Coast Guard Magazine November. 1942 (Author unknown)


A former American Coast Guard cutter which joined the Royal Navy was honoured as the single-handed victor over one and possibly two submarines.

The Admiralty in a special announcement told how the one-time ‘Chelan’, now called the ‘Lulworth’, threw her 1,983 tons into a ramming attack on the 1,332 ton Italian submarine ‘Pietro Calvi’ after bringing the submersible to the surface with depth charges. With the impact , the ‘Pietro Calvi’ turned on her side, dumped part of her crew into the water and sank before a boarding crew could reach her.

A second submarine surfaced nearby, the Admiralty said, and the ‘Lulworth’s gunners scored direct hits on the conning tower before the craft could dive. Hours were spent searching but it could not be confirmed that the submarine had been sunk.

There was a humorous touch to the whole engagement. The ‘Pietro Calvi’s navigation officer identified as a former Olympic swimmer, churned his way so rapidly towards the ‘Lulworth’ that he was mistaken originally for a torpedo..
 

‘Chelan’ launched 5th. September 1928. Transferred to Great Britain 2nd.May 1941. Returned to the United States 12th.February 1946.