A Class

The 'A' class was a larger version of the 'Holland', but built to an all-British design following the end of Vickers' relationship with the Holland Torpedo Boat Co. The raised conning tower was fitted to all boats in the class and was a standard feature of submarine construction thereafter. As an additional safety feature the conning tower had two hatches: the upper hatch which led out onto the bridge and the lower hatch which sealed oA.1's commanding officer, Lieutenant Mansergh, reported that: 'She behaved well and could keep an even depth at quite moderate speed wheras the earlier boats had to be trimmed fine and kept at full speed while working submerged.' A.1 was attached to the depot ship HMS Mercury.ff the conning tower from the control room.

Reports from sea indicated that the 'A' class represented a considerable improvement on the 'Holland'.

Chief ERA Charles Sinden was killed in an explosion onboard A.5 at Queenstown on 16th February 1905. The explosion was a result of a build-up of petrol fumes inside the boat resulting from a badly packed gland in the petrol pump. When the order to start the engine to ventilate the boat was given, the fumes exploded. Four other members of A.5's crew died in the explosion.

A.7 was fitted with experimental hydroplanes on her conning tower. The boats of the 'Holland' and 'A' classes were fitted with one set of 'diving rudders' aft, as the operation of diving the boat was performed while she was stationary. As early submariners grew more experienced, they found that they could dive their craft while under way and that another set of 'diving rudders' was necessary. Conning tower hydroplanes were not a standard fitting in the 'A' class boats.

A.13 was the last of the A-boats and was the first British submarine to be fitted with a diesel engine. The engine was a Hornsby-Ackroyd six-cylinder of 500 b.h.p. The diesel was heavier than the petrol engine fitted in other boats of the class and consequently fuel stowage was reduced. Nevertheless, on passage from Barrow to Portsmouth, the engine ran for 29 and a half hours - an extremely good performance for the time.

9 Built

Submarine	Builder	Built
A5 - A13	Vickers, Barrow-in-Furness	1903 - 1907

Technical Information

Displacement (tons):	180 sf 207 sm
Length (ft):	99 oa
Breadth (ft)	12.75 oa
Draught/Height (ft):	10.0
Machinery:	550 hp petrol engine. 150 hp electric motor A13 400  hp diesel engine. 150 hp electric motor.
Speed (kts):	12.0 sf - 8.0 sm A13 - 11.0 sf - 8.0 sm.
Fuel supply (tons): Oil Supply (tons):	7 tons. na.
Armament:	2 x 18 inch tube (bow) Reloads: 2
Range:	500 miles at 10 sf.. 30 miles at 5 kts  sm.
Complement:	Group  Two - 2 officers and 11 ratings.
Amendments to Surface displacement were kindly pointed out by Mr.  Alec Dancer of Barrow-in-Furness.
sm = submerged, sf = surfaced, oa = overall, hp = horsepower, na  = not available.

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Type:	'A' Class	Group Two
Pennant No.:	I.15
Laid Down:	1st September 1903	Vickers, Barrow-in-Furness.
Commissioned:	11th February 1905	Not known at present
Commander:	----- 1915	Not known at present Lt. A. P. Williams-Freeman. DSO.
Complement:	11	2 Officers, 9 Ratings.
Service Career:	Peacetime
Fate:	A5 was involved in an explosion at Queenstown, Ireland, on 16th February 1905 whilst berthed alongside the tender HMS Hazard, where five crew members were killed. The explosion was caused by a leak in the petrol pump, when the engine was started up to ventilate the submarine it caused the fumes to explode. Sold 16th Janury 1920.

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H.M. Submarine A6 and others.

Type:	'A' Class	Group Two
Pennant No.:	I.16
Laid Down:	1st September 1903	Vickers, Barrow-in-Furness.
Commissioned:	23rd March 1905	Lt. C. Bland.
Commander:	----- 1916	Lt. C. Bland. Lt. H. E. Smyth.
Complement:	11	2 Officers, 9 Ratings.
Service Career:	Peacetime
Fate:	Sold 16th January 1920.

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H.M. Submarine A7 and others.

