NAVYPEDIA

Photo

E11 1915

Ships

Name	No	Yard No	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Comp	Fate
E9	I89		Vickers, Barrow	6.1912	29.11.1913	6.1914	scuttled 8.4.1918
E10	I90		Vickers, Barrow	7.1912	29.11.1913	8.1914	sunk 18.1.1915
E11	I91		Vickers, Barrow	7.1912	23.4.1914	9.1914	sold 3.1921
E12	I92		Chatham DYd	12.1912	5.9.1914	10.1914	sold 3.1921
E13	I93		Chatham DYd	12.1912	22.9.1914	12.1914	sold 12.1921
E14	I94		Vickers, Barrow	12.1912	7.7.1914	12.1914	sunk 27.1.1918
E15	I95		Vickers, Barrow	10.1912	23.4.1914	10.1914	sunk 15.4.1915
E16	I96		Vickers, Barrow	10.1912	23.9.1914	2.1915	sunk 22.8.1916
E17	I97		Vickers, Barrow	7.1913	16.1.1915	4.1915	wrecked 6.1.1916
E18	I98		Vickers, Barrow	1.1914	4.3.1915	6.1915	sunk 24.5.1916
E19	I99		Vickers, Barrow	11.1914	13.5.1915	7.1915	scuttled 8.4.1918
E20	I69		Vickers, Barrow	11.1914	12.6.1916	8.1915	sunk 5.11.1915
E21	I70		Vickers, Barrow	11.1914	24.7.1915	10.1915	sold 12.1921
E22	I79		Vickers, Barrow	11.1914	27.8.1915	11.1915	sunk 25.4.1916
E23			Vickers, Barrow	12/1914	28.9.1915	12/1915	sold 9.1922
E24			Vickers, Barrow	1.1915	9.12.1915	1.1916	sunk 24.3.1916
E25			Beardmore, Dalmuir	11.1914	23.8.1915	10.1915	sold 12.1921
E26			Beardmore, Dalmuir	11.1914	11.11.1915	10.1915	sunk 6.7.1916
E27			Yarrow, Scotstoun	1915	9.6.1917	8/1917	sold 9.1922
E28			Yarrow, Scotstoun	1915	---	---	cancelled 4.1915
E29			Armstrong, Elswick	12/1914	1.6.1915	10/1915	sold 2.1922
E30			Armstrong, Elswick	12.1914	29.6.1915	11.1915	sunk 22.11.1916
E31			Scotts, Greenock	12/1914	23.8.1915	12/1915	sold 9.1922
E32			White, Cowes	12/1914	16.8.1916	10/1916	sold 9.1922
E33			Thornycroft, Woolston	1/1915	18.4.1916	11/1916	sold 9.1922
E34			Thornycroft, Woolston	1.1915	27.1.1917	3.1917	sunk 20.7.1918
E35			John Brown, Clydebank	12/1914	20.5.1916	7/1916	sold 9.1922
E36			John Brown, Clydebank	1.1915	16.9.1916	11.1916	sunk 17.1.1917
E37			Fairfield, Govan	12.1914	2.9.1915	3.1916	sunk 1.12.1916
E38			Fairfield, Govan	12/1914	13.6.1916	7/1916	sold 9.1922
E39			Palmers, Jarrow	12.1914	18.5.1916	10.1916	sold 10.1921
E40			Palmers, Jarrow	12.1914	9.11.1916	5.1917	sold 12.1921
E41			Cammell Laird, Birkenhead	12/1914	22.10.1915	6/1916	sold 9.1922
E42			Cammell Laird, Birkenhead	12/1914	22.10.1915	6/1916	sold 9.1922
E43			Swan Hunter, Wallsend	12.1914	11.11.1915	2.1916	sold 1.1921
E44			Swan Hunter, Wallsend	1.1915	21.2.1916	7.1917	sold 10.1921
E45			Cammell Laird, Birkenhead	1/1915	25.1.1916	8/1916	sold 9.1922
E46			Cammell Laird, Birkenhead	1/1915	4.4.1916	10/1916	sold 9.1922
E47			Fairfield, Govan	1.1915	29.5.1916	10.1916	sunk 20.8.1917
E48			Fairfield, Govan / Beardmore, Dalmuir	2.1915	2.8.1916	2.1917	sold 7.1928
E49			Swan Hunter, Wallsend	2.1915	18.9.1916	12.1916	sunk 12.3.1917
E50			John Brown, Clydebank	3.1915	13.11.1916	1.1917	sunk 1.2.1918
E51			Scotts, Greenock	3/1915	30.11.1916	1/1917	sold 10.1931
E52			Denny, Dumbarton	3.1915	25.1.1917	3.1917	sold 1.1921
E53			Beardmore, Dalmuir	2/1915	1916	3/1916	sold 9.1922
E54			Beardmore, Dalmuir	2.1915	1916	5.1916	sold 12.1921
E55			Denny, Dumbarton	12/1914	5.2.1916	3/1916	sold 9.1922
E56			Denny, Dumbarton	12/1914	19.6.1916	8/1916	sold 6.1923

