| Places | |
|---|---|
| Accession Number | P00908.006 |
| Collection type | Photograph |
| Object type | Black & white - Film copy negative |
| Place made | Australia: Western Australia, Garden Island |
| Date made | 1945 |
| Conflict |
Second World War, 1939-1945 |
| Copyright |
Item copyright: Copyright expired - public domain
|
A Welfreighter four man submarine on trials at Careening Bay camp. Personnel are Sublieutenant P ...
Description
A Welfreighter four man submarine on trials at Careening Bay camp. Personnel are Sublieutenant P F Williams in hatch and Captain H K Taylor on the side. The Welman one-man submarine was built at Station 1X (a former private hotel) in Welwyn Garden City which was one of the Research Stations of Special Operations Executive (SOE). The commanding officer was Colonel Dolphin, REME. The first two craft were built between June and August 1942. The intention was was that they would be used against shipping in harbour or, in the Welfreighter mode, used for survey and beach reconnaissance, or to carry stores and weapons to resistance movements in occupied territories. The Welfreighter building program commenced in November 1942; trials began at Staines in July 1943 and at Fishguard, Wales, in March 1944. Six craft were ordered with Shevoke and Drewry in June 1944. This was increased to forty but it is not known how many were completed. Twelve were shipped to Australia in mid 1945.
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