HMS Sterlet (2S)

300px HMS Sterlet
History
United Kingdom
Name:	HMS Sterlet
Builder:	Chatham Dockyard
Laid down:	14 July 1936
Launched:	22 September 1937
Commissioned:	6 April 1938
Identification:	Pennant number 2S
Fate:	Sunk 18 April 1940
Badge:	100px
General characteristics
Class & type:	S-class submarine
Displacement:	670 tons surfaced 960 tons submerged
Length:	208 ft 9 in (63.63 m)
Beam:	24 ft (7.3 m)
Draught:	10 ft 6 in (3.20 m)
Propulsion:	Twin diesel/electric
Speed:	13.75 knots (25.47 km/h; 15.82 mph) surfaced 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) submerged
Complement:	39 officers and men
Armament:	6 × forward 21 in (533 mm) torpedo tubes 12 torpedoes 1 x 3 in (76 mm) gun 1 x .303-calibre machine gun

HMS Sterlet was a Royal Navy S-class submarine which was launched on 22 September 1937 and fought in the Second World War. Sterlet is one of 12 boats named in the song Twelve Little S-Boats. So far she has been the only ship of the Royal Navy to be named Sterlet.

At the onset of the Second World War Sterlet was a member of the 2nd Submarine Flotilla. From 23-26 August 1939 the 2nd Submarine Flotilla transferred to its war bases at Dundee and Blyth.

On 8 April 1940 Sterlet left for a patrol in the Skagerrak, Norway under the command of Lt. Gerard Henry Stacpoole Haward, aged just 30, and the husband to Diana Auriol Haward. Four days later she unsuccessfully attacked a convoy of three merchant ships and a destroyer. The following day she was assigned a new patrol area and on 14 April torpedoed the German gunnery training ship Brummer, leading to it sinking the following day.

She was possibly sunk by the German anti submarine trawlers UJ-125, UJ-126 and UJ-128 on 18 April. Alternatively, she may have struck a mine whilst returning to port.