James Drummond was born in St Marylebone in London on 28 March 1918, the son of Vice Admiral the Honourable Edmund Rupert Drummond CB MVO DL and Lady Evelyn Frances Butler. Vice Admiral Drummond was serving in 1943 as Chief of Staff (then in the rank of Commodore 2nd Class) to the Commander-in-Chief, Rosyth).

James Drummond joined the Royal Navy as a Cadet, was promoted to Midshipman on 1 January 1936 and, on the same day, appointed to the Battleship HMS BARHAM (Captain N G Wodehouse, ADC, Royal Navy) – 1st Battle Squadron, Mediterranean Fleet. He was further promoted to Sub Lieutenant on 16 September 1938 and appointed to HMS DOLPHIN for the Submarine Course on 24 April 1939.

On 4 August 1939, he joined the Submarine Depot Ship HMS MEDWAY (4th Submarine Flotilla) at Hong Kong ‘for Submarines’ and, on 11 January 1940, is recorded as serving in HMS PERSEUS as Third Hand. HMS MEDWAY was transferred to the Mediterranean as the Submarine Depot Ship of the 1st Submarine Flotilla at Alexandria in Egypt. James Drummond then joined HMS TRUANT as Third Hand on 29 Jan 41. He moved ashore to HMS TALBOT (10th Submarine Flotilla) at Malta ‘for Staff Duties’ on 30 Nov before being appointed to HMS UPHOLDER as First Lieutenant from 4 December 1941.

He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) – see London Gazette dated 5 January 1942.

James returned home on 8 June 1942 with an appointment to HMS DOLPHIN (5th Submarine Flotilla) ‘Under Training’. After successful completion of the Commanding Officers Qualifying Course (COQC), he was appointed in Command of HMS H32 in the 7th Submarine Flotilla at Rothesay and, thence, to HMS DOLPHIN (5th Submarine Flotilla) ‘for Submarine HMS SICKLE’, standing by whilst completing and in Command on Commissioning on 5 October 1942. HMS SICKLE was built by Cammell Lairds at Birkenhead, being “laid down” in May 1941, launched on 27 August 1942 and commissioned on 1 Dec 42. After sea training in home waters, she was despatched to the Mediterranean to join the 8th Submarine Flotilla based on HMS MAIDSTONE at Algiers.

On 21 May 1943 James Drummond, in HMS SICKLE, attacked the 500-ton German U-Boat U-303 off Toulon in position 43°00’N 05°59’E. Two torpedoes were fired of which one hit abaft the conning tower and the U-Boat sank. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) – see London Gazette dated 27th July 1943.

HMS SICKLE (Lieutenant James Ralph Drummond, DSO DSC RN) was lost with all hands, probably after striking a mine in the Antikithera Channel, Greece, on or around 18 June 1944.

James Drummond who was from Stornoway, Isle of Lewis, Scotland died in SICKLE on 16 June 1944

Belfast Telegraph Wednesday 26th August 1942
POSTHUMOUS AWARDS

D.S.C.-Lieut. James Ralph Drummond. Royal Navy.

Aberdeen Press & Journal Thursday 13th July 1944
H.M. Submarine Sickle Lost
The Board of Admiralty regret to announce that the submarine H.M.S. Sickle (Lt. J. R. Drummond, D.S.0., D.S.C.; R.N.), has been lost. Next-of-kin of casualties have been informed. Lt. James Ralph Drummond, whose home was at Basingstoke, Hants, was the son of Vice-Adml. the Hon. E. R. Drummond. He was twenty-five. He had been frequently mentioned in Admiralty communiques for his exploits in submarines in the Mediterranean. He became known as the man who nearly blew up the Casino at Monte Carlo. In a successful attack on a supply ship close to shore, two of his torpedoes missed, ran the beach, and one exploded under the Casino. Most of Sickle’s career was spent in the Mediterranean. She sank at least 9500 tons of enemy supply shipping, and possibly sank or damaged some 11,000 tons.