HMS H42

Last updated

History
Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svgUnited Kingdom
NameHMS H42
Builder Armstrong Whitworth, Newcastle Upon Tyne
Laid downSeptember 1917
Launched21 October 1918
Commissioned1 May 1919
FateSunk in collision 23 March 1922
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 H42 was a British H class submarine that sank with the loss of all 24 of its crew after an accidental collision in 1922. [1] The sub was built by Armstrong Whitworth, Newcastle Upon Tyne. She was laid down in September 1917 and was commissioned on 1 May 1919.

Contents

On 23 March 1922, under the command of Royal Navy Lieutenant Douglas Staley, H42 was practising torpedo attacks against British destroyers steaming off Europa Point, Gibraltar, [2] when she surfaced unexpectedly only 30 [3] or 120 [4] yards (27 or 110 metres) – sources differ – ahead of the destroyer HMS Versatile. Versatile, making 20 knots, went to full speed astern on her engines and put her helm over hard to port, but had not yet begun to answer her helm when she rammed H42 abaft the conning tower, almost slicing the submarine in half. H42 sank with the loss of all hands. An investigation found H42 at fault for surfacing where she did against instructions. [4] [5]

Design

Like all post-H20 British H-class submarines, H42 had a displacement of 423 long tons (430 t) at the surface and 510 long tons (520 t) while submerged. [6] It had a total length of 171 feet (52 m), [7] a beam of 15 feet 4 inches (4.67 m), and a draught of 12 metres (39 ft). [8] 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. [8] 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). [9]

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. [6] [8] H42 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. [6] It is a Holland 602 type submarine but was designed to meet Royal Navy specifications. Its complement was twenty-two crew members. [6]

Related Research Articles

HMS <i>H5</i> Submarine of the Royal Navy

HMS H5 was a British H-class submarine of the Royal Navy that served in the First World War. The boat, which was launched in June 1915, was lost after being rammed by a British merchant ship off Caernarfon Bay in March 1918. It had been mistaken as a German U-boat and sank with the loss of all hands.

HMS H44 was an H-class submarine of the Royal Navy. She was built by Armstrong Whitworth and launched on 17 February 1919. She served in the Second World War. She had a complement of twenty-two crew members. She was sold in 1944 and was broken up at Troon in February 1945.

HMS <i>H7</i> Submarine of the Royal Navy

HMS H7 was a British H-class submarine built by the Canadian Vickers Co, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. She was laid down on 19 May 1915 and was commissioned in June 1915. HMS H7 was sold in 1921. It had a complement of twenty-two crew members, a length of 171 feet (52 m), and a surfaced range of 1,600 nautical miles at 10 knots.

HMS <i>H9</i> Submarine of the Royal Navy

HMS H9 was a British H-class submarine built by the Canadian Vickers Co., Montreal. She was laid down on an unknown date and commissioned in June 1915. Launched by J. Grace Gardner at Montréal on 22 May 1915.

HMS <i>C16</i> C-class submarine built for the Royal Navy

HMS C16 was one of 38 C-class submarines built for the Royal Navy in the first decade of the 20th century. The boat survived the First World War and was sold for scrap in 1922.

HMS <i>H11</i> Submarine of the Royal Navy

HMS H11 was a British H-class submarine built by Fore River Yard, Quincy, Massachusetts. She was laid down on an unknown date and was commissioned in 1915. H11 along with HMS H12 to HMS H20 were all built in America but were interned by the United States government until the United States entered World War I. H11 was sold on 20 October 1920 in Dover and lost on tow to the breaker's yard. The wreck was identified 2007.

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

HMS H12 was a British H-class submarine built by Fore River Yard, Quincy, Massachusetts. She was laid down on an unknown date and commissioned in 1915. HMS H12 along with HMS H11 and HMS H13 to HMS H20 were all built in America but were interned by the United States government until the United States entered World War I. HMS H12 was sold in April 1920 in Dover.

The Chilean submarine Guacolda was an H-class submarine of the Chilean Navy. The vessel was originally ordered by the United Kingdom's Royal Navy as HMS H13, but was handed over to Chile in 1917 as H1.

HMS <i>L2</i> Submarine of the Royal Navy

HMS L2 was a L-class submarine built for the Royal Navy during World War I.

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

HMS Seneschal was a S-class submarine of the third batch built for the Royal Navy during World War II. She survived the war and was sold for scrap in 1965.

The Chilean submarine Tegualda was an H-class submarine of the Chilean Navy. The vessel was originally ordered by the United Kingdom's Royal Navy as HMS H16, but was handed over to Chile in 1917 as H2.

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.

The Chilean submarine Guale was an H-class submarine of the Chilean Navy. The vessel was originally ordered by the United Kingdom's Royal Navy as HMS H18, but was handed over to Chile in 1917 as H4.

The Chilean submarine Quidora was an H-class submarine of the Chilean Navy. The vessel was originally ordered by the United Kingdom's Royal Navy as HMS H19, but was handed over to Chile in 1917 as H5.

Chilean submarine <i>Fresia</i>

The Chilean submarine Fresia was an H-class submarine of the Chilean Navy. The vessel was originally ordered by the United Kingdom's Royal Navy as HMS H20, but was handed over to Chile in 1917 as H6.

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 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. ↑ "Submersible Sunk; 24 Lost— British H-42 Rammed by Destroyer Versatile During Maneuvers", The Washington Post, March 24, 1922, p. 1
  2. ↑ Navy Net: Remembrance Sunday: H42 is Still On Patrol
  3. ↑ "Struck at Right Angles— H 42 Rises 30 Yards Ahead of Destroyer", The Manchester Guardian, March 24, 1922, p. 9; Eyres Monsell, the Lord of the Admiralty, read a telegram to the House of Commons that was received from the Gibraltar command saying "The only further details yet known are as follows: H 42 came to the surface thirty or forty yards ahead of Versatile, which was steaming twenty knots and rammed the submarine about the conning tower at right angles." It is possible that the speculation on modern websites of "120 yards" is based on a misinterpretation of 120 feet (or 40 yards).
  4. 1 2 "H42". rnsubs.co.uk. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
  5. ↑ Richardson and Hurd 1923, p.31.
  6. 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.
  7. ↑ Derek Walters (2004). The History of the British 'U' Class Submarine. Casemate Publishers. pp. 2–. ISBN   978-1-84415-131-8.
  8. 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.
  9. ↑ 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

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.