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HMSH5

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A view from thebridgeof HMSH5.
History
United Kingdom
NameH5
BuilderCanadian Vickers,Montreal
Laid down11th January 1915
Launched1 April 1915
Commissioned10 June 1915
FateSunk, 2 March 1918
General characteristics
Class and typeH-classsubmarine
Displacement
  • 364 long tons (370 t) surfaced
  • 434 long tons (441 t) submerged
Length150 ft 3 in (45.80 m)
Beam15 ft 4 in (4.67 m)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 13knots(24 km/h; 15 mph) surfaced
  • 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) submerged
Range
  • 1,600 nmi (3,000 km) at 10 kn (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced
  • 130 nmi (240 km) at 2 kn (3.7 km/h; 2.3 mph) submerged
Complement22
Armament

HMSH5was aBritish H-classsubmarineof theRoyal Navythat served in theFirst World War.The boat, which was launched on 1 April 1915, was lost after being rammed by a British merchant ship offCaernarfon Bayin March 1918. It had been mistaken as a GermanU-boatand sank with the loss of all hands.[1]

Design

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Like all pre-H11British H-class submarines,H5had a displacement of 364 long tons (370 t) at the surface and 434 long tons (441 t) while submerged.[2]It had a total length of 150 feet 3 inches (45.8 m), a beam of 15 feet 4 inches (4.67 m), and a draught of 12 feet (3.7 m).[3]It contained a diesel engines providing a total power of 480 horsepower (360 kW) and two electric motors each providing 320 horsepower (240 kW) power.[3]The use of its electric motors made the submarine travel at 11 knots (20 km/h; 13 mph). It would normally carry 16.4 long tons (16.7 t) of fuel and had a maximum capacity of 18 long tons (18 t).[4]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 13 knots (24 km/h; 15 mph) and a submerged speed of 11 knots (20 km/h; 13 mph). British H-class submarines had ranges of 1,600 nautical miles (3,000 km; 1,800 mi).[2]H5was fitted with a 6 pounds (2.7 kg)Hotchkissquick-firing gun(6-pounder) and four 18 inches (460 mm)torpedo tubes.Its torpedo tubes were fitted to thebowsand the submarine carried eight 18 inches (460 mm) torpedoes.[2]She is aHolland 602 type submarinebut was designed to meet Royal Navy specifications. Hercomplementwas twenty-two crew members.[2]

Service record

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On 14 July 1916H5spotted theSMU-51leaving theEmsand torpedoed her.U-51sank with the loss of 34 of her crew; four men survived.[5]

Sinking

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HMSH5was sunk after being rammed by the British merchantmanRutherglenwhen mistaken for a German U-boat on 2 March 1918. All on board perished including aUS Navyobserver, LieutenantEarle Wayne Freed Childsfrom the American submarineAL-2.He became the first US submariner to lose his life in theFirst World War.All on board are commemorated on Panel 29 atRoyal Navy Submarine Museum.The wreck's site is designated as a controlled site under theProtection of Military Remains Act.In 2010, a plaque commemorating the 26 crew was dedicated onArmed Forces DayinHolyhead.[6]

References

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  1. ^"WW1 shipwrecks pictured by sonar off Welsh coast".BBC News. 7 October 2018.
  2. ^abcd"H-class".Battleships-Cruisers, Cranston Fine Arts.Retrieved20 August2015.
  3. ^abColledge, J. J.;Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969].Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy(Rev. ed.). London: Chatham Publishing.ISBN978-1-86176-281-8.Retrieved fromNaval-Historyon 20 August 2015.
  4. ^J. D. Perkins (1999)."Building History and Technical Details for Canadian CC-Boats and the Original H-CLASS".Electric Boat Company Holland Patent Submarines.Retrieved20 August2015.
  5. ^National Archives, Kew: HW 7/3, Room 40, History of German Naval Warfare 1914–1918
  6. ^"Ceremony for Armed Forces Day marks submarine tragedy".BBCNews.BBC. 19 June 2010.Retrieved1 July2010.

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