1 9 4 0 . ▁She ▁was ▁laid ▁down ▁in ▁the ▁C amm ell ▁La ird ▁ship yard ▁in ▁Bir ken head ▁on ▁ 8 ▁May ▁ 1 9 4 1 ▁and ▁launched ▁on ▁ 2 7 ▁August ▁ 1 9 4 2 . ▁On ▁ 2 8 ▁November ▁ 1 9 4 2 , ▁the ▁boat , ▁under ▁the ▁command ▁of ▁Lieutenant ▁James ▁Dr um mond , ▁sa iled ▁to ▁Holy ▁L och , ▁where ▁she ▁was ▁commission ed ▁into ▁the ▁Royal ▁Navy ▁three ▁days ▁later . ▁Thus ▁far , ▁S ick le ▁has ▁been ▁the ▁only ▁ship ▁to ▁bear ▁the ▁name ▁in ▁the ▁Royal ▁Navy . ▁ ▁Between ▁ 1 1 ▁and ▁ 3 1 ▁January ▁ 1 9 4 3 , ▁she ▁conducted ▁a ▁war ▁pat rol ▁off ▁Norway , ▁but ▁sight ed ▁only ▁another ▁British ▁sub marine , ▁. ▁S ick le ▁then ▁sa iled ▁from ▁Great ▁Britain ▁to ▁Gib ral tar ▁on ▁ 6 ▁April , ▁with ▁orders ▁to ▁intercept ▁the ▁Italian ▁block ade ▁runner ▁H imal aya ▁which ▁was ▁thought ▁to ▁be ▁in ▁the ▁vic inity . ▁H imal aya ▁had ▁stayed ▁in ▁port ▁and ▁the ▁sub marine ▁proceeded ▁on ▁to ▁Gib ral tar ▁as ▁planned . ▁ ▁On ▁ 1 8 ▁April ▁ 1 9 4 3 , ▁she ▁depart ed ▁har bour ▁to ▁conduct ▁a ▁pat rol ▁off ▁Val encia , ▁Spain . ▁Five ▁days ▁later , ▁the ▁boat ▁sight ed ▁the ▁Italian ▁merchant ▁ship ▁Mau ro ▁Cro ce ▁and ▁fired ▁two ▁tor ped o