A Class Large Patrol Submarines

The war in the Pacific in 1941 kick-started some rethinking of the Royal Navy submarine policy. Up until this time none of the existing British submarines had an adequate operational range.

It was decided to design a completely new class of submarine with much greater operational range and increased surface speed. At the same time it was decided to introduce new technical advances, the most important being the all-welded hull.

Until now the Royal Navy had not considered the 'Snorkel' worth having although it had by now been used for some time by the German submarine service, it was now decided to fit this class with the snort mast. The result was one of the best designed of all 'traditional' (diesel), type of submarine. They had good sea performance, good armament and a greatly reduced underwater noise level.

Another first was the skipping of the letters X, Y and Z and once again the Royal Navy submarine service was starting with the 'A' class, some improvement on the original type.

Unfortunately (or fortunately) this class were not completed in time for too many of the boats to take part in WWII as they were delivered between 1945 and 1948. They served for many years and were effectively the backbone of the submarine service until the introduction of the Porpoise and Oberon class submarine. They had modifications carried out as will be seen by the boat profiles.

The last of the 'A' class to be in service was the Andrew who completed her service in 1974.

16 Built

Submarine	Builder	Built
Acheron	HM Dockyard, Chatham.	1944 -1948
Alcide Alderney Alliance Ambush Auriga Anchorite Andrew Aurochs Amphion Astute	Vickers-Armstrong, Barrow-in-Furness.	1945 - 1948
Affray Aeneas Alaric	Cammell Laird, Birkenhead.	1944 - 1946
Artemis Artful	Scotts, Greenock.	1944 - 1948
Ace and Achates were not commissioned. Ace was sold incomplete and scrapped in June 1950. Achates was cancelled whilst incomplete, used as a target 1947. The following were cancelled: Andromache, Answer, Antagonist, Antaeus, Anzac, Aphrodite, Approach, Arcadian, Ardent, Argosy, Atlantis all Vickers Armstong, Barrow. Admirable, Asperity, Austere, Aztec, Adversary, Awake all Vickers Armstong, Walker. Agile, Aggressor, Agate, Alcestis, Alladin all Cammell Laird, Birkenhead. Astarte, Assurance, Asgard all Scotts, Greenock. Adept HM Dockyard, Chatham. Abelard, Acasta HM Dockyard, Portsmouth.

Technical Information

Displacement (tons):	1385 sf 1620 sm
Length (ft):	281.33 oa
Breadth (ft)	22.25
Draught/Height (ft):	17
Machinery:	Two shafts, 8 cylinder Admiralty or Vickers diesel engines 4,300 bhp English Electric motors 1,250 shp
Speed (kts):	18.5 sf 8.0 sm
Oil Supply (tons):	159-165
Armament:	10 x 21 inch torpedo tubes, 20 reloads. 1 x 4 inch Quick firing gun. 3 x .303 Vickers machine guns. 1 x 20mm Oerlikon anti-aircraft mounting. 26 mines.
Range:	10,500 miles at 11 kts sf. 16 miles at 8 kts sm. 90 miles at 3 kts sm.
Complement:	61
sm = submerged, sf = surfaced, oa = overall, hp = horsepower, na = not available.

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HM Submarine Acheron Crest/Badge

A stern view of Acheron in 1960
H.M. Submarine Acheron as she appeared in 1960.
H.M. Submarine Acheron 1961
H.M. Submarine Acheron in 1961.
HM Submarine Acheron

Type:	A Class
Pennant No.:	P.411 S.11 S.61
Laid Down:	16th August 1944.	H.M. Dockyard, Chatham.
Launched	25th March 1947.
Commissioned:	17th April 1948.
Commander:	Not known at present.	Not known at present.
Complement:	61 64	6 Officers and 55 Ratings. 6 Officers and 58 Ratings after modernisation.
Service Career:	Not known at present.	Not known at present.
	Was the last A boat to return from Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1967.
Fate:	Scrapped in August 1972.

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HM Submarine Aeneas Crest/Badge

H.M. Submarine Aeneas on trials.

H.M. Submarine Aeneas showing rear tubes.

H.M. Submarine Aeneas paying off.

Type:	A Class
Pennant No.:	P.427 S.27 S.72
Laid Down:	10th October 1944.	Cammell Laird, Birkenhead.
Launched	25th October 1945.
Commissioned:	31st July 1946.
Commander:	Not known at present.	Not known at present.
Complement:	61 64	6 Officers and 55 Ratings. 6 Officers and 58 Ratings after modernisation.
Service Career:	Not known at present.	Not known at present.
	Aeneas was loaned to the Vickers group in 1972 for trials with the Submarine Launched Air Missile which at the time was under development.
Fate:	Scrapped 13th December 1974.

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More Details to Follow

Type:	A Class
Pennant No.:	P415 S65
Laid Down:	2nd January 1945.	Vickers, Barrow-in-Furness.
Launched	12th April 1945.
Commissioned:	18th October 1946
Commander:	1946	Commander E.D. Norman.
Complement:	61 64	6 Officers and 55 Ratings. 6 Officers and 58 Ratings after modernisation.
Service Career:	Present at the Coronation Review in 1953 and the Nato Naval Review in 1969.
Fate:	Sold - 1974 to Draper and Sons, Hull for breaking up.

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HM Submarine Alderney Crest/Badge

HM Submarine Alderney
H.M. Submarine Alderney as she appeared in 1950. H.M. Submarine Alderney

HM Submarine Alderney
H.M. Submarine Alderney as she appeared in 1961.

Type:	A Class
Pennant No.:	P416 S66
Laid Down:	6th February 1945	Vickers, Barrow-in-Furness.
Launched	25th June 1945.
Commissioned:	10th December 1946.
Commander:	1946	Lt. I.S. McIntosh.
Complement:	61 64	6 Officers and 55 Ratings. 6 Officers and 58 Ratings after modernisation.
Service Career:	Not known at present.
Fate:	Scrapped August 1972.

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HM Submarine Alliance Crest/Badge

H.M. Submarine Alliance 1947
H.M. Submarine Alliance as she appeared in 1947.
She may now be viewed at the Submarine Museum at Gosport.

Type:	A Class
Pennant No.:	P417 S.17 S.67
Laid Down:	13th March 1945.	Vickers, Barrow-in-Furness.
Launched	28th July 1945.
Commissioned:	14th May 1947.
Commander:	Not known at present.	Lt. K.H. Martin.
Complement:	61 64	6 Officers and 55 Ratings. 6 Officers and 58 Ratings after modernisation.
Service Career:	Not known at present.	Not known at present.
Fate:	Preserved as a submarine memorial at H.M.S. Dolphin, Gosport in 1981.