Severn HMS (Submarine)

[john sefton]

HMS Severn and HMS Clyde were two Thames class submarines, the last named was the first ocean going submarine to exceed 21 knots. HMS Severn was launched in January 1934 and completed in February the following year. HMS Clyde was laid down two months later and also completed two months later. Armed with 1-4 inch gun, 2 machine guns and 6-21 inch torpedo tubes they were capable of 22.5 knots on the surface and 10 knots submerged.
HMS Severn was, during the early part of the war, stationed in the South Atlantic. She then took part in the Norwegian campaign and sunk the German prize ss Monark. In 1941 she was transferred to the 8th S/M Flotilla at Gibraltar. During the summer of 1941 she made an unsuccessful attack on an Italian submarine and a successful one on the steam ship Polinnia. This success was followed by another, the sinking of the submarine Michele Bianchi.
In June 1943 she landed troops on the east coast of Sardinia and later helped run supplies into Leros. The following year she was transferred to the Eastern Fleet and was paid off in December that same year.
The stamps have been printed by Walsall Security Printers on CA special watermarked paper by the lithographic process. Printed in sheets of 50 made up of 2 panes of 25 separated by a &utter they measure 25.6 x 38.48 mm
Gibraltar Philatelic.
Gibraltar SG594