19 Facts About Rupert Lonsdale

Rupert Philip Lonsdale was a British submarine commander, prisoner of war and Anglican clergyman.

Rupert Lonsdale was forced to surrender his boat in World War II after he had succeeded in rescuing her and her crew from the sea bed after she struck a mine.

Rupert Lonsdale then spent five years as a prisoner of war.

Rupert Lonsdale was born in Dublin and educated at St Cyprian's School, Eastbourne and the Royal Naval College, Osborne.

Rupert Lonsdale began in the submarine branch of the service in 1927 and within four years was first lieutenant of XI, a large experimental submersible.

Rupert Lonsdale was promoted lieutenant-commander in May 1936 and in 1937 he took over the newer Swordfish for a year.

Stymied in a calm sea, Rupert Lonsdale mined an area by Vinga.

Rupert Lonsdale summoned his ship's company and led them in the Lord's Prayer.

Once on the surface, Rupert Lonsdale tried to make for the nearby Swedish coast and the crew destroyed the secret Asdic equipment and confidential papers.

Rupert Lonsdale sent his crew below, and under fire tried to hold the aircraft off with Lewis guns until these jammed.

Rupert Lonsdale was mentioned in despatches four days later for his previous patrol work.

Rupert Lonsdale maintained contact with the village of Seal who had adopted the crew.

Rupert Lonsdale was tried by court martial at Portsmouth, on 10 April 1946, for the loss of Seal.

Rupert Lonsdale went to Ridley Hall in Cambridge in 1946 to prepare for his ordination and became a priest in 1949.

Rupert Lonsdale volunteered for this mission because he thought that his five years as a prisoner of war should help him to befriend the Mau Mau rebels, and at one point he offered to live in the bush as a hostage, to demonstrate Britain's benevolent intentions.

Rupert Lonsdale became a canon emeritus, and his last full-time incumbency was from 1965 to 1970 as vicar of Thornham-with-Titchwell on the north Norfolk coast.

Rupert Lonsdale retired to Hampshire, but held several part-time chaplaincies for the Anglican Church's European diocese based on Gibraltar.

Rupert Lonsdale was survived by his son John Lonsdale, Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge, a historian of East Africa.

Rupert Lonsdale agreed, provided that he could write a foreword making it clear that he was a reluctant contributor, who trusted that it might help some readers to find faith in God.