristics
Class & type	Amphion-class submarine
Displacement	1,360/1,590 tons (surface/submerged)
Length	293 ft 6 in (89.46 m)
Beam	22 ft 4 in (6.81 m)
Draught	18 ft 1 in (5.51 m)
Propulsion	2 × 2,150 hp (1,600 kW) Admiralty ML 8-cylinder diesel engine, 2 × 625 hp (466 kW) electric motors for submergence driving two shafts
Speed	18.5 knots (34.3 km/h; 21.3 mph) surfaced 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) submerged
Range	10,500 nautical miles (19,400 km) at 11 knots (20 km/h) surfaced 16 nautical miles (30 km) at 8 knots (15 km/h) submerged
Test depth	350 ft (110 m)
Complement	60
Armament	6 × 21 inch (533 mm) (2 external) bow torpedo tube, 4 × 21 in (533 mm) (2 external) stern torpedo tube, containing a total of 20 torpedoes Mines: 26 1 × 4 in (102 mm) main deck gun, 3 × 0.303 in (7.70 mm) machine gun, 1 × Oerlikon 20 mm gun

Design

Auriga had a displacement of 1,360 long tons (1,380 t) when at the surface and 1,590 long tons (1,620 t) while submerged. She had a total length of 293 feet 6 inches (89.46 m), a beam of 22 feet 4 inches (6.81 m), and a draught of 18 feet 1 inch (5.51 m). The submarine was powered by two Admiralty ML eight-cylinder diesel engines generating a power of 2,150 horsepower (1,600 kW) each. She also contained four electric motors each producing 625 horsepower (466 kW) that drove two shafts.^[2] She could carry a maximum of 219 tonnes (241 short tons) of diesel, although she usually carried between 159 and 165 tonnes (175 and 182 short tons).^[2]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 18.5 knots (34.3 km/h; 21.3 mph) and a submerged speed of 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph).^[3] When submerged, she could operate at 3 knots (5.6 km/h; 3.5 mph) for 90 nautical miles (170 km; 100 mi) or at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) for 16 nautical miles (30 km; 18 mi). When surfaced, she was able to travel 15,200 nautical miles (28,200 km; 17,500 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) or 10,500 nautical miles (19,400 km; 12,100 mi) at 11 knots (20 km/h; 13 mph).^[2] She was fitted with ten 21 inches (530 mm) torpedo tubes, one QF 4 inch naval gun Mk XXIII, one Oerlikon 20 mm cannon, and a .303 British Vickers machine gun. Her torpedo tubes were fitted to the bow and stern, and she could carry twenty torpedoes. Her complement was sixty-one crew members.^[2]

Service history

In 1953 she took part in the Fleet Review to celebrate the Coronation of Elizabeth II.^[4] In March 1961, the submarine was among the vessels that took part in a combined naval exercise with the United States Navy off Nova Scotia.^[5] Auriga departed Canada on 25 April 1961 after completing an 18-month tour with the Sixth Submarine Division at Halifax, Nova Scotia.^[6]