British 10th Submarine Flotilla (Malta)

The 10th Submarine Flotilla was a group of Royal Navy submarines assigned to the British Mediterranean Fleet based in Malta from early 1941.

Composition and base
The Flotilla was composed mainly of U Class submarines e.g. HMS Unbeaten, HMS Upholder (P37), HMS United, HMS Upright, HMS Una, HMS Unseen (P51), HMS Unbending, HMS Unbroken HMS Urge (N17), HMS Utmost (N19), HMS P38 and HMS Ursula (N59). There were other classes of British submarine operating from Malta including: HMS Rorqual (N74), HMS Thrasher (N37) and HMS Thunderbolt, but it was the U Class that made up most of the Flotilla's fighting strength.

The Flotilla's base in Malta was the ancient fort on Manoel Island, in the Marsamxett Harbour opposite Sliema; this shore base was called HMS Talbot. The submarine base at Manoel Island was a priority target for Axis aerial attacks and was heavily bombed in 1942 which forced a temporary withdrawal of the Flotilla from Malta.

WW2 Campaign History
During the height of the Siege of Malta it was submarines that were used to ferry in key supplies such as aircraft fuel and other essentials. This use of larger submarines like HMS Rorqual was called the "Magic Carpet".

The Flotilla never numbered more than 12 submarines, but this small force between January 1941 and December 1942, sank 412,575 tons of Axis shipping.

The Flotilla's mission highlights included:
 * Late April/Late May 1941 - two Malta-based U Class boats (Usk and Undaunted) were lost on patrol
 * 24 May 1941 - HMS Upholder (commanded by Lieutenant Commander Malcolm Wanklyn RN) attacked a convoy off the coast of Sicily. Upholder sank 18,000 ton liner Conte Rosso this action resulted in Wanklyn being awarded the Victoria Cross for many successful patrols, including the liner's sinking
 * 27 September 1941 - HMS Upright sank Italian torpedo boat off Messina, northeast Sicily.