British G-class submarine

	G9
Class overview
Name	G class
Builders	HM Dockyard, Chatham ; Armstrong Whitworth, Newcastle upon Tyne ; Vickers, Barrow-in-Furness ; Scott's, Greenock ;
Operators	Royal Navy
Built	1914-1917
In service	1915-1921
Completed	14
Cancelled	1
Lost	4
Scrapped	10
General characteristics
Type	Submarine
Displacement	703 long tons (714 t) surfaced; 837 long tons (850 t) submerged;
Length	187 ft 1 in (57.0 m)
Beam	22 ft 8 in (6.9 m)
Draught	13 ft 4 in (4.1 m)
Installed power	1,600 bhp (1,200 kW) (diesel); 840 hp (630 kW) (electric motor);
Propulsion	2 × Vickers diesel engines ; 2 × electric motors;
Speed	14.25 knots (26.39 km/h; 16.40 mph) surfaced; 9 knots (17 km/h; 10 mph) submerged;
Range	2,400 nmi (4,400 km; 2,800 mi) at 12.5 kn (23.2 km/h; 14.4 mph) surfaced
Complement	30
Armament	4 × 18-inch (45 cm) torpedo tubes ; 1 × 21-inch (53.3 cm) torpedo tube; 1 × 3-inch (7.6 cm) deck gun;

Last updated January 28, 2024

The G-class were a series of diesel-electric submarines of the Royal Navy in World War I

Description

The G-class submarines were designed by the Admiralty in response to a rumour that the Germans were building double-hulled submarines for overseas duties. The submarines had a partial double hull, a length of 187 feet 1 inch (57.0 m) overall, a beam of 22 feet 8 inches (6.9 m) and a mean draft of 13 feet 4 inches (4.1 m). They displaced 703 long tons (714 t) on the surface and 837 long tons (850 t) submerged. However, the design offered little improvement in practice, the ships being notoriously slow to dive.^[1]^[2]

Most of the class had their bows raised during the war to increase buoyancy and improve seakeeping.

For surface running, the boats were nearly all powered by two 800- brake-horsepower (597 kW) Vickers two-stroke eight-cylinder diesel engines, each driving one propeller shaft. These engines were the first in the world to use Common Rail injection, using four plunger pumps to deliver a pressure up to 3,000 pounds per square inch (210 bar; 21 MPa) every 90° of rotation to keep the fuel pressure adequately constant in the 'rail' (pipe) serving all eight cylinders.^[3]G14 was initially powered by FIAT diesels, but these proved unsuccessful, and were replaced by the standard Vickers engines. It was originally intended to fit more efficient four-stroke MAN and Sulzer diesels to some of the class, but the outbreak of hostilities rendered such plans impossible.^[4] When submerged each propeller was driven by a 420-horsepower (313 kW) electric motor. They could reach 14.25 knots (26.39 km/h; 16.40 mph) on the surface and 9 knots (17 km/h; 10 mph) underwater. On the surface, the G class had a range of 2,400 nautical miles (4,400 km; 2,800 mi) at full speed.^[5]

The boats were originally intended to be armed with one 21-inch (53.3 cm) torpedo tube in the bow and two 18-inch (45 cm) torpedo tubes on the beam. This specification was revised while they were under construction, the 21-inch tube moved to the stern and two additional 18-inch tubes added in the bow; they carried two 21-inch and eight 18-inch torpedoes. The G-class was also armed with a single 3-inch (7.6 cm) deck gun.^[5]

The G-class submarines had a crew of 30 officers and ratings.^[5]

Boats

A total of 14 boats were built at four yards: G1 to G5 by Chatham Dockyard, G6 & G7 by Armstrong Whitworth, G8 to G13 by Vickers, and G14 by Scott's on the Clyde. G15 was ordered from Samuel White's yard at Cowes, Isle of Wight, but cancelled.^[6]

