After 25 Years, The Wreck Of A British World War II Special-Ops Submarine Was Located Off The Coast Of Greece
Last year, the wreck of a British World War II submarine was discovered off the coast of Greece. After searching for 25 years, a veteran Greek diver named Kostas Thoctarides finally found the wreck of the HMS Triumph in the Aegean Sea. It was located off Cape Sounion at a depth of about 666 feet.
According to Thoctarides, the submarine’s hatches and periscope were down, indicating that it had been on a deep dive when it sank in 1942. Additionally, the depth and directional rudders were straight.
“In its tower, you can see the wooden wheel helm, compass, and 4-inch cannon that is slightly raised upward,” said Thoctarides. “The hatches on either side of the cannon leading inside the hull are also shut.”
The fore section had been severely damaged by an explosion that most likely caused the submarine to sink.
It was unclear whether the explosion was from a depth charge, naval mine, or one of the sub’s own torpedoes.
HMS Triumph was launched in 1938. During World War II, it completed more than 20 missions, including attacks on Axis ships and submarines in the Mediterranean Sea.
However, the vessel is most famous for participating in covert operations, such as the rescue of several Allied soldiers stuck in North Africa and an infiltration into Greece, which was enemy territory at the time.
In 1941, the Triumph also secretly carried Captain Bill Hudson, an officer with the British Special Operations Executive (SOE), to the Axis-held Serbian port of Petrovac on the Adriatic Coast. The top-secret mission helped lay the foundation for all special military operations since.
Thoctarides and his team had been looking for the Triumph’s wreck for 25 years. The task proved difficult because of frequent bad weather and strong underwater currents.
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Previously, they had identified the wrecks of four other submarines, such as the HMS Perseus in 1997.
With the aid of a remotely operated underwater vehicle, they were able to locate the Triumph, as conditions were not suitable for divers to work in.
According to naval records, the Triumph departed from Alexandria, Egypt, for its final mission in December 1941.
The sub sailed into Despotikos Bay, Greece, off an island near Antiparos in the Cyclades. Then, it sent an encrypted message saying that it had deposited a British military intelligence team.
On January 9, it was scheduled to rescue over 30 British escapees from Antiparos. However, the Triumph never made it, and the escapees were arrested.
The British Royal Navy listed the submarine and crew of 64 as missing at sea after patrolling the Aegean on January 23, 1942.
“The wreck site is treated with respect as it is a maritime war grave of 64 people,” Thoctarides said, referring to the 55 crew members, seven officers, and two commandos who had been onboard.
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