The voyage was organised by Lieutenant J. Collett, the commander of HMS H49.
HMS H49 was a British H-class submarine built by William Beardmore and Company, Dalmuir. She was laid down on 15 July 1919 and commissioned on 25 October 1919.
H49 survived until World War II when she was sunk by depth charging by a German patrol craft commanded by Wolfgang Kaden belonging to the 5th German anti-submarine flotilla off Texel, Holland on 18 October 1940.
H49 put to sea from Harwich on 17th October 1940 with orders to patrol off the Dutch coast. At 1510 on the 17th the submarine sighted a German anti-submarine flotilla of five vessels at a distance of 3000 yards; the flotilla also spotted the submarine. H49 immediately dived to 60 feet and depth charges began to fall around her. The submarine endured over two hours of depth charge attacks until 1850 when a large oil slick was sighted on the surface by the attacking vessels - marking the end of H49.
There was only one survivor.
In the mid 1980s amateur divers who had violated H49's war grave status were prosecuted by the Dutch government.
HMS H33 was a British H class submarine built by Cammell Laird, Birkenhead. She was laid down on 20 November 1917 and commissioned on 17 May 1919.
The boat was of first war vintage and of riveted construction, which creaked in heavy seas and leaked when dived. This submarine was deployed in Home Waters for training purposes throughout WW2. H33 was scrapped in 1944 at Troon.
Whilst it's a fascinating story, I wonder why these vessels visited Gloucester Docks?
The cache is a cliplock in a camo bag ideal for small swops and geocoins.