HMS Springer

For other ships with the same name, see INS Tanin.

HMS Springer was an S-class submarine of the Royal Navy, and part of the Third Group built of that class. She was built by Cammell Laird and launched on 14 May 1945. So far, she has been the only boat of the Royal Navy to bear the name Springer.

HMS Springer
History
United Kingdom
Name	HMS Springer
Builder	Cammell Laird & Co Limited, Birkenhead
Laid down	8 May 1944
Launched	14 May 1945
Commissioned	2 August 1945
Fate	Sold to Israeli Navy on 9 October 1958
Israel
Name	INS Tanin
Acquired	9 October 1958
Honors & awards	Six-Day War Ribbon
Fate	Listed for disposal, 1972
General characteristics
Displacement	814-872 tons surfaced 990 tons submerged
Length	217 ft (66 m)
Beam	23 ft 6 in (7.16 m)
Draught	11 ft (3.4 m)
Speed	14.75 knots surfaced 8 knots submerged
Complement	48 officers and men
Armament	6 × forward 21 inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes, one aft 13 torpedoes one three-inch (76 mm) gun (QF 4-inch on later boats) one 20 mm cannon three .303-calibre machine gun

History

Built as the Second World War was drawing to a close, she did not see much action.^[1] In 1953 she took part in the Fleet Review to celebrate the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.^[2]

Silhouette of INS "Tanin"

Springer was sold to the Israeli Navy in 1958 and renamed Tanin (Hebrew: תנין; Crocodile or Tannin). Tanin participated in the Six-Day War,^[3] launching naval commandos to attack the port of Alexandria. She then tried to torpedo an Egyptian sloop but was severely damaged by a depth charge counterattack.^[4] Her commander was awarded the Medal of Courage for his actions at the port of Alexandria.^[5] She received spare parts from her sister ship Rahav, formerly HMS Sanguine, when Rahav was retired in 1968. Tanin was listed for disposal in 1972.

A Gal-class submarine named Tanin served the Israeli Navy from 1977 to 2002, and the Dolphin-class submarine INS Tanin was delivered in May 2012.