Late in 1940, the Italian Navy destroyers and submarines based at Massawa on the Red Sea threatened Allied shipping on the route between the Indian Ocean and the Suez Canal, but only the submarines achieved any measure of success.

The Italian BRIN Class submarine TORRICELLI was scuttled on the 23rd June after a short engagement with the British destroyers HMS KANDAHAR, HMS KHARTOUM and HMS KINGSTON and the sloop HMS SHOREMAM in the Red Sea.

On the 24th June, HM Submarine GRAMPUS, commanded by LCDR C. A. Rowe, had sailed from Malta on June 10. After a preliminary reconnaissance of her patrol area, she laid mines in the swept channel between Augusta and Syracuse. On June 13th she reported having made a successful lay. LCDR Charles Rowe remained in the area of his minelaying activities. On the morning of the 14th, he attacked with torpedoes, the Italian torpedo boat POLLUCE, a unit of the 13th Torpedoboat Squadron which was on an A/S sweep in an area off Syracuse. POLLUCE sighted the torpedo wake in time to take evasive action.

At 1830 hours on the 16th June, the 13th Torpedoboat Squadron, under the overall command of CDR Aldo Rossi, sailed from Syracuse for an A/S sweep. Once free of the harbour, the squadron consisting of CIRCE, CLIO, CALLIOPE and POLLUCE increased speed to 26 knots.

The evening was clear and calm. HMS GRAMPUS was proceeding at periscope depth when the wake from her periscope was sighted by the CIRCE. On sighting the torpedo boats, LCDR Charles Rowe fired two torpedoes at them, both missed their targets, then he dived.

CIRCE at once turned to port and went racing towards GRAMPUS and as she passed over her, she launched all her depth charges. By 1909 hours, all the charges on her deck had been expended. Lt. Agretti, Skipper of CLIO, saw CIRCE swing about and guesses her intentions. Moving away to port, Lt. Agretti turned CLIO about and followed CIRCE, dropping depth charges in the process. The third ship was Lt. Bettica’s POLLUCE and following CLIO, he launched his depth charges.

In completing his turn, a mass of air bubbles was observed on the surface. GRAMPUS appeared to be in difficulties. CLIO and POLLUCE followed the trail of air bubbles, dropping depth charges as they did so. A column of water with black foam and mixed with wreckage was flung up. When the water had settled, a patch of oil was visible on the surface. Again CLIO and POLLUCE approached and dropped more depth charges. the oil patch expanded to reach a diameter of 200 yards, and a mass of small air bubbles came to the surface along with further wreckage.

GRAMPUS had been sunk in just fifteen minutes after she had been sighted. Sixty one depth charges had been dropped on her. It was the 24th June when the Admiralty reported she was overdue and presumed lost. She was the second submarine to be lost in the Mediterranean and the eleventh submarine the British had lost.

The same day, the British sloop HMS FALMOUTH sank the Italian BRIN Class submarine GALVANI off the Persian Gulf. The British lost their twelfth submarine on the 19th June and the third in the Mediterranean when HMS ORPHEUS commanded by LCDR J. A. S. Wise was lost with all hands. ORPHEUS was patrolling to the south west of Malta when on the night of June 10th, a signal from Captain S.10 Malta ordered LCDR Wise to proceed in execution of previous orders to a prearranged area off Corfu.

After acknowledging the signal at 2354 hours, LCDR Wise changed course for his new billet. As there was a possibility of Greek submarine activity close to his area, LCDR Wise was recalled and took up a patrol SW of Sicily.

On the 18th June, ORPHEUS was ordered to proceed to Alexandria. At 1211 hours on the 19th June, Captain S.1 Alexandria ordered ORPHEUS to establish a patrol off Benghazi in an area designated “H” which at that time was an area within 40 miles of Benghazi. Captain S-1’s signal was acknowledged by ORPHEUS at 1416 hours and at 2115

On Thursday, 20th June at 1600 hours, ORPHEUS was ordered to leave her patrol area after 1600 hours on the 22nd and to arrive Alexandria at 0230 hours on the 26th June. ORPHEUS was told not to acknowledge this signal. Then on the 22nd, Captain S-1 amended the route ORPHEUS was to take to Alexandria. Again ORPHEUS was told not to acknowledge receipt of this signal.

So, after acknowledging receipt of a signal at 2115 hours on June 19th, at which time it was estimated that she was about one hundred miles northwest of Benghazi. Nothing further was heard from HMS ORPHEUS.

There are several theories as to why ORPHEUS failed to return to Harbour, but the most likely is that she was lost through mining although the Italians stated it was depth charged and sunk by one of their destroyers. It was 27th June when the British Admiralty announced she was overdue and presumed lost with all hands. HMS ORPHEUS had been the last of the “O” Class submarines to be launched in February, 1929.