British Submarine HMS Parthian

11 August 1943. HMS Parthian is declared overdue. She left Malta on 22 July and failed to return to her base in Beirut.

My thanks to Thelma Sharp who has sent me the following image taken onboard  HMS Parthian. Her dad is in the image, 6th from left. Parthian was lost in the Mediterranean and Thelma's dad died in 1984. Captain Walker's son, Timothy, was one of those lost and in memory of Owen Fay (see below)

And this is her Dad

Parthian 1943 shortly before her loss, image possibly Beirut

Joseph Rumbles, CPO on board Parthian on the day of his wedding to Nelly Read.
Nelly went on to marry another CPO, William Davidson, after Parthian had been lost in the Mediterranean
Image: Trevor Davidson

Reg Tallis (Sent in by John Dunkley)

Edward Jones HMS Parthian. The lovely lady is his wife, Elizabeth. His son, Ted jnr sent these in.
If you have any info on his father please contact him direct at: aveandted - at - talktalk.net, replacing the -at- with @

ADAMSON, Henry G O, Telegraphist, C/JX 145399

 ALDRED, Alfred H, Able Seaman, C/J 97729

 BARNSDALE, Charles F, Able Seaman, P/JX 203397

 BOND, Richard H, Petty Officer, P/JX 144731

 BULLEN, Walter, Able Seaman, D/SSX 16368

 CHALMERS, John, Stoker Petty Officer, P/KX 79304

 CLASPER, Henry, Stoker 1c, C/KX 106419

 CLEARY, James P, Leading Seaman, P/SSX 26433

 CRANE, Gladwyn, Petty Officer, C/JX 156254

 CURRELL, Ronald E W, Stoker 1c, C/KX 107159

 DENBY, Eric, Petty Officer, P/SSX 15134

 DENNIS, Frank, Petty Officer, P/JX 126632

 DORAN, Edward J, Able Seaman, D/JX 161271

 ELNOR, Edward, Stoker 1c, P/KX 134891

 ETHELL, Frederick, Leading Telegraphist, C/JX 147570

Owen Fay

 FAY, Owen C, Stoker 1c, C/KX 134852

 FORD, Peter, Yeoman of Signals, D/JX 151156

FORSTER, Lawrence, Leading Seaman, C/SSX 27324

 GIBSON, Henry, Able Seaman, D/SSX 28717

 GIBSON, Wesley, Able Seaman, D/JX 149209

 GILLIAM, Frederick, Stoker 1c, P/KX 136124

 GOODWIN, John C, Petty Officer, C/JX 164968

 GOODWIN, John F, Sub Lieutenant, RNVR

 GRAINGER, David, Able Seaman, P/SSX 22974

 GREEN, Harold, Petty Officer Telegraphist, C/JX 130775

 HALL, Ernest M, Engine Room Artificer 4c, P/MX 88746

 HANNAH, Walter S, Stoker 1c, C/KX 136677

 HANSON, Walter, Stoker 1c, D/KX 93319

 HAYWOOD, Frederick C, Stoker 2c, P/KX 1355778

James Heaton (centre) from his son Peter Bevan

 HEATON, James, Able Seaman, C/JX 223596 *see below

 HEENAN, Thomas M H, Able Seaman, C/JX 208177

 HETHERINGTON, Ronald, Able Seaman, D/JX 257390

 HILL, Bryan D, Able Seaman, P/JX 146413

 HOLMAN, Harold, Stoker 1c, C/KX 134907

 IMRIE, Douglas, Able Seaman, P/SSX 20542

 JACOB, Lionel C N, Engine Room Artificer 4c, C/SMX 19

 JONES, Edward T, Able Seaman, P/JX 234590

 JONES, James, Stoker 1c, D/KX 114491

 JONES, Samuel J, Stoker 1c, D/KX 130579

 KEENAN, Peter, Petty Officer Cook, P/MX 49153

 LIGHTFOOT, Frank, Act/Stoker Petty Officer, C/KX 80765

 MCCAIG, James V, Leading Steward, D/LX 26009

 NUNN, Albert, Engine Room Artificer 4c, D/MX 59141

 PALMER, George W, Telegraphist, C/JX 162289

 PARDOE, Cyril A, Lieutenant, RNR

 PARKER, Kenneth H, Able Seaman, D/JX 208617

 POTTER, Dennis, Engine Room Artificer 4c, P/MX 78677

 PRICE, Alfred K, Act/Stoker Petty Officer, D/KX 85715

 RUMBLE, Joseph, Petty Officer, P/SSX 16820

 SMITHSON, John, Able Seaman, P/JX 235991

 STARKEY, James E, Ordinary Telegraphist, C/JX 232123

 STEWART, Frederick A J, Stoker 1c, C/KX 113741

 SYKES, John C, Engine Room Artificer 3c, D/MX 56722

 TALLIS, Reginald G, Act/Leading Stoker, P/KX 93121

 TOOGOOD, John W, Stoker 1c, P/KX 132374

