HMS Virulent (P95)

History
United Kingdom
Name:	HMS Virulent
Ordered:	21 May 1942
Builder:	Vickers-Armstrong, Newcastle-on-Tyne
Laid down:	30 March 1943
Launched:	23 May 1944
Commissioned:	1 October 1944
Out of service:	Lent to the Greek Navy, 29 May 1946
Identification:	pennant number P95
Greece
Name:	Argonaftis
Acquired:	29 May 1946
Out of service:	3 October 1958
Identification:	U15
Fate:	Broke adrift on 15 December 1958 and stranded Sold for scrapping in 1961
General characteristics
Class & type:	V-class submarine
Displacement:	545 tons standard/658 tons full load surfaced 740 tons submerged
Length:	204 ft 6 in (62.33 m)
Beam:	16 ft 1 in (4.90 m)
Draught:	15 ft 3 in (4.65 m)
Propulsion:	2 shaft diesel-electric, 2 Paxman diesel generators + electric motors, 615 hp (459 kW) / 825 hp (615 kW)
Speed:	11.25 knots (21 km/h) surfaced 10 knots (19 km/h) submerged
Complement:	33 officers and men
Armament:	4 × forward 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes 8 torpedoes one 3 inch gun

HMS Virulent was a V-class submarine of the Royal Navy. She was built during the Second World War as part of the second batch (18 in number) of V-class submarines ordered on 21 May 1942.

She was built by Vickers-Armstrong (Newcastle-on-Tyne), being laid down on 30 March 1943, launched on 23 May 1944, and finally commissioned on 1 October 1944.

Fate

Virulent was lent to the Hellenic Navy as Argonaftis (U15) from 29 May 1946 until 3 October 1958. She was intended to be towed from Malta to the River Tyne. She broke adrift from the tow on 15 December 1958 and was stranded on the northern Spanish coast. She was then found and towed by two Spanish trawlers and the frigate Hernán Cortés to Pasajes on 6 January 1959. Sold to Spanish scrap merchants in spring 1961, she was eventually scrapped in April 1961 at Pasajes.

References

• HMS Virulent at Uboat.net