First Lieutenant Stephen Arthur Pidgeon Print Page 
The painting commemorates Stephen Arthur Pidgeon, First Lieutenant in the Royal Naval Reserve who perished along with the crew on HMS P38 submarine during World War Two.
HMS P 38 submarine left Malta on 16 February 1942 to intercept a convoy off Tripoli. By the 23rd she was in position as the convoy hove into view. Amongst the convoy was the Italian torpedo boat Circe. At 0800 the Circe reported a contact with a submarine and that she turned in to attack. A periscope was sighted but was quickly replaced by bubbles as the submarine dived realising it had been spotted. At 1050 after a flurry of attacks P 38 rose stern first out of the water, her propellers turning wildly, before crashing back beneath the waves. A large patch of oil appeared on the surface as well as debris, clear evidence of the submarine’s destruction. P 38 was sunk some 90 nautical miles east of Tripoli and there were no survivors.
Stephen Pidgeon Article 1942Location
| Address: | Moorabool & McKillop Streets, Christ Church Anglican , Geelong, 3220 |
|---|---|
| State: | VIC |
| Area: | AUS |
| GPS Coordinates: | Lat: -38.153099 Long: 144.358437 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate. |
Details
| Monument Type: | Art |
|---|---|
| Monument Theme: | People |
| Sub-Theme: | Military |
| Actual Event Start Date: | 25-February-1942 |
| Actual Event End Date: | 25-February-1942 |
Dedication
To The Glory Of God And In Loving Memory Of
STEPHEN ARTHUR PIDGEON, ROYAL NAVAL RESERVE.,
First Lieutenant Of His Majesty's Submarine P.38
Sunk In The Mediteranean Sea 25th February 1942
"Greater love hath no man than this. That a man lay down his life for his friends."
