On September 10, 1939 the British submarine HMS Oxley was sunk off the coast of Norway, for a loss of all but two of her crew. More shocking, however, was the circumstance of the boat’s loss, an event clouded by wartime secrets and propaganda.
The first class of nuclear submarines were a learning experience for the Soviet Navy. The November class boats experienced numerous difficulties and accidents, culminating in what has been described as a potential “Underwater Chernobyl."