10th Submarine Flotilla
{{Infobox military unit
| unit_name = 10th Submarine Flotilla
| image = Submarines and Submarine Officers. 26 and 27 January, Malta Submarine Base. A14525.jpg
| image_size = 300px
| caption = HMS Una one of the 10th Submarine Flotilla boats
| dates = 1915 — 1918; January 1941 — March 1943
| country = {{flag|United Kingdom}}
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| branch = {{navy|United Kingdom}}
| type =
| role = Submarine
| size = Flotilla
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| garrison = HMS Talbot, Manoel Island, Malta
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| nickname = "The Fighting 10th"
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| equipment =
| equipment_label = U Class Submarines
| battles = Battle of the Mediterranean
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| disbanded =
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| notable_commanders = Captain George Walter Gillow Simpson RN
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The 10th Submarine Flotilla was a Royal Navy submarine formation during World War I and during World War II
In January 1915 it was based on the Humber but by January 1917 it had relocated to the Tees.{{cite book |last1=Dittmar |first1=F.J. |last2=Colledge |first2=J.J |title=British warships, 1914-1919 |date=1972 |publisher=Ian Allan |location=Shepperton |isbn=0711003807 |pages=15–27}}
During the Second World War it was formed at Malta in January 1941{{cite book|last1=Gill|first1=Stephen Paul|title=Forging the flotilla The Royal Navy's submarine campaign from Malta 1940-1943.|date=October 2011|publisher=NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF IRELAND MAYNOOTH|page=2}} and comprised Royal Navy and Polish Naval Force submarines assigned to the British Mediterranean Fleet based in Malta from early 1941.{{cite web|title=1 September 1941: Malta is New Base for 10th Submarine Flotilla|url=https://maltagc70.wordpress.com/2016/09/01/1-september-1941-malta-is-new-base-for-10th-submarine-flotilla/|website=Malta: War Diary|accessdate=24 July 2017|date=1 September 2016|archive-date=8 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170808040859/https://maltagc70.wordpress.com/2016/09/01/1-september-1941-malta-is-new-base-for-10th-submarine-flotilla/|url-status=dead}}
Second World War
The flotilla was initially composed of the U-class submarines including {{HMS|Unbeaten}}, {{HMS|Upholder|P37|6}}, {{HMS|United}}, {{HMS|Upright}}, {{HMS|Una}}, {{HMS|Unseen|P51|6}}, {{HMS|Unbending}}, {{HMS|Unbroken}}, {{HMS|Urge}}, {{HMS|Utmost}}, HMS P38 and HMS Ursula (N59) together with {{ORP|Sokół|1940|6}} and {{ORP|Dzik|P52|6}} of the Polish Navy {{cite news|last1=Allied|first1=Newspapers|title=Malta-based British forces destroy most of Rommel's supplies in 1941|url=https://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20120219/life-features/Malta-based-British-forces-destroy-most-of-Rommel-s-supplies-in-1941.407478|accessdate=24 July 2017|work=Times of Malta|date=19 February 2012}}
The U-class had been designed for training crews rather than combat but their diving performance made them the best choice for operating in the clear waters of the Mediterranean where submarines could be easily seen by aircraft.
The flotilla's base in Malta was the ancient fort on Manoel Island, in the Marsamxett Harbour opposite Sliema; this shore base was called HMS Talbot.{{cite web |title=BRITISH SUBMARINE BASE AT MALTA. 26, 27 AND 28 JANUARY 1943, HMS TALBOT, THE ROYAL NAVAL SUBMARINE BASE AT MALTA. |url=https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205147560 |website=Imperial War Museums |access-date=22 June 2021 |language=en}} The Lazzaretto of Manoel Island formed part of the quarters for the crews
The submarine base at Manoel Island was a priority target for Axis aerial attacks{{cite web|title=X Lighters - The Wreck of X127|url=http://www.xlighter.org/x127/wreck.html|website=www.xlighter.org|accessdate=24 July 2017}} and was heavily bombed in 1942 which forced a temporary withdrawal of the flotilla from Malta to Alexandria where the ships of the Mediterranean Fleet had already moved. During this relocation to Alexandria HMS Urge sank after striking a mine; there were no survivors.{{cite web |title=Wreck of WWII Submarine HMS Urge Found Off Malta |url=https://www.maritime-executive.com/article/wreck-of-wwii-submarine-hms-urge-found-off-malta |website=The Maritime Executive |access-date=22 June 2021 |language=en}}
File:Submarines and Submarine Officers. 4 February 1943, Malta. A14684.jpg
The flotilla never numbered more than 12 submarines, but this small force between January 1941 and December 1942, sank 412,575 tons of Axis shipping.{{cite book|last1=Gill|first1=Stephen Paul|title=Forging the flotilla The Royal Navy's submarine campaign from Malta 1940-1943.|date=October 2011|publisher=NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF IRELAND MAYNOOTH|page=3}}
On 24 May 1941 while assigned to the flotilla HMS Upholder attacked a convoy off the coast of Sicily and sank the 18,000 ton liner Conte Rosso. Upholder{{'}}s captain, Lieutenant Commander Malcolm Wanklyn, was awarded the Victoria Cross for both this and also for completing many successful patrols.{{cite web |date=8 July 2011 |title=British Submarines At War Part 1 of 2 - 1939-42 |url=http://www.naval-history.net/WW2CampaignsBritishSubs.htm |website=www.naval-history.net |series=Campaign Summaries of World War 2 |accessdate=24 July 2017}}{{cite web |title=HMS Upholder (N 99) of the Royal Navy - British Submarine of the U class |url=http://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/3535.html |website=uboat.net |language=en |accessdate=24 July 2017}}