Delfin submarine arrival marks Greek naval milestone

On September 22, 1912, the submarine Delfin arrived at the Salamis Naval Base, marking a significant milestone for the Greek Navy. Ordered in 1910 from the French Schneider shipyards as part of an armament program by the government of Eleftherios Venizelos, the vessel was a Laubeuf-type submarine.

With a displacement of 310 tons on the surface and 450 tons submerged, the Delfin was a modern asset for its time. It featured five torpedo tubes and was commanded by Lieutenant Stefanos Paparigopoulos, who had been trained in France. The arrival of the submarine was crucial for strengthening Greek naval power ahead of the imminent Balkan Wars.

The Delfin is historically noted for performing the first recorded successful submarine torpedo attack against a warship during wartime. This event occurred on December 9, 1912, near Tenedos, during the First Balkan War.