The Royal Naval Base Blyth on the Northumberland coast was a submarine base during both World Wars.
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| Blyth Submarine Base |
At 11:00 on 3rd September 1939 the Admiralty sent a signal to all warships “COMMENCE HOSTILITIES AGAINST GERMANY IMMEDIATELY”. A signal that would result in the sixth submarine flotilla being sent to Blyth.
On Christmas Eve 1939, the submariners of HMS Seahorse were enjoying themselves in the Astley Arms, Seaton Sluice, near Blyth.
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| HMS Seahorse |
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| Astley Arms Seaton Sluice |
A raffle for a bottle of whiskey was won by Petty Officer Leonard Wilson. Unfortunately PO Wilson was unable to collect it before HMS Seahorse left Blyth on Patrol.
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| Petty Officer Leonard Wilson |
The landlady, Mrs Lydia Jackson kept the bottle for safekeeping awaiting the return of HMS Seahorse. Sadly, the submarine never returned, it was lost with all hands.
It is thought that she could have been sunk by the German First Minesweeper Flotilla which reported carrying out a prolonged depth charge attack on an unknown submarine on 7 January 1940.
The bottle of whiskey remained at the pub till the landlady retired in 1971 when it was presented to the Royal Navy Submarine Museum.
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| Astley Arms Whiskey Bottle RN Submarine Museum |
The loss of HMS Seahorse is recorded on the Lost Submarines Memorial at the Royal Navy Submarine Museum, Gosport.
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| Royal Navy Submarine Museum Lost Submarines Memorial |
