C Class



Coastal Submarine

Holland Class Submarine

  • C Class Group One
  • C1
  • C2
  • C3
  • C4
  • C5
  • C6
  • C7
  • C8
  • C9
  • C10
  • C11
  • C12
  • C13
  • C14
  • C15
  • C16
  • C17
  • C18

This Class represented the final development of the original Holland Class.There was an increase in size but little else changed, still no interior bulkheads and still inferior living conditions.This Class was also the last to be equipped with petrol engines, also the first British submarines to be designed with forward hydroplanes (this only applied to the boats in Group Two of the Class).

With the introduction of the 'C' class the monopoly of submarine building by Vickers was broken with six of the class being being built by the Naval Dockyard at Chatham.

With the exception of C26, C27 and C38, which had been sent to Hong Kong in 1910, this class served in Home waters until the outbreak of the Great War (1914-1918).   They were used extensively throughout the war operating from the East coast ports or Dover.

Four of this class saw service in the Baltic, having been transported by sea to Murmansk and by barge and train to Lapvik where they were reassembled.   All these boats suffered the same fate of being scuttled, 3 to save falling into the hands of the Revolutionary Russians and 1 having run aground.

18 Built

Submarine Builder Built
C1 - C16 Vickers, Barrow-in-Furness 1905 - 1909
C17 - C18 HM Dockyard, Chatham 1907 - 1909

Technical Information

Displacement (tons): 290 sf
320 sm
Length (ft): 143 oa
Breadth (ft) 13.5 oa
Draught/Height (ft): 11.5
Machinery: 600 hp petrol engine.
200 hp electric motor
Speed (kts): 12 sf
6.5 sm
Oil Supply (tons): 15.5 (Petrol)
Armament: 2 x 18 inch tubes (bow)
Reloads: na
Range: 740 nm at 12 knts sf
1000 nm at 8.7 knts sm
Complement: 2 officers and 14 ratings.
sm = submerged, sf = surfaced, oa = overall, hp = horsepower, na = not available.

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loading torpedoes
H.M. Submarine C1 loading torpedoes in company with C5 and C2.
Pennant No. of C1 just visible in centre of photo.
dickboats alongside possible depot ship Harwich
C1, C3 and C10 alongside possible depot ship at Harwich

These photos' along with numerous others were generously donated by Dick Driver
of the U.S.A a fellow ex-submariner. 

Interesting information regarding C1 and C3 can be found at
  Submarines of the Great War.
c1

Type: C Class Group One
Pennant No.: I.31  
Laid Down: 1903-1905 Vickers, Barrow-in-Furness.
Commissioned: 10th April 1906 Not known at present.
Commander: 1918 Lt. A. Newbold.
Complement: 16 2 Officers, 14 Ratings.
Service Career: 1918 - 6th Flotilla. Portsmouth.
  Served in the Mediterranean and was also sent to Venice.

Converted to Surface Patrol Craft and renamed 'S8' for service on the Otranto Barrage.
Fate: Sold 1919.

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dickc2
H.M. Submarine C2
dickc2 -another
These photographs along with numerous others were generously
donated by Dick Driver of the U.S.A a fellow ex-submariner.

Type: C Class Group One
Pennant No.: I.32  
Laid Down: 13th November 1905 Vickers, Barrow-in-Furness.
Commissioned: 26th November 1906. Not known at present.
Commander: ----- Not known at present.
Complement: 16 2 Officers, 14 Ratings.
Service Career: The majority of these boats remained in Home waters until the outbreak of WWI.

They were allocated to the 3rd Division of the Home Fleet with the intention of coastal defence, especially along the East coast.
Fate: Sold 8th October 1920.

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dickcboats alongsided possible depot ship at Harwich.
C3, C1 and C10 alongside possible depot ship at Harwich.

These photos' along with numerous others were generously donated
by Dick Driver of the U.S.A a fellow ex-submariner.  

