HMS E54

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

History
United Kingdom
NameE54
BuilderWilliam Beardmore, Dalmuir
Laid down1 February 1915
Launched1916
CommissionedMay 1916
FateSold, 14 December 1921
General characteristics
Class and type
E-class submarine
Displacement
  • 662 long tons (673 t) surfaced
  • 807 long tons (820 t) submerged
Length181 ft (55 m)
Beam15 ft (4.6 m)
Propulsion
  • 2 × 800 hp (597 kW) diesel
  • 2 × 420 hp (313 kW) electric
  • 2 screws
Speed
  • 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph) surfaced
  • 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) submerged
Range
  • 3,000 nmi (5,600 km) at 10 kn (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced
  • 65 nmi (120 km) at 5 kn (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) submerged
Complement31
Armament

HMS E54 was a British E-class submarine built by William Beardmore, Dalmuir. She was laid down on 1 February 1915 and was commissioned in May 1916. She sank the German submarines UC-10 on 21 August 1916 and U-81 on 1 May 1917. E54 was sold for scrap on 14 December 1921.

Design

Like all post-E8 British E-class submarines, E54 had a displacement of 662 long tons (673 t) at the surface and 807 long tons (820 t) while submerged. She had a total length of 180 feet (55 m)[1] and a beam of 22 feet 8.5 inches (6.922 m). She was powered by two 800 horsepower (600 kW) Vickers eight-cylinder two-stroke diesel engines and two 420 horsepower (310 kW) electric motors.[2][3] The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph) and a submerged speed of 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). British E-class submarines had fuel capacities of 50 long tons (51 t) of diesel and ranges of 3,255 miles (5,238 km; 2,829 nmi) when travelling at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph).[1] E54 was capable of operating submerged for five hours when travelling at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph).

E54 was armed with a

18 inch (450 mm) torpedo tubes, two in the bow, one either side amidships, and one in the stern; a total of 10 torpedoes were carried.[2]

E-Class submarines had wireless systems with 1 kilowatt (1.3 hp) power ratings; in some submarines, these were later upgraded to 3 kilowatts (4.0 hp) systems by removing a midship torpedo tube. Their maximum design depth was 100 feet (30 m) although in service some reached depths of below 200 feet (61 m). Some submarines contained Fessenden oscillator systems.[1]

Service

In July 1916, E54 was listed as being part of the

Humber estuary, near the Schouwen Bank lightship. E54 and attacked with two torpedoes, one of which struck UC-10, sinking the German submarine with all hands.[8][9] An early example of a Jolly Roger flag flown on return to port after this attack is on display at the Royal Navy Submarine Museum
.

From 19–27 February 1917, E54, together with the submarines

Lieutenant-Commander Robert Raikes was awarded a bar to his Distinguished Service Order (i.e. a second award of the DSO).[11][12]

On 16 May 1917, E54, which was now operating out of Lough Swilly, was cruising off the Hebrides when a German submarine (probably U-30) and attacked with two torpedoes that missed. Later that day, U-30 torpedoed the British merchant ship Middlesex, which broadcast a distress signal before sinking. The next day E54 spotted Middlesex's boats, and was approaching them when the British destroyer Rapid opened fire, forcing E54 to dive, and followed up with a depth charge before rescuing Middlesex's crew.[13]

In July 1917, E54 was listed as being part of "Vulcan's Flotilla" as part of the Northern Division of the Coast of Ireland Station and based at

Berehaven.[16] In August 1918, E54 was listed as being based at Gibraltar.[17] E54 remained at Gibraltar at the end of the war on 11 November 1918.[18]

In February 1919, E54 was listed as attached to HMS Vernon, the torpedo school at Portsmouth.[19] In July that year, while still attached to Vernon, E54 was noted as having a special complement.[20] E54 was sold for scrap on 14 December 1921.[21]

References

  1. ^
    ISBN 978-1-4728-0035-0
    .
  2. ^
    ISBN 1-904381-05-7 [1]
  3. ^ "E Class". Chatham Submarines. Archived from the original on 9 February 2022. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
  4. ^ "Supplement to the Monthly Navy List Showing Organisation of the Fleet, Flag Officers' Commands, &c.: II.—Harwich Force: Eighth Submarine Flotilla". The Navy List. July 1916. p. 13. Retrieved 30 June 2023 – via National Library of Scotland.
  5. ^ Naval Staff Monograph No. 33 1927, pp. 64, 287
  6. ^ Naval Staff Monograph No. 33 1927, p. 97
  7. ^ Naval Staff Monograph No. 33 1927, p. 122
  8. ^ Naval Staff Monograph No. 33 1927, pp. 122–123
  9. ^ Kemp 1997, p. 20
  10. ^ a b Naval Staff Monograph No. 34 1933, p. 335
  11. ^ a b c Naval Staff Monograph No. 34 1933, pp. 429–430
  12. ^ Kemp 1997, pp. 26–27
  13. ^ Naval Staff Monograph No. 35 1939, pp. 29–30
  14. ^ "Supplement to the Monthly Navy List Showing Organisation of the Fleet, Flag Officers' Commands, &c.: VII.—Coast of Ireland Station: Northern Division". The Navy List. July 1917. p. 17. Retrieved 1 July 2023 – via National Library of Scotland.
  15. ^ "Supplement to the Monthly Navy List Showing Organisation of the Fleet, Flag Officers' Commands, &c.: VII.—Coast of Ireland Station: Northern Division". The Navy List. August 1917. p. 17. Retrieved 1 July 2023 – via National Library of Scotland.
  16. ^ "Supplement to the Monthly Navy List Showing Organisation of the Fleet, Flag Officers' Commands, &c.: VII.—Coast of Ireland Station: Southern Division". The Navy List. October 1917. p. 17. Retrieved 1 July 2023 – via National Library of Scotland.
  17. ^ "Supplement to the Monthly Navy List Showing Organisation of the Fleet, Flag Officers' Commands, &c.: XV.—Mediterranean.: Gibraltar". The Navy List. August 1918. p. 22. Retrieved 1 July 2023 – via National Library of Scotland.
  18. ^ "Ships of the Royal Navy - Location/Action Data, 1914–1918: Admiralty "Pink Lists", 11 November 1918". World War I at Sea. naval-history.net. 24 March 2015. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
  19. ^ "Supplement to the Monthly Navy List Showing Organisation of the Fleet, Flag Officers' Commands, &c.: VI.—Local Defence and Minesweeping Flotillas and Training Establishments". The Navy List. February 1919. p. 16. Retrieved 1 July 2023 – via National Library of Scotland.
  20. ^ "Supplement to the Monthly Navy List Showing Organisation of the Fleet, Flag Officers' Commands, &c.: VI.—Local Defence and Minesweeping Flotillas and Training Establishments". The Navy List. July 1919. p. 13. Retrieved 1 July 2023 – via National Library of Scotland.
  21. ^ Dittmar & Colledge 1972, p. 85

Bibliography

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=HMS_E54&oldid=1221347095"