G1 - Launched 14 August 1915. Sold for scrap 1920.
G2 - Launched 23 December 1915. Sank U-78 in the Skagerrak, 28 October 1918. Sold for scrap 1920.
G3 - Launched 22 January 1916. Sold for scrap 1920.
G4 - Launched 23 October 1915. Sold 1928.
G5 - Launched 23 November 1915. Sold 1922.
G6 - Launched 7 December 1915. Sold 1921.
G7 - Launched 14 March 1916. Last British submarine lost in World War I, on or about 23 October 1918, cause unknown.
G8 - Launched 1 May 1916. Lost in the North Sea for reasons unknown on or about 14 January 1918.
G9 - Launched 15 June 1916. Sunk in error by HMS Pasley on 16 September 1917. One survivor.
G10 - Launched 11 January 1916. Sold 1923.
G11 - Launched 22 February 1916. Wrecked on rocks off Howick, Northumberland, in thick fog, 22 November 1918. Two crew drowned while abandoning ship.
G12 - Launched 24 March 1916. Sold 1920.
G13 - Launched 18 July 1916. Sank UC-43 off Muckle Flugga, 10 March 1917. Sold 1923.
G14 - Launched 17 May 1917. Sold 1923.
G15 - Ordered 30 September 1914, cancelled 20 April 1915

Notes

↑ Arthur, M. (1997). Lost voices of the Royal Navy, p.84. Hodder & Stoughton Ltd, London. ISBN 0-340-83814-0
↑ Yorkshire-divers.com Archived 18 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine
↑ Cummins, C. Lyle (2007). Diesels for the First Stealth Weapon. Carnot Press. pp. 196–198. ISBN 978-0-917308-06-2.
↑ Friedman, N. (2014). Fighting the Great War at sea, p.258. Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84832-189-2
1 2 3 Gardiner & Gray, p. 90
↑ "Chapter 7: Double-Hull Overseas Types - Nautilus, Swordfish (1913), G & J Classes". rnsubs.co.uk. Retrieved 27 September 2022.

Related Research Articles

The AA-1 class was a class of three experimental submarines of the United States Navy, built toward the end of World War I, between 1916 and 1919, intended to produce a high-speed fleet submarine. The design was not a success and none of the submarines saw active service. However, the lessons learned were applied to the design of the later V-boats. The class was later renamed as the T class.

HMS L1 was the lead boat of the L-class submarines built for the Royal Navy during World War I.

HMS L4 was a L-class submarine built for the Royal Navy during World War I. The boat survived the war and was sold for scrap in 1934.

HMS L7 was a L-class submarine built for the Royal Navy during World War I. The boat survived the war and was sold for scrap in 1930.

HMS L8 was a L-class submarine built for the Royal Navy during World War I. The boat survived the war and was sold for scrap in 1930.

HMS L52 was a late-model L-class submarine built for the Royal Navy during the First World War. The boat was not completed before the end of the war and was sold for scrap in 1935.

HMS L9 was an L-class submarine built for the Royal Navy during World War I. The boat survived the war and was sold for scrap in 1927.

HMS L11 was a L-class submarine built for the Royal Navy during World War I. She was one of five boats in the class to be fitted as a minelayer. The boat survived the war and was sold for scrap in 1932.

HMS L12 was a L-class submarine built for the Royal Navy during World War I. She was one of five boats in the class to be fitted as a minelayer. The boat survived the war and was sold for scrap in 1932.

HMS L14 was a L-class submarine built for the Royal Navy during World War I. She was one of five boats in the class to be fitted as a minelayer. The boat survived the war and was sold for scrap in 1934.

HMS L16 was a L-class submarine built for the Royal Navy during World War I. The boat survived the war and was sold for scrap in 1934.

HMS L19 was a L-class submarine built for the Royal Navy during World War I. The boat was not completed before the end of the war and was sold for scrap in 1937.

HMS L20 was a L-class submarine built for the Royal Navy during World War I. The boat was not completed before the end of the war and was sold for scrap in 1935.

HMS L21 was a L-class submarine built for the Royal Navy during World War I. The boat was not completed before the end of the war and was sold for scrap in 1939.

HMS G5 was a British G-class submarine built for the Royal Navy during World War I.

HMS G6 was a British G-class submarine built for the Royal Navy during World War I.

HMS G7 was a British G-class submarine built for the Royal Navy during World War I.