Interesting information regarding C1 and C3 can be found at
   Submarines of the Great War.
vc
Victoria Cross

Type: C Class Group One
Pennant No.: I.33  
Laid Down: 25th November 1905. Vickers, Barrow-in-Furness.
Commissioned: 23rd February 1907. Not known at present.
Commander: ????
1918 		Lt. Ryan.
Lt. Richard Sandford.
Complement: 16 2 Officers, 14 Ratings.
Service Career: 1918 - 6th Flotilla. Portsmouth.
Fate Packed with high explosive C3 was used to blow up the viaduct between the mole and the mainland at Zeebrugge on the 23rd April 1918.

For his part in this Sandford was awarded the VC.

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dickc4c12c13and others
H.M. Submarine C4 in the company of C12, C13 and others.

This photo along with numerous others were generously donated by Dick Driver
of the U.S.A a fellow ex-submariner.
 

Type: C Class Group One
Pennant No.: I.34  
Laid Down: 25th November 1905. Vickers, Barrow-in-Furness.
Commissioned: 13th March 1907. Not known at present.
Commander: 1917
1918 		Lt. J. D. A. Musters
Lt. J. D. A. Musters.
Complement: 16 2 Officers, 14 Ratings.
Service Career: Carried out two seperate attacks on German submarines.   The first took place on 26th September 1917, she fired whilst on the surface and on seeing the U-boat disappear into the darkness assumed that she had missed.

The second took place on 27th March 1918, again whilst on the surface charging her batteries, she fired two torpedoes at a U-boat whilst off Beachy Head.  The U-boat dived and once again the assumption was that she had missed.

After the war when all the logs of the U-boats were obtained it was discovered that the first attack had hit the U-boat on her starboard quarter and failed to explode.

The second attack also proved partially successful in that the torpedoes hit the U-boat under the conning tower but once again had failed to explode.
Fate: Sold 28th February 1922.

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loading torpedoes
H.M. Submarine C5 loading torpedoes in company with C1 and C2.

This photo along with numerous others were generously donated by Dick Driver
of the U.S.A a fellow ex-submariner.

Type: C Class Group One
Pennant No.: I.35  
Laid Down: 24th November 1905 Vickers, Barrow-in-Furness.
Commissioned: 10th April 1906 Not known at present.
Commander: ----- Not known at present.
Complement: 16 2 Officers, 14 Ratings.
Service Career: Not known at present.
Fate: Sold 31st October 1919.

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dickc6
H.M. Submarine C6.

This photo along with numerous others were generously donated by Dick Driver
of the U.S.A a fellow ex-submariner.

Type: C Class Group One
Pennant No.: I.36  
Laid Down: 24th November 1905. Vickers, Barrow-in-Furness.
Commissioned: 21st January 1907. Not known at present.
Commander: 1917 Lt. Brookes.
Complement: 16 2 Officers, 14 Ratings.
Service Career: Not known at present.
Fate: Sold 20th November 1919.

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dickc7
H.M. Submarine C7 (Note the three mast sailing ship)

This photo along with numerous others were generously donated by Dick Driver
of the U.S.A a fellow ex-submariner.

Type: C Class Group One
Pennant No.: I.37  
Laid Down: 9th December 1905 Vickers, Barrow-in-Furness.
Commissioned: 23rd May 1907 Not known at present
Commander: 1917 Lt. Forbes.
Complement: 16 2 Officers, 14 Ratings.
Service Career: Attacked with torpedo and sank a U-boat near the Zeebrugge channel, 5th April 1917.  At the time of the attack C7 was on the surface but trimmed right down with only the top of her conning tower visible.
Fate: Sold 20th December 1919.

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c8
H.M. Submarine C8.

Type: C Class Group One
Pennant No.: I.38  
Laid Down: 9th December 1905 Vickers, Barrow-in-Furness.
Commissioned: 23rd May 1907 Not known at present
Commander: 1916 Lt. Everard.
Complement: 16 2 Officers, 14 Ratings.
Service Career: 1916 - Hartlepool. Not known at present
  Another of the C class employed in trawler/submarine operations.

