HMS Thistle (N24)
HMS "Thistle" (N24) was a T-class submarine of the Royal Navy. She was laid down by Vickers Armstrong, Barrow and launched in October 1938. She was sunk by the German submarine on 10 April 1940 near Skudenes. Career. At the onset of the Second World War, "Thistle" was a member of the 2nd Submarine Flotilla. From 26 to 29 August 1939, the flotilla deployed to its war bases at Dundee and Blyth. "Thistle", under the command of Lt. Wilfrid Frederick Haselfoot, was ordered to patrol off Stavanger, and to sink any enemy vessel that she might  spot in the harbour, since British authorities believed that a German invasion of Norway was imminent. On 10 April, "Thistle" signaled her intention to comply with this order and that she had two torpedoes remaining after an unsuccessful attack on a U-boat. With this in mind the Admiralty changed her orders to patrol off Skudenes. No further contact was made with "Thistle". Sinking. It was later discovered that "", the U-boat "Thistle" had previously attacked, had sighted the submarine on the surface and sunk her with torpedoes. The action began when HMS "Thistle" spotted "U-4" cruising on the surface  with a periscope. At 16.04 hours on 9 April 1940 HMS "Thistle" fired a spread of six torpedoes, all of which missed. HMS "Thistle" later reported the unsuccessful engagement via radio, and that the submarine had only two torpedoes left. "U-4" observed one torpedo passing ten meters ahead and evaded further underwater attacks by crash diving. The U-boat crew later heard three explosions of the off-track torpedoes at the end of their run. Afterwards "U-4" found HMS "Thistle" on the surface recharging its batteries. At 02.13 hours on the morning of 10 April 1940, "U-4" fired a spread  of two torpedoes at its attacker. The first, a G7a torpedo, missed. The second, a magnetic G7e torpedo, found its mark, sinking "Thistle" with all hands near Skudenes.