 VON BERGEN, Mark A, Lieutenant

 WALKER, John T R, Sub Lieutenant, RNVR

 WALLIS, Morris S, Engine Room Artificer 1c, D/M 38846

 WEBB, Frederick J, Able Seaman, P/JX 282232

 WEIR, James C, Leading Telegraphist, P/JX 156663

 WHEBLE, Roy de la F, Chief Engine Room Artificer, D/MX 56474

 WHINCUP, Albert L, Act/Leading Stoker, C/KX 94539

 WILSON, John R, Leading Seaman, P/SSX 24567

 WOLFE, George, Engine Room Artificer 4c, C/MX 76034

 WORTHINGTON, Frederick, Stoker 1c, P/KX 111894

My thanks to Peter Bevan for this interesting item on Parthian:

The article included the following image:

Email recd 28 August 2013: Dear Mike, my name is Darren Page. I am writing this email firstly to congratulate you on keeping our naval history going and correcting some of the myths of the second world war. But the main reason is during a recent weekend stay at our house, my mum mentioned her brother James "Jimmy" who died during 1943. My mums maiden name was Heaton and her brother (my uncle) served on the Submarine H.M.S. Parthian. I cannot tell you how amazed, excited and downright emotional we were to see a photo of Jimmy Heaton AKA (HEATON, James, Able Seaman, C/JX 223596, MPK) on the crew photo you have on the site. Uncle Jim is second from the right in the white sailors top. We recognised him straight away as all my mums brothers all looked so alike. After only having just one surviving photo of Jimmy that my mum has, this came as a massive shock. There he was 70 years later on board Parthian.  It would be great if you had any other information on other crew's family who may have insights into Jimmy's life on board. My mum mentioned someone he called "Lofty" who served with him but there doesn't seem to be any one with "Lofthouse" as a surname so he may be referring to the man's height maybe, as Jim was also quite tall. Any information you may have would be of the utmost interest to me and my family. Especially if we could get a high resolution scan of that photo from the person who provided it for you so I can get some good copies. Kind regards and many thanks Darren Page.

December 2013: So pleased to see more info on HMS/M PARTHIAN, in which my Uncle, Morris Wallis, served as an ERA and was lost with all his shipmates in 1943. My father Gordon Wallis DFC was flying Bomber Command Pathfinder operations at that time, managing to be one of the surviving aircrew thanks in large part to the “Wooden Wonder” Mosquito fighter-bomber, which set a new level of aerial superiority. I shall never forget of all those brave men who served in both these branches of HM Forces at a time of extreme peril for our freedom and democracy and will remain forever grateful for their sacrifices. I had the privilege last year of attending what must surely be the last Pathfinder Reunion, under the wing of a “Mossie”, at the DeHavilland Museum in South Mimms, Herts. I was equally lucky to have visited New Zealand where 17 years have been spent re-building one of these masterpieces and getting it flying again, with some wonderful videos now available on the web. I would be pleased to hear from anyone who has a family connection with PARTHIAN (“PEANUT”).  A Happy New Year to all Submariners and Aviators, Dick Wallis RN(rtd) (OTC 144). 

June 2015: Last year we were on a cruise and called in Malta where we bought a  small bunch of carnations, on the way back up the Adriatic to Venice
we  put these into the sea near Vlore (against the rules) but I was pleased  we were able to remember him. Many Thanks Keith Holman.

May 2017. Veronica Hodge sent me the following on her uncle, Owen Fay, her fathers younger brother.