HMS G8 was a G-class submarine of the Royal Navy that saw service during World War I, costing an estimated £125,000.

HMS G13 was a British G-class submarine built for the Royal Navy during World War I.

HMS G14 was a British G-class submarine built for the Royal Navy during World War I.

References

Colledge, 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. ISBN 978-1-86176-281-8.
Gardiner, Robert & Gray, Randal, eds. (1985). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-85177-245-5.
McCartney, Innes (2008). British Submarines of World War I. New Vanguard. Vol. 145. Oxford, UK: Osprey. ISBN 978-1-84603-334-6.

External links

Media related to British G class submarines at Wikimedia Commons

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[Arthur-1] Arthur, M. (1997). Lost voices of the Royal Navy, p.84. Hodder & Stoughton Ltd, London. ISBN 0-340-83814-0

[2] Yorkshire-divers.com Archived 18 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine

[3] Cummins, C. Lyle (2007). Diesels for the First Stealth Weapon. Carnot Press. pp. 196–198. ISBN 978-0-917308-06-2.

[Friedman-4] Friedman, N. (2014). Fighting the Great War at sea, p.258. Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84832-189-2

[gg9-5] 1 2 3 Gardiner & Gray, p. 90

[6] "Chapter 7: Double-Hull Overseas Types - Nautilus, Swordfish (1913), G & J Classes". rnsubs.co.uk. Retrieved 27 September 2022.

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v t e British G-class submarines
G1 G2 G3 G4 G5 G6 G7 G8 G9 G10 G11 G12 G13 G14 G15^X
Preceded by: W class Followed by: H class
X Cancelled
List of submarines of the Royal Navy List of submarine classes of the Royal Navy

v t e British naval ship classes of the First World War
Aircraft/Seaplane carriers	Empress ^S^V Riviera ^S^V Engadine ^S^V Ark Royal ^S Ben-my-Chree ^S^V Campania ^S^V Raven II ^S^V Anne ^S^V Vindex ^S^V Manxman ^S^V Furious ^M Pegasus ^S^V Nairana ^S^V Argus ^S^V Vindictive ^S^V
Dreadnought battleships	Dreadnought ^S Bellerophon St Vincent Neptune ^S Colossus Orion King George V Erin ^S Agincourt ^S Iron Duke Canada ^S Queen Elizabeth Revenge
Pre-dreadnought battleships	Royal Sovereign Majestic Canopus Formidable London Duncan King Edward VII Swiftsure Lord Nelson
Battlecruisers	Invincible Indefatigable Lion Queen Mary ^S Tiger ^S Renown Courageous Admiral ^S^A
Armoured cruisers	Cressy Drake Monmouth Devonshire Duke of Edinburgh Warrior Minotaur
Heavy cruisers	Hawkins ^A
Light cruisers	Town ^G Arethusa C ^G^C Danae ^C Emerald ^A
Protected cruisers	Apollo Astraea Eclipse Blake Pearl Edgar Powerful Diadem Arrogant Pelorus Highflyer Challenger Topaze
Scout cruisers	Adventure Forward Pathfinder Sentinel Boadicea Blonde Active
Destroyer flotilla leaders	Swift ^S Faulknor Marksman Parker Thornycroft (or Shakespeare) ^C Admiralty (or Scott) ^C
Destroyers	A ^G B ^G C ^G D ^G E ^G F G H I K L Admiralty M Hawthorn M Thornycroft M Yarrow M Yarrow Later M Medea Arno ^S R ^G S ^G^C Talisman V and W ^G^C
Torpedo boats	TB 81 ^S TB 98 TB 109 TB 114 Cricket ^G
Monitors	Marshal Ney Abercrombie Lord Clive Humber Gorgon M15 M29 Erebus
Minesweepers	Racecourse Hunt Dance
Gunboats	Fly Insect
Submarines	A B C D E F G H ^C J K L ^C M ^C R ^C Swordfish ^S V
Sloops	P Cadmus Flower Acacia Azalea Arabis Anchusa Aubrietia 24 ^C
naval trawlers	Castle Mersey
A All completed after the war C One or more completed after the war G Grouping of several classes M converted from Courageous class S Single ship of class V Conversions X Cancelled