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Questions on how British submarines returned to base safely

Posted: Wed Oct 16, 2019 6:09 pm
by Fatboy Coxy
Hi all

I have a lot of questions on how British submarines returned to base safely, avoiding being attacked by their own side. I’m guessing they had to surface at a pre designation position, at a pre-determined time, for, say a A/S trawler to lead them back into base.

So, how far out might their surfacing position be, what recognition signals, signs might they display, how close might the trawler be to them on surfacing, were there transit lanes to and from the surfacing point

Would the position change periodically or be individually different for each submarine, was there an overall time frame for this, before the position expired, was it set at a particular time of the day, ie just after dawn?

Regards
Fatboy Coxy

Re: Questions on how British submarines returned to base safely

Posted: Thu Oct 17, 2019 12:19 pm
by OpanaPointer

Re: Questions on how British submarines returned to base safely

Posted: Mon Oct 21, 2019 1:30 pm
by pgollin
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Exact details are hard to come by, but close to shore (under the intense air patrolling) then they would be given a sort of moving square in which they should travel, they would meet a ML, or similar, near any base/port who would escort them. IF there was a problem (e.g. engine problems) the sub would surface and radio for an escort. Any meeting would initially involve coloured smoke, and then aldis lamps. Having said that any individual journey might have their own details.

Out in the oceans they had patrol areas which were notified to any patrol aircraft or naval units in the area.

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Re: Questions on how British submarines returned to base safely

Posted: Mon Oct 21, 2019 4:51 pm
by OpanaPointer
Time to mine archives.org, I think.