HMS H31

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H31 submarine.jpg
HMS H31
History
Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svgUnited Kingdom
NameHMS H31
Builder Vickers Limited, Barrow-in-Furness
Laid down19 April 1917
Launched16 November 1918
Commissioned21 February 1919
FateSunk, between 19 and 24 December 1941
General characteristics
Class and type H class submarine
Displacement
  • 423 long tons (430 t) surfaced
  • 510 long tons (518 t) submerged
Length171 ft 0 in (52.12 m)
Beam15 ft 4 in (4.67 m)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 11.5 knots (21.3 km/h; 13.2 mph) surfaced
  • 9 knots (17 km/h; 10 mph) submerged
Range
  • 2,985 nmi (5,528 km) at 7.5 kn (13.9 km/h; 8.6 mph) surfaced
  • 130 nmi (240 km) at 2 kn (3.7 km/h; 2.3 mph) submerged
Complement22
Armament

HMS H31 was a British H class submarine built by Vickers Limited, Barrow-in-Furness. She was laid down on 19 April 1917 and was commissioned on 21 February 1919.

Contents

HMS H31 survived until World War II. During the war, she took part in the operation to keep the Scharnhorst in Brest, France in december 1941 before the "Channel Dash" to German homeports in the company of Gneisenau and Prinz Eugen in February 1942. During the operation, H31 was sunk by unknown causes, but most believe she was mined in the Bay of Biscay after leaving port on 19 December and failing to respond on 24 December 1941. [1]

Design

Like all post-H20 British H-class submarines, H31 had a displacement of 423 long tons (430 t) at the surface and 510 long tons (520 t) while submerged. [2] It had a total length of 171 feet (52 m), [3] a beam of 15 feet 4 inches (4.67 m), and a draught of 12 metres (39 ft). [4] 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. [4] 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). [5]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 13 knots (24 km/h; 15 mph) and a submerged speed of 10.5 knots (19.4 km/h; 12.1 mph). Post-H20 British H-class submarines had ranges of 2,985 nautical miles (5,528 km; 3,435 mi) at speeds of 7.5 knots (13.9 km/h; 8.6 mph) when surfaced. [2] [4] H31 was fitted with an anti-aircraft gun and four 21 inches (530 mm) torpedo tubes. Its torpedo tubes were fitted to the bows and the submarine was loaded with eight 21 inches (530 mm) torpedoes. [2] It is a Holland 602 type submarine but was designed to meet Royal Navy specifications. Its complement was twenty-two crew members. [2]

See also

Related Research Articles

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HMS <i>H12</i> Submarine of the Royal Navy

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HMS <i>H47</i> Submarine of the Royal Navy

HMS H47 was a British H class submarine built by William Beardmore and Company, Dalmuir. She was laid down on 20 November 1917 and was commissioned on 25 February 1919. It had a complement of twenty-two crew members. HMS H47 was sunk in a collision with British L class submarine L12 off Milford Haven, Wales on 9 July 1929. Twenty one of the crew were lost with only three survivors.

HMS <i>H43</i> Submarine of the Royal Navy

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HMS <i>H32</i> Submarine of the Royal Navy

HMS H32 was a H-class submarine constructed for the Royal Navy. The submarine entered service in 1919 and served in the Second World War, one of only seven of the class to do so. During Warship Week 1942 H32 was adopted by Lydney RDC (Gloucestershire). The submarine was sold for scrap in 1944.

HMS H33 was a British H class submarine built by Cammell Laird, Birkenhead. She was laid down on 20 November 1917 and commissioned on 17 May 1919.

HMS H30 was a British H class submarine built by Vickers Limited, Barrow-in-Furness. She was laid down on 18 March 1917 and was commissioned on 19 October 1918. It had a complement of twenty-two crew members.

HMS H29 was a British H class submarine built by Vickers Limited, Barrow-in-Furness. She was laid down on 19 March 1917 and was commissioned on 14 September 1918.

HMS <i>H21</i> Submarine of the Royal Navy

HMS H21 was a British H class submarine built by Vickers Limited, Barrow-in-Furness, as the first of the Batch 3 H class submarines. She was launched on 20 October 1917 and was commissioned on 28 January 1918. H21 was an improved design of the H class which produced a larger displacement and the latest 21 inch torpedo tubes replacing the old 18 inch torpedo tubes. This would be incorporated into all batch 3 H class submarines. HMS H21 was sold to John Cashmore Ltd on 13 July 1926 for scrapping at Newport.

HMS <i>H22</i> Submarine of the Royal Navy

HMS H22 was a British H class submarine built by Vickers Limited, Barrow-in-Furness, as part of the Batch 3 H class submarines. She was launched on 14 November 1917 and was commissioned on 6 November 1918.

HMS H23 was a British H class submarine built by Vickers Limited, Barrow-in-Furness as part of the Batch-3 H class submarine. She was launched on 29 January 1918 and was commissioned on 25 May 1918. She had a complement of 22 crew members.

HMS H24 was a British H-class submarine built by Vickers Limited, Barrow-in-Furness, as part of the Batch 3 H-class submarines. She was launched on 14 November 1917 and was commissioned on 30 April 1918.

HMS H25 was a British H class submarine built by Vickers Limited, Barrow-in-Furness, as part of the Batch 3 H class submarines. She was launched on 27 April 1918 and was commissioned on 16 July 1918. It had a complement of twenty-two crew members.

HMS H26 was a British H class submarine built by Vickers Limited, Barrow-in-Furness, as part of the Batch 3 H class submarines. She was launched on 15 November 1917 and was commissioned on 29 December 1918. It had a complement of twenty-two crew members.

References

  1. ↑ "HMS H-31 (+1941)". Wrecksite. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Gardiner, Robert; Gray, Robert (1985). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906-1921. London: Conway Maritime Press. p. 92. ISBN   0-85177-245-5.
  3. ↑ Derek Walters (2004). The History of the British 'U' Class Submarine. Casemate Publishers. pp. 2–. ISBN   978-1-84415-131-8.
  4. 1 2 3 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. Retrieved from Naval-History on 20 August 2015.
  5. ↑ J. D. Perkins (1999). "Building History and Technical Details for Canadian CC-Boats and the Original H-CLASS". Electric Boat Company Holland Patent Submarines. Retrieved 20 August 2015.

Bibliography

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