HMS SPLENDID (Lt I L M McGeoch) completed five Mediterranean patrols between October 1942 and April 1943 sinking 12 merchant ships, one destroyer and damaging a further destroyer. She sailed on 18 April for a patrol in the vicinity of Capri and, on 21 April, sighted a destroyer that she had difficulty in identifying (it was a captured Greek destroyer operating as part of the German Navy).

The destroyer, Hermes, spotted SPLENDID periscope at a range of 3000 yards in glassy conditions. Hermes attacked with depth charges three times and SPLENDID was fatally damaged. Depth gauges showed a depth in excess of 500 (SPLENDID was built to withstand a depth of 250 ) and it was quickly realised that the submarine was lost and every effort was made to return to the surface and abandon ship. She eventually surfaced but was hit by gunfire that killed several crew members. The submarine sank as the crew abandoned her.