Midget Submarines: The Secret War Beneath the Waves

Origins

Britain's midget submarine programme began in response to the threat posed by the German battleship Tirpitz, lurking in the Norwegian fjords and tying down a large portion of the Royal Navy. Conventional submarines could not penetrate the defences, so the Royal Navy developed the X-craft — tiny submarines just 51 feet long, crewed by four men.

Operation Source

In September 1943, six X-craft attacked the Tirpitz in Kåfjord, Norway. Despite enormous difficulties — including broken tow lines, flooded compartments, and malfunctioning compasses — X-6 and X-7 managed to place charges beneath the battleship, causing damage that kept it out of action for months. Two VCs were awarded.

The Far East: James Magennis VC

In the Pacific theatre, the improved XE-craft carried out audacious operations against Japanese targets. Leading Seaman James Magennis earned the Victoria Cross during XE-3's attack on the cruiser Takao in the Johor Strait on 31 July 1945. Working as the diver, Magennis attached limpet mines to the cruiser's hull in zero visibility, returning to re-attach them when they failed to hold.

Legacy

The midget submarine programme demonstrated extraordinary courage and ingenuity. The crews knew that their chances of survival were slim, yet volunteers never lacked. Magennis remains Northern Ireland's only WW2 Victoria Cross recipient.