Lt James Stuart Launders

Lieutenant James Stuart Launders, a former pupil of Skinners' School in Tunbridge Wells, went on to become one of the most remarkable submarine commanders in Royal Navy history. Born in 1919, Launders joined the Royal Navy as a cadet in 1938, quickly rising through the ranks due to his exceptional intellect and leadership. His early naval career included service aboard HMS Repulse, but it was his transition to submarine warfare that defined his legacy. In 1943, he was given command of HMS Venturer, a fast-attack submarine, where his strategic brilliance would soon make history.

Launders is best remembered for his unprecedented wartime achievement: the sinking of German U-boat U-864 in 1945 off the coast of Norway. This engagement remains the only recorded instance in naval history where one submarine sank another while both were fully submerged. For his courage and tactical acumen, Launders was awarded the Distinguished Service Order and the Distinguished Service Cross, both with Bars. After retiring in 1974, he continued to contribute to naval training until his death in 1988. His legacy endures as a testament to the calibre of leadership fostered at institutions like Skinners' School.