HMS Oberon was the prototype for the later Odin class and was built at Chatham.
Originally ordered as HMS O1, the Admiralty decided to give submarines names rather than numbers, so the boat was renamed Oberon. Laid down on No 7 slip on 22nd March 1924, she was launched into the Medway on 24th September 1926 and was commissioned at Chatham on 24th August 1927.
Oberon was significant in that she was the first Royal Navy submarine to have a name rather than just a number. Oberon and the Odin class were built to replace the First World war-built L class which didn't have sufficient endurance for service in the far east. They were armed with 6 bow and 2 stern 21" torpedo tubes and carried a 4" gun.
Oberon and the subsequent O class had a design flaw whereby the diesel tanks were rivetted and located outside the pressure hull and always had a slight leak which could be spotted from the surface. This led to three of the boats being lost to Italian destroyers early in the Second World War. The fault was later rectified when the tanks were welded.
HMS Oberon was also significant in that she was the first Royal Navy submarine designed to carry ASDIC and hydrophones. Oberon and her Odin class cousins were also the first boats designed for quick diving, being fitted with a Q tank, they could dive to periscope depth in little over a minute.
Although designed for service in the far east, Oberon spent most of her time in home waters, apart from a 3 year period based in Malta.
In 1935, she was damaged in a collision with HMS Thanet at Devonport. She was repaired, refitted and reduced to the reserve.
HMS Oberon recommissioned in August 1939, when it was clear that the outbreak of war with Germany was unavoidable. On 8th September, she departed Portsmouth for Dundee, arriving on 10th. She conducted her first war patrol in the North Sea between 21st September and 6th October 1939, arriving back in Dundee on 7th. After moving to Portsmouth, she was employed on training duties out of there between 19th October 1939 and 21st March 1941. Between 22nd March and 11th April 1941, she conducted her 2nd war patrol as part of the 'Iron Ring' off Brest. After that, she resumed her training duties until 5th July 1944 when she decommissioned at Blyth.
HMS Oberon was sold on 24th August 1945 and was broken up at Dunston.
