Gerard John Martin

PORTSMOUTH NAVAL MEMORIAL Panel 42, Column 2.

HM Submarine Sterlet

HMS Sterlet was a second-batch S-class submarine built during the 1930s for the Royal Navy. Completed in 1938, the boat fought in the Second World War. The submarine is one of the 12 boats named in the song Twelve Little S-Boats.

Ordered on 2 March 1936, Sterlet was laid down on 14 July 1936 in HM Dockyard, Chatham and was launched on 22 September 1936 and completed on 6 April 1938.

At the onset of the Second World War, Sterlet was a member of the 2nd Submarine Flotilla. From 23–26 August 1939 the 2nd Submarine Flotilla transferred to its war bases at Dundee and Blyth.

On 8 April 1940 Sterlet left for a patrol in the Skagerrak, off Norway under the command of Lt. Gerard Henry Stacpoole Haward. Four days later she unsuccessfully attacked a convoy of three merchant ships and a destroyer. The following day she was assigned a new patrol area and on 14 April torpedoed the German gunnery training ship Brummer, leading to her sinking the following day.

She was possibly sunk by the German anti submarine trawlers UJ-125, UJ-126 and UJ-128 on 18 April. Alternatively, she may have struck a mine whilst returning to port. 38 men were lost including two from Nottingham - Able Seaman George Chilton and Stoker 1st Class Gerard Martin (Hyson Green). (Wikipedia & CWGC Debt of Honour Register)

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