View source for HMS Anchorite (P422)

{{short description|Submarine of the Royal Navy}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}}
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|Ship country=United Kingdom
|Ship flag=[[Image:Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg|60px|Royal Navy Ensign]]
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|Ship ordered=Very late in [[World War II]]
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|Ship builder=[[Vickers Armstrong]], [[Barrow-in-Furness]]
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|Ship laid down=13 August 1945
|Ship launched=22 January 1946
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|Ship commissioned=18 November 1947
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|Ship identification=[[Pennant number]] P422
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|Ship fate=Sold to be broken up for scrap on 28 July 1970. Scrapped at Troon, Scotland in August 1970.
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|Ship displacement=1,360/1,590&nbsp;tons (surface/submerged)
|Ship length={{convert|293|ft|6|in|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship beam={{convert|22|ft|4|in|m|abbr=on}}
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|Ship draught={{convert|18|ft|1|in|m|abbr=on}}
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|Ship propulsion=2 × {{Convert|2150|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Admiralty ML 8-cylinder diesel engine, 2 × {{Convert|625|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} electric motors for submergence driving two shafts
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|Ship speed=18.5/8&nbsp;knots (surface/submerged)
|Ship range=*{{convert|10500|nmi|km|-1}} at {{convert|11|kn|km/h|0}} surfaced
*{{convert|16|nmi|km|0}} at {{convert|8|kn|km/h|0}} or {{convert|90|nmi|km|-1}} at {{convert|3|kn|km/h|0}} submerged
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|Ship test depth={{convert|350|ft|m|abbr=on}}
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|Ship complement=60
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|Ship armament=*6 × [[British 21 inch torpedo|21 inch (533 mm)]] (2 external) bow [[torpedo tube]], 4 × 21" (2 external) stern torpedo tube, containing a total of 20 torpedoes
*[[Naval mine|Mine]]s: 26
*1 × 4" main deck gun, 3 × 0.303 machine gun, 1 × 20&nbsp;mm [[Anti aircraft|AA]] [[Oerlikon 20 mm cannon|Oerlikon 20&nbsp;mm gun]]
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'''HMS ''Anchorite'' (P422/S22)''', was an [[Amphion class submarine|''Amphion''-class]] [[submarine]] of the [[Royal Navy]], built by [[Vickers Armstrong]] and launched 22 January 1946.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/3621.html|title=''Anchorite''|publisher=Uboat.net|access-date=20 August 2015}}</ref>

==Design==
''Anchorite'' had a displacement of {{convert|1360|LT|t}} when at the surface and {{convert|1590|LT|t}} while submerged. It had a total length of {{convert|293|ft|6|in|m|abbr=on}}, a beam of {{convert|22|ft|4|in}}, and a draught of {{convert|18|ft|1|in}}. The submarine was powered by two Admiralty ML eight-cylinder diesel engines generating {{convert|2150|hp}} each. Four electric motors each producing {{convert|625|hp}} drove two shafts.<ref name="Akermann2002">{{cite book|first=Paul |last=Akermann|title=Encyclopedia of British Submarines 1901–1955|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=boO7WGL21EQC&pg=PA428|date=1 November 2002|publisher=Periscope Publishing Ltd.|isbn=978-1-904381-05-1|page=422}}</ref> It could carry a maximum of {{convert|219|LT|t}} of diesel, although it usually carried between {{convert|159|and|165|LT|t}}.<ref name="Akermann2002"/>

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of {{convert|18.5|kn|km/h}} and a submerged speed of {{convert|8|kn|km/h }}.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.worldnavalships.com/acheron_class.htm|title=Acheron class|publisher=World Naval Ships, Cranston Fine Arts|access-date=20 August 2015}}</ref> When submerged, it could operate at {{convert|3|kn|km/h}} for {{convert|90|nmi|km}} or at {{convert|8|kn|km/h}} for {{convert|16|nmi|km}}. When surfaced, it was able to travel {{convert|15200|nmi|km}} at {{convert|10|kn|km/h}} or {{convert|10500|nmi|km}} at {{convert|11|kn|km/h}}.<ref name="Akermann2002"/> ''Anchorite'' was fitted with ten [[British 21 inch torpedo|21 inch (533 mm)]] [[torpedo tube]]s, one [[QF 4 inch naval gun Mk XXIII]], one [[Oerlikon 20 mm cannon]], and a [[.303 British]] [[Vickers machine gun]]. Its torpedo tubes were fitted to the [[Bow (ship)|bow]] and stern, and it could carry twenty torpedoes. Its [[Ship's company|complement]] was sixty-one crew members.<ref name="Akermann2002"/>

''Anchorite'' was [[Keel laying|laid down]] at [[Vickers-Armstrongs]]' [[Barrow-in-Furness]] shipyard on 19 July 1945, was [[Ceremonial ship launching|launched]] on 22 January 1946 and completed on 18 November 1947.<ref name="jfs62p275">{{harvnb|Blackman|1962|p=275}}</ref>

==Service==
During build and before launch the names of ''Anchorite'' and [[HMS Amphion (P439)|HMS ''Amphion'']] were switched. In 1953 she took part in the [[Fleet Review]] to celebrate the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.<ref>Souvenir Programme, ''Coronation Review of the Fleet, Spithead, 15 June 1953'', HMSO, Gale and Polden</ref>

''Anchorite'' ran aground in [[Rothesay Bay]], [[Firth of Forth]], on 12 October 1956.<ref name=Times131056>{{Cite newspaper The Times |title=Submarine Runs Aground |date=13 October 1956 |page=6 |issue=53661 |column=F }}</ref> On 3 October 1960, ''Anchorite'', which was a member of the [[4th Submarine Squadron (United Kingdom)|4th Submarine Squadron]] based at [[Sydney]], hit an uncharted rock in the [[Hauraki Gulf]] off [[Auckland]], New Zealand at a depth of {{convert|110|ft|m}}. No-one was injured in the incident. The submarine's commanding officer, [[Lieutenant Commander]] W. L. Owen, was cleared of any blame for the incident to the resulting [[court martial]].<ref>{{Harvnb|Critchley|1981|p=56}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | title = Captain was not to blame | newspaper=[[Navy News]] |date= December 1960 | page= 9| url = https://issuu.com/navynews/docs/196012 |access-date=24 August 2018}}</ref> The rock is now known as Anchorite Rock on the nautical charts of the area at depth, 16&nbsp;m, {{coord|36|26|S|175|8|E|}}.{{citation needed|date=May 2016}}

==References==
<references/>

==Publications==
* {{cite book | last = Blackman | first= Raymond V. B. | title= Jane's Fighting Ships 1962–63 | year=1962 |publisher = Sampson Low, Marston & Co., Ltd. | location= London | oclc = 973779053 }}
* {{Cite Colledge2006}}
* {{cite book | last=Critchley | first = Mike | title = British Warships Since 1945: Part 2 | year = 1981 |publisher = Maritime Books |location = Liskeard, UK | isbn = 0-9506323-6-8 }}

==External links==
* [http://www.maritimequest.com/warship_directory/great_britain/submarines/pages/anchorite_p_422_page_1.htm Pictures of HMS Anchorite on MaritimeQuest]

{{Amphion class submarine}}
{{1956 shipwrecks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Anchorite (P422)}}
[[Category:Amphion-class submarines]]
[[Category:Cold War submarines of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Ships built in Barrow-in-Furness]]
[[Category:1946 ships]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in 1956]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in 1960]]