Type:	'A' Class	Group Two
Pennant No.:	I.17
Laid Down:	1st September 1903	Vickers, Barrow-in-Furness.
Commissioned:	13th April 1905	Not known at present.
Commander:	1913	Lt. G.S. Welman.
Complement:	11	2 Officers, 9 Ratings.
Service Career:	Third Flotilla	HMS Forth, Plymouth
Fate:	A.7 was fitted with experimental hydroplanes on the conning tower. Sank 16 January 1914 with the loss of 11 lives.

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H.M. Submarine A8 and others

Type:	'A' Class	Group Two
Pennant No.:	I.18
Laid Down:	1st September 1903	Vickers, Barrow-in-Furness.
Commissioned:	8th May 1905	Lt. A.H.C. Candy.
Commander:	----- 1915	Lt. A.H.C. Candy. Lt. R. N. Stopford.
Complement:	11	2 Officers, 9 Ratings.
Service Career:	Peacetime
Fate:	On 8th June of 1905 whilst operating off the Plymouth breakwater, she was following the depot ship at a speed of 10 knots when she suddenly disappeared.   There were only four of the crew saved. The four survivors were the CO, a Sub Lt, Petty Officer Waller (The submarine services first coxswain) and a Leading Stoker.   It was at first thought that an explosion was responsible for the loss of A8 but further evidence came out at an inquiry. The inquiry came to the solution that the boat developed a bow down angle whilst travelling at 10 knots.   This was possibly caused by an intake of water into the foremost petrol tank, where a rivet was discovered to be missing. Sold 8th October 1920.

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H.M. Submarine A9 and others.

Type:	'A' Class	Group Two
Pennant No.:	I.19
Laid Down:	1903	Vickers, Barrow-in-Furness.
Commissioned:	8th May 1905	Lt. Fraser.
Commander:	----- 1915	Lt. Fraser. Lt. A.M. Winser.
Complement:	11	2 Officers, 9 Ratings.
Service Career:	Peacetime
Fate:	Scrapped 1920.

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H.M. Submarine A10 and others.

Type:	'A' Class	Group Two
Pennant No.:	I.10
Laid Down:	1903	Vickers, Barrow-in-Furness.
Commissioned:	3rd June 1905	Lt. C.H. Varley.
Commander:	1905 1908 1915 1917	Lt. C. H. Varley. Lt. H. G. D. Stoker. Lt. C. H. Varley. Lt. Cdr. C. C. Dobson.
Complement:	11	2 Officers and 9 ratings.
Service Career:	Peacetime	HMS Mercury, Portsmouth
Fate	Sank alongside H.M.S. Pactolus at Ardrossan 17th March 1917 cause unknown, no loss of life.  Beached by the crew of Pactolus using two drifters, approximately April 1917. Sold to Ardrossan Dockyard Company 1st April 1919.

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H.M. Submarine A11 and others.

Type:	'A' Class	Group Two
Pennant No.:	I.01
Laid Down:	1903	Vickers, Barrow-in-Furness.
Commissioned:	11th July 1905	Not known at present.
Commander:	----- 1915	Not known at present. Lt. E. G. Ebblewhite.
Complement:	11	2 Officers, 9 Ratings.
Service Career:	Peacetime
Fate:	Scrapped May 1920.

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H.M. Submarine A12 and others.

Type:	'A' Class	Group Two
Pennant No.:	I.02
Laid Down:	1903	Vickers, Barrow-in-Furness.
Commissioned:	23rd September 1905	Lt. H.G. Higgins.
Commander:	----- 1915	Lt. H.G. Higgins. Lt. D.M. Fell
Complement:	11	2 Officers, 9 Ratings.
Service Career:	Peacetime
Fate:	Sold 16th January 1920.

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Type:	'A' Class	Group Two
Pennant No.:	I.03
Laid Down:	1903	Vickers, Barrow-in-Furness.
Commissioned:	22nd June 1908	Not known at present.
Commander:	-----	Not known at present.
Complement:	11	2 Officers, 9 Ratings.
Service Career:	Peacetime
Fate:	The first British submarine to be fitted with a diesel engine. Scrapped 1920.

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