In a monumental discovery that has brought both closure and intrigue, the wreck of the HMS Trooper (N91), a Royal Navy T-class submarine lost during World War II, has been found after 81 years at the bottom of the Icarian Sea. Located at a depth of approximately 830 feet (250 meters), the submarine, which disappeared in 1943 during its mission in the Dodecanese Islands, was discovered in October 2023 by the private Greek deep-sea research company Planet Blue.
The search, led by renowned Greek diver and researcher Kostas Thoktaridis, culminated in the identification of the wreck, which was found in three distinct sections. This discovery suggests that a mine explosion may have caused the sinking of HMS Trooper, a theory long held by historians and naval experts. The announcement, made by Greek media on October 6, 2023, has sent ripples of emotion across the naval community and among the descendants of the 64 crew members who perished when the submarine went down.
Launched in 1942, HMS Trooper had a short but distinguished operational career in the Mediterranean. By September 1943, the submarine was assigned to patrol the Dodecanese Islands as part of an ongoing Allied effort to disrupt German and Italian naval operations in the region. HMS Trooper was expected to return to Beirut by October 17, but it never arrived.
For decades, the submarine’s fate remained a mystery. The prevailing theory was that it had struck a German mine while patrolling the heavily mined waters near the Greek islands. Despite numerous attempts to locate the wreck, HMS Trooper remained undiscovered for more than eight decades.
The search for HMS Trooper gained new momentum in 2023 when Kostas Thoktaridis and his team redirected their efforts to the waters north of the island of Donousa. This shift in focus followed a series of breakthroughs in historical research that pointed to the area as a more likely location for the submarine’s demise.
On September 26, 1943, the same day HMS Trooper set sail from Beirut, the German minelayer Drache had laid five minefields containing nearly 300 mines north of Donousa. Based on new theories and research, Thoktaridis’ team zeroed in on this area as the probable location of the wreck. Their persistence paid off when they detected the submarine using CHIRP sonar technology, followed by further verification through remotely operated vehicles (ROVs).
The wreck, resting in three sections, confirmed the suspicions that a mine explosion had caused the sinking. According to Thoktaridis, the wreck’s condition indicates that the submarine hit a German EMF mine, which was packed with 350 kg of high explosives. The resulting explosion likely broke the submarine apart, leading to its rapid sinking.
The discovery has prompted emotional responses from the families of the crew members who lost their lives aboard HMS Trooper, as well as from naval historians and researchers.
George Malcolmson, the former director of archives at the Royal Navy Submarine Museum, expressed his profound emotions upon hearing.
“It is with great emotion that I learn that the distinguished Greek researcher Kostas Thoktaridis and his team have solved an 81-year-old mystery and discovered the location of the wreck of the British submarine HMS Trooper.”
Similarly, Captain Richard Wraith CBE of the Royal Navy, whose father, Lieutenant John Wraith, commanded HMS Trooper, acknowledged the painstaking efforts of the search teams over the years. He shared his sense of closure, knowing that his father’s final resting place had been located.
“I have known for many years the painstaking effort of the search team to locate the wreck of the submarine, and now I am very pleased and excited that their efforts were rewarded.”
The discovery of HMS Trooper is the culmination of more than two decades of dedicated search efforts. Initial attempts to locate the submarine began in 2000, when researchers focused on the minefields near the Dodecanese Islands. Over the course of 14 expeditions, search teams scoured 10 different minefields, but no trace of the submarine was found in the early years.
The turning point came with a fresh reexamination of historical records. Thoktaridis and his colleague Spyros Vougidis revisited British and German naval archives, uncovering new data that pointed to minefields north of Donousa. This shift in focus proved instrumental in the final discovery.
The breakthrough discovery was made possible through advanced underwater search technology. Using CHIRP sonar, which provides highly detailed images of the seafloor, the Planet Blue team was able to locate the wreck. They then deployed an ROV to capture footage of the submarine, which was compared with HMS Trooper’s original shipbuilding plans to confirm the identification.
CHIRP sonar technology is particularly effective for locating objects in deep water, as it can penetrate thick layers of silt and provide clear images of structures buried beneath. The ROV, an unoccupied underwater robot tethered to a ship by cables, allowed researchers to carefully examine the wreck without disturbing it, respecting the site as a war grave.
The condition of the wreck provides some insight into the moments leading up to the submarine’s sinking. The submarine was found in three distinct sections—bow, midship, and stern—indicating the immense force of the mine explosion. The bow and stern rest close to each other, while the conning tower is located farther away.
Notably, the bow is slightly angled forward, suggesting that HMS Trooper was on the surface at the time of the explosion. The periscopes and engine telegraphs indicate that the submarine was moving at “half ahead” speed when it struck the mine.
The midship section, which suffered the most damage, shows clear signs of the explosion’s impact. The accommodation compartment was obliterated, and the deck gun is missing. The stern, though less damaged, lists to starboard, providing additional clues about the submarine’s final moments.
The research team has emphasized that they did not disturb the wreck, as it serves as the final resting place for the 64 crew members who perished in the tragedy. Thoktaridis and his team have treated the site with the respect and solemnity that it deserves, ensuring that it remains a war grave.
The discovery of HMS Trooper has brought closure to many of the families of the lost crew members, who for years had no definitive answer about the fate of their loved ones. The wreck is a poignant reminder of the sacrifices made by naval servicemen during World War II, particularly in the perilous waters of the Mediterranean, where submarine warfare was especially dangerous.
The long-awaited discovery of HMS Trooper is not only a victory for the research team but also a significant moment in naval history. It sheds new light on the challenges faced by submarines during the war and the dangers of underwater minefields, which claimed numerous vessels during the conflict.
Moreover, the successful identification of the wreck after 81 years underscores the importance of advanced search technologies like CHIRP sonar and ROVs, which are now invaluable tools in maritime archaeology and deep-sea exploration.
While the discovery of HMS Trooper answers many long-standing questions, it also raises new ones about the exact circumstances of the sinking and the final moments of the crew. Researchers and historians will likely continue to study the wreck in the coming years to learn more about this tragic chapter in naval history.
HMS Trooper rests undisturbed at the bottom of the Icarian Sea, it stands as a lasting testament to the bravery of the 64 men who served aboard her. Their sacrifice will not be forgotten, and with the submarine’s final resting place now known, the story of HMS Trooper has finally come full circle.
The wreck also serves as a reminder of the enduring importance of historical research and the power of human perseverance in uncovering the mysteries of the past. For the families of the lost crew, the knowledge that HMS Trooper has been found brings both solace and a sense of closure, even 81 years after the submarine’s disappearance.
