HMS E2 explained

HMS E2 (originally ordered as HMS D10) was a British E class submarine built by Chatham Dockyard. E2 was laid down on 14 February 1911 and launched on 23 November 1912.

She was sold 7 March 1921 to B Zammit, Malta.

Design

The early British E-class submarines, from E1 to E8, had a displacement of 652LT at the surface and 795LT while submerged. They had a length overall of 180feet and a beam of 22feet, and were powered by two Vickers eight-cylinder two-stroke diesel engines and two electric motors.[1] [2] The class had a maximum surface speed of 16kn and a submerged speed of 10kn, with a fuel capacity of 50LT of diesel affording a range of 3225miles when travelling at 10kn, while submerged they had a range of 85miles at 5kn.[1]

The early 'Group 1' E class boats were armed with four 18 inch (450 mm) torpedo tubes, one in the bow, one either side amidships, and one in the stern; a total of eight torpedoes were carried. Group 1 boats were not fitted with a deck gun during construction, but those involved in the Dardanelles campaign had guns mounted forward of the conning tower while at Malta Dockyard.[1]

E-Class submarines had wireless systems with power ratings; in some submarines, these were later upgraded to systems by removing a midship torpedo tube. Their maximum design depth was although in service some reached depths of below . Some submarines contained Fessenden oscillator systems.[3]

Crew

Her complement was three officers and 28 men.[3]

Service history

When war was declared with Germany on 5 August 1914, E2 was based at Harwich, in the 8th Submarine Flotilla of the Home Fleets.[4]

On 14 August 1915, E2 sank Turkish minelayer Samsun with her two officers and eight crew near Erdek.

Notes and References

  1. Akerman, P. (1989). Encyclopaedia of British submarines 1901 - 1955.  p.150. Maritime Books.
  2. Web site: E Class. Chatham Submarines. 20 August 2015. 13 August 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150813023119/http://csubmarine.org/html/class/eclass.html. dead.
  3. Book: Innes McCartney. Tony Bryan. British Submarines of World War I. 20 February 2013. Osprey Publishing. 978-1-4728-0035-0. 11–12.
  4. Book: Position and Movements, H.M. Ships, War Vessels and Aircraft, British and Foreign, Parts I. and II., August 1914. . 1914 . Admiralty Records . London.