Technical data

Displacement standard, t
Displacement normal, t	667 / 807
Length, m	E9 - 18: 55.2 E19 - 56: 55.6
Breadth, m	4.61
Draught, m	3.81
No of shafts	2
Machinery	2 8-cyl Vickers diesels / 2 electric motors
Power, h. p.	1600 / 840
Max speed, kts	15 / 9
Fuel, t	diesel oil 38
Endurance, nm(kts)	3000(10) /
Armament	E9 - 19: 5 - 450 TT (2 bow, 2 beam, 1 stern, 10) E20: 1 x 1 - 152/14 30cwt siege howitzer, 5 - 450 TT (2 bow, 2 beam, 1 stern, 10) E21 - 23, 25 - 27, 29 - 33, 35 - 40, 42 - 44, 47 - 50, 52 - 56: 1 x 1 - 76/28 12pdr 8cwt QF Mk I, 5 - 450 TT (2 bow, 2 beam, 1 stern, 10) E24, 34, 41, 45, 46, 51: 1 x 1 - 76/28 12pdr 8cwt QF Mk I, 3 - 450 TT (2 bow, 1 stern, 6), 20 mines
Complement	31
Diving depth operational, m	30

Standard scale images

Graphics

Project history

Five more 'E' class were proposed for the 1911-12 Programme, but with numerous improvements suggested by experience with the 'D's and early 'E's. However in August 1914, to speed production the Admiralty proposed that E7 and E8 should be completed to the basic design, and that only the essential improvements should be incorporated into E9. As mass-production was planned Chatham Dockyard's E12 was to be the pattern for all builders except Vickers. The E9 design was made 0.9m longer to permit a second 450mm TT in the bow. Although the 'D' class had their tubes 'over-and-under' to allow a finer bow-form, the 'Improved E' design reverted to a side-by-side configuration as this afforded more protection to the bow caps and shutters, and made for easier loading. The foremost watertight bulkhead was also moved 0.6m aft to simplify loading. The engines were moved forward, the conning tower was enlarged to provide a steering position, and a third watertight bulkhead was provided. E9-11 and E14-16 were immediately approved to be built to this design but Chatham DYd produced a design which was a compromise between the original E1 class and the modified Vickers design. A single bow tube was the most important change, but as E12 became the pattern for wartime production at some stage the twin tubes must have been reinstated, for records show clearly that war-built 'E's had two TT forward.

When war broke out the contracts for E17 and E18 were authorised and had gone to Vickers, but Fisher was anxious to build many more submarines. On 11 November 1914 a conference between the Admiralty and representatives of the shipbuilders met to allocate future construction. Out of this came contracts for E19-56: 6 from Vickers, 4 from Beardmore, 2 from Scott, 2 from Yarrow, 2 from Armstrong, 1 from White, 2 from Thornycroft, 3 from John Brown, 4 from Fairfield, 2 from Palmer, 4 from Cammell Laird, 1 from White, 2 from Scott and 3 from Denny. This total included two 'E' class already ordered for Turkey from Beardmore; they were re-allocated as E25 and E26. E27 and E28 were cancelled in April 1915 to allow Yarrow to carry on with more important work, but E27 was reinstated in August. From E19 all were given a 'plough' bow to improve seakeeping, and a variety of guns were fitted, as supplies allowed. Experience in the Sea of Marmora showed the need for guns, and various weapons were hurriedly installed, such as E20's 152mm howitzer (fitted by the builders), E11 's and E12's 102mm (supplied by Malta DYd). Some of the North Sea boats received high-angle 76mm or 12pdrs in 1916-17. Early in 1916 E22 was fitted with a launching ramp on her after superstructure to fly off two Sopwith Baby seaplanes; the idea was to launch them well inside the Heligoland Bight on a reconnaissance mission. In the Sea of Marmora several boats carried spare torpedoes lashed to the casing. The upper rudder was removed from all during the war.

Modernizations

1915, E11, E12, E14: + 1 x 1 - 102/40 BL Mk VIII

1915, E21, E25: - 1 x 1 - 76/28; + 1 x 1 - 102/40 BL Mk VIII

1916, E46: - 1 x 1 - 76/28; + 1 x 1 - 76/50 12pdr 18cwt QF Mk I

early 1916, E22: + flying-off ramp for Sopwith Baby recon plane, 2 Baby seaplanes.

1917, E48: - 1 x 1 - 76/28; + 1 x 1 - 102/50 QF Mk IX

1917 - 1918, 18 submarines served in the Northern sea: + 1 x 1 - 40/37 2pdr QF Mk III

Naval service

Е14 (27.1.1918 off Kum Kale, Dardanelles), Е16 (22.8.1916 in the North Sea), Е24 (24.3.1916 in the North Sea), Е34 (20.7.1918 in the North Sea), Е49 (12.3.1917 off Shetlands) and Е50 (1.2.1918 in the North Sea) were mined. E15 ran aground 15.4.1915 at Kephez Point, Dardanelles and was destroyed by Turkish coastal artillery, Е18 (by decoy vessel K off Bornholm), Е20 (by submarine UB14 in Sea of Marmora)and Е22 (by submarine UB18 in the North Sea) were sunk by German ships 24.5.1916, 5.11.1915 and 25.4.1916 respectively. 6 submarines were lost for unknown reasons: Е10 (18.1.1915, North Sea), E26 (6.7.1916, North Sea), Е30 (22.11.1916, North Sea), Е36 (17.1.1917, North Sea), Е37 (1.12.1916, North Sea) and Е47 (20.8.1917, North Sea). Е41 was rammed by E4 and both sunk 15.8.1916 but both were salvaged and repaired later. Е17 wrecked 6.1.1916 off the Texel. Е13 ran ashore on Danish coast 18.8.1915 and was interned till November 1918. Е9 and Е19 are scuttled 8.4.1918 at Helsingfors in order to avoid capture by Germans.