A piece of history rests before us. The conning tower of the RHS Papanikolis stands proudly. This is no ordinary monument. It’s a testament to bravery and cunning. It whispers tales of daring missions during World War II.
The RHS Papanikolis was a Greek submarine. She was one of the most successful during the Second World War. Built in Nantes France at the Chantiers de la Loire shipyards she was commissioned in 1927. Her first captain was Cdr P Vandoros.
Despite facing mechanical issues Papanikolis bravely fought in the Greco-Italian War. Lieutenant Commander Miltiadis Iatridis commanded her. She carried out six daring patrols in the Adriatic Sea. During one patrol she sank the Italian motor ship Antonietta. The very next day she sank the troop carrier Firenze.
After the German invasion Papanikolis escaped to the Middle East. From there she continued her missions. In total she completed nine war patrols. Commander Athanasios Spanidis later took command. He led two patrols in the Aegean Sea. In one patrol Papanikolis landed SOE agents in Crete. She also picked up a team of New Zealand commandos. Another patrol saw her disembark British-Greek commando teams at Rhodes. They successfully attacked Axis airfields.
Lieutenant Nikolaos Roussen later assumed command. He led a patrol to southern Crete. He delivered men and equipment. These included SOE agents Xan Fielding Arthur Reade Niko Souris and Alec Tarves. ISLD agent Stello Papaderos also went ashore. Papanikolis then ambushed and sank an 8000-ton cargo vessel near Rhodes. Later she captured the sailing vessel Agios Stefanos. The crew sailed her to Alexandria. Papanikolis sank other vessels too.
She returned to Greece after the war’s end. However she was outdated and decommissioned in 1945. Her conning tower was saved. It now stands in the Hellenic Maritime Museum in Piraeus. The RHS Papanikolis a symbol of Greek resilience. Her legacy lives on reminding us of courage and determination in the face of adversity.