HMS Seraph (P219)

HMS Seraph (P219) was a British submarine of the S-class, built by Vickers Armstrong in Barrow-in-Furness. Launched on 25 October 1941, she served with distinction during World War II. Seraph is best known for her involvement in several daring and unconventional operations, particularly in the Mediterranean Theatre.

Her notable missions included:

• Operation Mincemeat: Seraph played a crucial role in this deception operation. She carried the body of "Major Martin," a fictitious Royal Marines officer, to the coast of Spain. The body carried false documents intended to mislead the Axis powers about the Allied invasion of Sicily. This operation successfully diverted German forces, contributing to the success of the actual landings.

• Operation Flagpole: Seraph transported General Mark Clark, commander of the U.S. Fifth Army, and a small group of officers to North Africa for secret pre-invasion negotiations with pro-Allied French officials.

• Evacuation of General Giraud: In November 1942, Seraph evacuated General Henri Giraud from Southern France to Gibraltar to assume leadership of French forces allied with the Allies.

Following the war, Seraph was decommissioned in 1962 and scrapped in 1965. Her wartime service earned her a distinguished reputation and cemented her place in naval history, particularly for her role in clandestine operations that had a significant impact on the course of the war.