Rainbow Class Early Patrol Submarines

This class was also similar to the earlier 'O' or Oberon class, again larger in length and with further improvements, the 4 inch gun was mounted lower and was not fitted with a shield.

Rover was the only surviving boat of this class at the end of WWII.

4 Built

Submarine	Builder	Built
Regent Regulus Rover	Vickers, Barrow-in-Furness	1929 - 1931
Rainbow	H.M. Dockyard, Chatham.	1929 - 1931

Royalist and Rupert were cancelled in 1929.

Technical Information

Displacement (tons):	1,475 sf 2,015 sm
Length (ft):	292.5 oa
Breadth (ft)	29.75 oa
Draught/Height (ft):	13.75
Machinery:	2 x 200 hp diesel engines. 1,350 electric motor. Twin screws.
Speed (kts):	17.5 kts sf 9 kts sm
Oil Supply (tons):	156 tons
Armament:	8 x 21 inch tubes, 6 bow, 2 stern. 16 reloads. 1 x 4 inch gun. 2 x machine gun.
Range:	Not known at present.
Complement:	50-54 officers and ratings.
sm = submerged, sf = surfaced, oa = overall, hp = horsepower, na = not available.

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H.M. Submarine Rainbow

Type:	Rainbow Class
Pennant No.:	16.R 16.N N.16
Laid Down:	24th July 1929.	H.M. Dockyard, Chatham.
Commissioned:	18th January 1932.	Not known at present.
Commander:	1940.	Lt. Cdr. L. P. Moore.
Complement:	56.	5 Officers and 51 Ratings.
Service Career:	1932-1940 - 4th Flotilla. 1940 - 1st Flotilla. 1940 - 1st Flotilla.	H.M.S. Medway, China Station. H.M.S. Medway, Singapore. H.M.S. Medway, Alexandria.
	1940 - Patrolled the Sunda Strait observing German shipping in Dutch East Indies harbours.
Fate:	Sunk by gun and torpedo action by the Italian U-boat Enrico Toti in the Gulf of Taranto, South of Calabria, October 1940.
It should be noted that although some boats were attached to H.M.S. Medway at Singapore, they often operated in a detached mode covering the China Station such as Hong Kong and even to the point of patrolling the Siberian Coast.

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H.M. Submarine Regent

Type:	Rainbow Class
Pennant No.:	41.R 41.N N.41
Laid Down:	19th June 1929.	Vickers-Armstrong, Barrow-in-Furness.
Commissioned:	11th November 1930.	Not known at present.
Commander:	1940 1941.	Lt. Cdr. H. C. Browne. Lt. Cdr. H. C. Browne.
Complement:	56.	5 Officers and 51 Ratings.
Service Career:	1930-1931. 1931-1935. 1935-1940 - 4th Flotilla. 1940 - 1st Flotilla. 1941 - 10th Flotilla.	Portsmouth. Mediterranean. HMS Medway, China Station. HMS Medway, Alexandria. Malta.
	Sank the Silvia Tripcovich 2,400 tons.
Fate:	Lost, possibly mined in the Strait of Taranto April 1943.
It should be noted that although some boats were attached to H.M.S. Medway at Singapore, they often operated in a detached mode covering the China Station such as Hong Kong and even to the point of patrolling the Siberian Coast. It should be noted that boats attached to 1st Flotilla in Alexandria were likely to spend much of their time at Malta even though Malta had been given up as a submarine base due to the air attacks. Although submarines did still operate from Malta during this period the 10th Flotilla was not recognised as such until September 1941.

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H.M. Submarine Regulus

Type:	Rainbow Class
Pennant No.:	88.R 88.N N.88
Laid Down:	17th July 1929.	Vickers-Armstrong, Barrow-in-Furness.
Commissioned:	7th December 1930.	Not known at present.
Commander:	1937 1938 - 1939 1939 1940.	Cdr. Garwood. Cdr. G. C. P. Menzies. Cdr. J. M. Money. Lt. Cdr. F. B. Currie.
Complement:	56.	5 Officers and 51 Ratings.
Service Career:	1930-1931. 1931-1935. 1935-1940. 1937 - 4th Flotilla. 1938 - 4th Flotilla. 1939 - 4th Flotilla. 1940 - 1st Flotilla. 1940.	Portsmouth. Mediterranean. China Station. H.M.S. Medway, Hong Kong. H.M.S. Medway, Hong Kong. H.M.S. Medway, Singapore H.M.S. Medway, Alexandria. Mediterranean.

Fate:	Lost, cause unknown (possibly mined), Gulf of Taranto December 1940.
It should be noted that although some boats were attached to H.M.S. Medway at Singapore, they often operated in a detached mode covering the China Station such as Hong Kong and even to the point of patrolling the Siberian Coast. It should be noted that boats attached to 1st Flotilla in Alexandria were likely to spend much of their time at Malta even though Malta had been given up as a submarine base due to the air attacks. Although submarines did still operate from Malta during this period the 10th Flotilla was not recognised as such until September 1941.

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H.M. Submarine Rover

Type:	Rainbow Class
Pennant No.:	62.R 62.N N.62
Laid Down:	24th July 1929.	Vickers-Armstrong, Barrow-in-Furness.
Commissioned:	29th January 1931.	Not known at present.
Commander:	1941.	H. Marsham.
Complement:	56.	5 Officers and 51 Ratings.
Service Career:	1930-1931. 1931-1935. 1935-1940. 1939 - 4th Flotilla. 1940-1942 - 1st Flotilla. 1942.	Portsmouth. Mediterranean. China Station. H.M.S. Medway, Hong Kong. HMS Medway, Alexandria. Eastern Fleet-Training Duties.
	Sank the Italian supply ship Cesco 6,000 tons February 1941.
Fate:	Sold and scrapped in South Africa July 1946.
It should be noted that although some boats were attached to H.M.S. Medway at Singapore, they often operated in a detached mode covering the China Station such as Hong Kong and even to the point of patrolling the Siberian Coast. It should be noted that boats attached to 1st Flotilla in Alexandria were likely to spend much of their time at Malta even though Malta had been given up as a submarine base due to the air attacks. Although submarines did still operate from Malta during this period the 10th Flotilla was not recognised as such until September 1941.

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