HMS Affray departed Gosport, southern England, for the NATO exercise Operation Training Spring on the afternoon of 16 April 1951. When the submarine failed to make its expected daily report the following day, a huge international search began.
HMS Affray was eventually discovered, with no hope of survivors, some two months later—8 miles northwest of the Channel Island of Alderney. The wreck now lies in 86 m of water, within the reach of technical divers, but all diving is banned. The wreck is protected under the Protection of Military Remains Act 1986, having been designated a controlled site in 2001.
In the second of the series, I look at the story behind another forbidden wreck: HMS Affray.
HMS Affray
The A-Class (also referred to as the Amphion Class) were developed towards the end of the Second World War, with only two being completed by the time hostilities ended. A total of 46 boats were ordered, with 18 being completed and just 16 entering service with the Royal Navy.
The class were long-range patrol submarines designed specifically for the challenges of the Pacific theatre. Building on the preceding T-Class, the A-Class had improved range, air-conditioning, and all-welded hulls. The modern hull construction gave improved dive depth and, crucially during the war, a faster build time.
HMS Affray was commissioned into service in November 1945, taking no part in the war. Her short career was uneventful, consisting largely of routine exercises across the world.
Final Voyage
Under the command of Lt J. Blackburn, HMS Affray had 75 sailors on board when she sailed for Operation Training Spring. This included around 20 officers and engineers under training, as well as a contingent of four Royal Marines—which necessitated ten of Affray’s standard crew remaining alongside.
Affray’s final signal was sent on the evening she departed. It indicated her position around 30 miles south of the Isle of Wight and that the boat was preparing to dive.
Search
When the submarine failed to make contact at the designated time the following morning, the Navy immediately initiated SUBSUNK—its submarine rescue procedure. The search would include 26 ships and every available aircraft, becoming the largest peacetime combined air and sea operation in the English Channel.
The challenges facing the rescuers were numerous. The submarine’s initial dive location was known, but due to the latitude of Lt Blackburn’s orders, no precise route or end destination was recorded. This created an extremely large potential search area, given the 12 hours that had passed since its last known position.
Searching vessels were fitted with sonar, but its usefulness was impeded by the huge number of wrecks that litter the Channel—each potential target requiring a Royal Navy dive team to identify and discount. The dive teams were further hampered by the limited slack water, which restricted when diving could take place.
The search operation was scaled back after just three days, on the assumption that there was little chance of the crew surviving any longer—a decision that would be hard to imagine today. However, the search continued for a further 56 days.
Success finally came when the Navy turned to new technology. Employing a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) for the first time, the wreck was eventually discovered on 14 June 1951, almost two months after she went missing.
Affray was found in 86 m of water, listing slightly to port. The wreck offered clues, but not answers, as to what may have happened.
As her periscope and aerial were extended, it was clear the incident had occurred at periscope depth. All hatches were found to be closed, suggesting no attempts by the crew to escape had been made. The only piece of tangible evidence relating to the cause of the sinking was the snort mast, which had been sheared off and was found away from the wreck.
The snort mast allows a submarine’s diesel engines to be run while submerged, acting as both air intake and exhaust. Initially designed by the Germans for use on their U-boats, it was quickly copied and fitted to Royal Navy submarines.
The snort mast was the only item recovered from the wreck, and it was later inspected, with the welds found to be poor. However, it was assessed that it should not have failed during normal operation of the boat.
Flooding caused by failure of the snort mast was blamed for the sinking of HMS Affray and the loss of 75 lives. The precise sequence of events remains unclear: did the snort mast break off when the boat hit the seabed, or was there a violent shock—such as a battery explosion—that sheared it off? In truth, we will never know.
Wreck
HMS Affray’s wreck lies at the edge of Hurd Deep—an underwater valley in the Channel best known as a dumping ground. Historically, it has been used for the disposal of old munitions and even radioactive waste. It is a relatively remote area and, given its depth, unlikely to be disturbed by divers. However, given the great loss of life and the pristine nature of the wreck, it was added as a controlled site under the Protection of Military Remains Act, making it illegal to visit.
The only well-documented (and authorised) recent diving on the wreck was conducted by a team led by nautical archaeologists and submarine expert Dr Innes McCartney. Of the wreck, he wrote:
“The diving team found her to be exactly as described by the Navy diving team in 1951. She has a slight list to port, all hatches are shut, and the base of the snort mast was clearly visible… Like other deep wrecks that contain the remains of so many who died tragically, the site of HMS Affray is a quiet and lonely place with a poignancy which is unique.”
Final Thoughts
HMS Affray was the last Royal Navy submarine to be lost at sea, and although submarine safety has greatly improved in the years since, her loss still serves as a reminder of the inherent dangers. The sinking remains controversial to this day, with some challenging the Admiralty’s account of the tragedy and questions being raised in Parliament as recently as 2012. However, the mysteries surrounding the loss of Affray are likely to remain undisturbed on the seabed.
Further Reading
‘Lost Patrols: Submarine Wrecks of the English Channel‘ (2002) by Innes McCartney – is a fantastic reference combining naval history and real-world wreck diving experience.
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