On 19th August 1916 the German High Sea Fleet was at last at sea.  The British Grand Fleet had put to sea to attempt to intercept.

The German Fleet was sighted by the trawler and C8 was duly slipped from her tow to position herself for the attack.  Unfortunately Everard  could not see anything through his periscope and decided to bring her to the surface to ascertain his position.

The German Fleet wasn't where it was supposed to have been but Everard could see smoke in the distance and assumed that the German Fleet had crossed his path, turned around and was now approaching him.   C8 dived once again to position herself for the attack, she was only able to get into an attacking position on the last of the cruisers.  Two shots were fired from long distance but no explosions were heard.

Sometime later C8 surfaced only to see what he assumed was the German Fleet disappearing into the distance and his trawler way off in the distance being approached by a destroyer which he assumed was making an attack on the trawler.

Once again C8 dived to get into an attacking position on the attacking destroyer.  As Everard approached the target he was surprised to see her flashing with her signal lamp C8 identification number.  He surfaced and reported that he had attacked the German Fleet and fired two torpedoes which had missed their target.

The destroyers reply came as a shock when they informed Everard he had attacked the British Grand Fleet and it was just as well that he was a bad shot.
Fate: Sold 22nd October 1920

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Type: C Class Group One
Pennant No.: I.39  
Laid Down: 30th January 1906 Vickers, Barrow-in-Furness.
Commissioned: 18th June 1907 Not known at present
Commander: 1914 Lt. C. L. Y. Dering.
Complement: 16 2 Officers, 14 Ratings.
Service Career: 1914. Attached to the port of Hartlepool.
  It is believed that due to C9's actions the bombardment of Hartlepool by the German battle-cruisers Seydlitz, Moltke and Blücher on 16th December 1914 was brought to an aburpt end when they thought that C9 was in a position to attack them having forced her way out of the port.

During this raid there were 86 people killed and 424 wounded.
Fate: Sold July 1922.

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submarines in harbour
H.M. Submarines C10, C1 and C3 alongside possible depot ship at Harwich.
These photos' along with numerous others were generously donated by Dick Driver
of the U.S.A a fellow ex-submariner.

Type: C Class Group One
Pennant No.: I.30  
Laid Down: 30th January 1906 Vickers, Barrow-in-Furness.
Commissioned: 13th July 1907 Not known at present
Commander: ----- Not known at present
Complement: 16 2 Officers, 14 Ratings.
Service Career: Not known at present
Fate: Sold July 1922.

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Type: C Class Group One
Pennant No.:    
Laid Down: 6th April 1906 Vickers, Barrow-in-Furness.
Commissioned: 3rd September 1907 Lt. C.G. Brodie.
Commander: ----- Lt. C.G. Brodie.
Complement: 16 2 Officers, 14 Ratings.
Service Career: Based on HMS Bonaventure at Grimsby.
Fate: Lost after a collision the night of 14th July 1909 with the 3850 ton steamer Eddystone of Farrar, Groves and Co. off Happisburgh, twelve miles South of Cromer, Norfolk.

There were only three survivors, these being the CO, the first Lieutenant (Lt. G. Watkins) and one able seaman.

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dickc12 c4 c13 and others
H.M. Submarine C12 in the company of C4, C13 and others.
This photo along with numerous others were generously donated by Dick Driver
of the U.S.A a fellow ex-submariner.
c12
H.M. Submarine C12.

Type: C Class Group One
Pennant No.: I.42  
Laid Down: 27th November 1906. Vickers, Barrow-in-Furness.
Commissioned: 19th January 1908. Not known at present.
Commander: 1914
1918 		Lt. Cdr. Keble White.
Lt. N. Manley.
Complement: 16 2 Officers, 14 Ratings.
Service Career: Not known at present. Immingham.
  Sank in Immingham dock when main motors failed and she was carried by the tide against a destroyer.

