Otway Crest

Early Patrol Submarine

 

Type:
Oxley Class


Pennant No.:
51.P
51.N
N.51

Laid Down:
24th August 1925.
Vickers-Armstrong, Barrow-in-Furness.

Commissioned:
9th September 1927
10th April 1931
Commissioned into the RAN.
Commissioned into the RN in Sydney.
(Lt. Cdr. T.H. Dickson).

Commander:
Apr. 1931 - May 1933
Lt. Cdr. T.H. Dickson.
May 1933 - July 1935
Lt. Cdr. E.S. Felton.
July 1935 - Jan. 1937
Cdr. G.P. Claridge.
Jan. 1937
Lt. Cdr. T.H. Dickson.
Aug. - Sept. 1937
Lt. Cdr. H.C. Cumberbatch.
Sept. - Oct. 1938
Lt. Cdr. H.C. Cumberbatch.
Aug. 1939 - Mar. 1940
Cdr. H.R. Conway.
Mar. July 1940
Lt. Cdr. D.E. Mansfield DSC.
July - Aug. 1940
Lt. C.G.I. St. B.S. Watkins.
Aug. - Dec. 1940
Lt. E.D. Norman.
Dec. 1940 - Feb. 1941
Lt. H.R.B. Newton.
Feb. 1941 - Nov. 1942
Lt. Cdr. J.R.G. Harvey.
Nov. 1942
Lt. A.A. Duff.
Mar. - Sept 1943
Lt. J.P.H. Oakley.
May - Oct. 1943
Lt. Cdr. J.R.G. Harvey.
Mar. - June 1944
Lt. M.B. St. John.
Sept. 1944 - Jan. 1945
Lt. R. Gatehouse DSC.
Jan. - May 1945
Lt. W.H. Kett DSC, RNR.
May - Jul. 1945
Lt. Cdr. R. Boyd DSO, DSC, MID.

Complement:
56
5 Officers and 51 Ratings.

Service Career:
1931 -1935
1st Flotilla, Malta.
1935 - 1938
5th Flotilla, HMS Dolphin, Gosport.
1938 - 1939
Reserve.
Sept. 1939
1st Flotilla, Malta.
Nov. 1939
1st Flotilla, Mediterranean.
1940
5th Flotilla, HMS Dolphin, Gosport.
1941 - 1944
7th Flotilla, HMS Cyclops/Titania, Rothesay.

Fate:
Completed four 'War Patrols'.

Additional Information: Otway was built for the Royal Australian Navy, one of two ocean going submarines ordered.   Otway left the UK for Australia in the company of Oxley in February 1928, they reached Malta some eleven days later where they were detained whilst modifications were made to the engines.
Whilst at Malta they were reduced to a RESERVE state and were unable to leave Malta until November of 1928.

Both boats were paid off into Immediate Reserve in May 1930.  Both were recommissioned into the Royal Navy at Sydney in April of 1931.

Sold at Inverkeithing and scrapped 14th August 1945.