“We had a rape list on my submarine,” an insider has told the paper
British Royal Navy personnel have been accused of drug use and abusive behavior on board the nuclear submarine HMS Vanguard. The claims, published on Tuesday by the Daily Mail, stem from accounts provided by a whistleblower, who detailed incidents involving crew members.
The former member of the submarine’s crew alleged that some sailors engaged in “gang bangs” while on duty, and that “the lunatics are in charge at the asylum.”
“We had a rape list on my submarine. There was a 19-year-old kid [on it]. When he realised he was on it, he was s***ing his pants. Everyone wanted to rape him. He was petrified,” the whistleblower told the paper.
The HMS Vanguard, which carries Trident ballistic missiles, is one of the UK’s four Vanguard-class submarines. Any lapse in protocol on board such a vessel is considered a matter of significant national security.
A spokeswoman for the Royal Navy responded to the allegations, stating, “We do not discuss individual cases, especially if it could prejudice an ongoing investigation.”
HMS Vanguard’s operations are believed to be tightly controlled, and the submarine’s crew undergoes rigorous training and vetting processes. However, the whistleblower’s account suggests that lapses in discipline may have allowed misconduct to persist.
In December, the Telegraph reported that over 15,000 British soldiers left the army in November 2023 through October 2024 despite a record-breaking pay raise initiated by the government. During the same period, they reportedly recruited some 12,000 service personnel, meaning a substantial net reduction.