She was badly holed in this collision which caused her to sink.

She was later raised and put back into service.
Fate: Sold 2nd February 1920.

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dickc12 c4 c13 and others
H.M. Submarine C13 in the company of C4, C12 and others.
This photo along with numerous others were generously donated by Dick Driver
of the U.S.A a fellow ex-submariner.

Type: C Class Group One
Pennant No.: I.43  
Laid Down: 29th November 1906. Vickers, Barrow-in-Furness.
Commissioned: 19th February 1908. Lt. E. W. Leir.
Commander: 1908 Lt. E. W. Leir.
Complement: 16 2 Officers, 14 Ratings.
Service Career: Not known at present.
Fate: Sold 2nd February 1920.

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Type: C Class Group One
Pennant No.: I.44  
Laid Down: 4th December 1906 Vickers, Barrow-in-Furness.
Commissioned: 13th March 1908 Lt. G.W.W. Napier
Commander: 1913 Lt. G.W.W. Napier
Complement: 16 2 Officers, 14 Ratings.
Service Career: Third Flotilla. HMS Forth, Plymouth.
  In collission with Government Hopper No.29 on 10th December 1913 in Plymouth Sound.

This was the seventh occasion on which a British submarine had been sunk in an accident, but the first on which there was no loss of life.

She was raised and survived until being sold.
Fate: Sold 5th December 1921.

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stevesc15
Submarine C15.
This picture courtesy of  Stephen Johnson

Type: C Class Group One
Pennant No.: I.45  
Laid Down: 7th December 1906 Vickers, Barrow-in-Furness.
Commissioned: 1st April 1908 Not known at present
Commander: ----- Not known at present
Complement: 16 2 Officers, 14 Ratings.
Service Career: Not known at present
Fate: Sold 28th February 1922.

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Type: C Class Group One
Pennant No.: I.46  
Laid Down: 14th December 1906 Vickers, Barrow-in-Furness.
Commissioned: 5th June 1908 Not known at present
Commander: 1917 Lt. H. Boase.
Complement: 16 2 Officers, 14 Ratings.
Service Career: H.M.S. Bonaventure, Grimsby.

Sunk with the loss of all hands after collision with the destroyer HMS Melampus off Harwich in 1917.

She was also involved in a collision with C17 on the night of the sinking of C11 of the coast of Norfolk, near Cromer in 1909.

Rescued - Lt. R. Pulleyne the only survivor from B2 in 1912.

C16 was raised and continued in service for another 5 years.
Fate: Sold 12th August 1922.

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c17
Submarine C17.

Type: C Class Group One
Pennant No.: I.47  
Laid Down: 11th March 1907 H.M. Dockyard, Chatham.
Commissioned: 13th May 1909 Lt. Wardell-Yerburgh.
Commander: ----- Lt. Wardell-Yerburgh.
Complement: 16 2 Officers, 14 Ratings.
Service Career:   HMS Bonaventure, Grimsby.
  This submarine was the first submarine built for the navy by the Royal Dockyard at Chatham. She had a larger bridge than the earlier boats of the class, apparrently this was not too effective in keeping out the elements.

She was the first submarine to carry out a beach reconnaissance in 1917 at Middlekerke, Belgium. Whilst carrying out this reconnaissance she was dived for a period of thirtysix hours, many of the skeleton crew were suffering badly from the effects of carbon dioxide poisoning on surfacing.

She was also involved in a collision with C16 on the night of the sinking of C11 of the coast of Norfolk, near Cromer in 1909.
Fate: Sold 20th November 1919.

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Type: C Class Group One
Pennant No.: I.48  
Laid Down: 11th March 1907 H.M. Dockyard, Chatham.
Commissioned: 23rd July 1909 Not known at present
Commander: ----- Not known at present
Complement: 16 2 Officers, 14 Ratings.
Service Career: Not known at present
Fate: Sold 26th May 1921.

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