Salmon sinks U-36

4 December 1939, North Sea, off south-west Norway

British success; U-36 sunk with all hands

On patrol off the Norwegian coast on 4 December 1939, the submarine Salmon sighted U-36 on the surface, heading out into the North Sea. Lieutenant-Commander Edward Bickford fired a salvo of torpedoes; one hit, and U-36 sank with all hands. It was the first time in the war that one submarine had sunk another. Nine days later Salmon torpedoed the cruisers Leipzig and Nürnberg.