HM Submarine Sickle - St John the Baptist Church, Epping, UK - World War II Memorials / Monuments on Waymarking.com

The memorial plaque is inscribed:

HM Submarine Sickle

In remembrance of the 50 men of HM Submarine Sickle, Epping and Harlow's
adopted warship, who lost their lives on June 18th 1944.

A list of names follows

The Ahoy website tells us:

SICKLE (Lt J R Drummond+), around 16th June 1944, Eastern Mediterranean - 'overdue, presumed lost'. Sailed from Malta on 31st May for the Aegean Sea. Engaged shipping in Mitylene Harbour on the 4th, return fire from German patrol vessels ‘GA.76’ and ‘GA.91’ killed one of the gun crew and blew a second into the sea. He was saved as a POW. ‘Sickle’ signalled convoy between Piraeus and Leros on 12th June, but did not attack. Failed to return when recalled on the 14th. Probably went down on German mines after the 12th in the southern Aegean, possibly the Kythera Channel on the 16th; all remaining 49 crew lost (Aegean Sea patrol)

Friday, 16 June

 Submarine SICKLE (Lt J R Drummond DSO, DSC) was lost, probably on a minefield in the Kithera Channel around this date. A surviving rating had been rescued earlier on the 4th when he was blown overboard during an action with German auxiliary patrol vessels GA.76 and GA.91. Lt Drummond, Lt A D Sinclair DSC, Ty/Warrant Engineer G Francis, Ty/Lt P D Goodman RNVR, Ty/Lt P B Jakeman RNVR, Ty/Lt V P Walker RNVR and the entire crew of forty two ratings on board were lost.

1944 - British S class submarine HMS Sickle is lost in the Mediterranean / Aegean Sea cause unknown. Last heard from on this date when they reported sighting a convoy in the Steno Channel. Sickle is the last British submarine to be lost in the Mediterranean during WW2. There is one survivor from Sickle - Able Seaman Richard Blake, a member of the submarine's 3-inch gun crew who was blown over board on 4 June when Sickle had engaged in gunfire with German patrol vessels GA76 and GA91. The submarine had to make an urgent dive to avoid further hits, and Blake was left in the water and picked up by the Germans to become a POW.

Early/Mid June 1944 - Submarine "SICKLE" on patrol in the Aegean failed to return to Malta when recalled on the 14th, and was presumed lost on mines.
 
Another Report.
 
On June 18 1944, HMS Sickle was cruising in the Antikythera Channel, when it suddenly collided with a floating mine.

The submarine rapidly sank with all hands.

Property Permission: Public Access instructions: Enter the church grounds from one of several entrances and proceed to the south west face of the church near the main door. Location of waymark: St John the Baptist Church High Street Epping, Essex United Kingdom Commemoration: Loss of HM Submarine Sickle Date of Dedication: Not listed Access times: Not listed Website for Waymark: Not listed

Visit Instructions:
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Also include a bit about your visit here.

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Date Logged Log User Rating   03/14/2021 OrientGeo visited it