E Class

Overseas Submarine

Holland Class Submarine

Holland Class Submariner Internal View

E Class Group Two
E9
E10
E11
E12
E13
E14
E15
E16
E17
E18
E19
E20

This class was the backbone of the Royal Navy during WWI and bore the brunt of the submarine contribution to the war effort. A few experiments were carried out with the 'E' class including the carrying of seaplanes. Seven of the class were sent to the Baltic to assist the Russians, E.11 failed to arrive and E.13 was lost on passage.

Six of this class were configured as minelayers, they could carry 20 mines in vertical chutes which were situated in the saddle tanks, five each side, two mines to a chute.

The main base for this class serving in the North Sea was Harwich, which operated a maximum of eighteen boats. They also operated from the Tees and Blyth, and also in 1918 from Killybegs in Ireland.

At the end of WWI the 'E' class were operating from Harwich (11), Tees (6), Killybegs (2), Mediterranean (6) and Adriatic (4). Most of them were put on sale during 1919-1920, only E.48 survived into the late 1920's.

12 Built

Submarine	Builder	Built
E9 - E11, E14 - E20	Vickers, Barrow-in-Furness	1912 - 1915
E12, E13	HM Dockyard, Chatham	1912 - 1914

This was one of the most successful type of submarine in the Royal Navy.

Technical Information

Displacement (tons)	662 sf 807 sm
Length (ft):	180 oa
Breadth (ft):	22.5 oa
Draught/Height (ft):	12.5
Machinery:	Vickers-Admiralty Diesel Engines 1,600 hp 840 hp electric motors, 2 screws.
Speed (kts):	15.25 sf 9.75 sm
Oil Supply (tons):	na
Armament:	5 x 18 inch tubes, 2 bow, 2 beam and 1 stern. Gun added in 1915 Reloads: 10.
Range:	na
Complement:	3 Officers and 28 Ratings
sm = submerged, sf = surfaced, oa = overall, hp = horsepower, na = not available.

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e9 and Max Horton
H.M. Submarine E9.
This picture courtesy of Stephen Johnson

Type:	E Class	Group Two
Pennant No.:	I.89
Laid Down:	1st June 1912.	Vickers, Barrow-in-Furness.
Commissioned:	16th June 1914.	Lt. Cdr. M. K. Horton.
Commander:	1914 31st December 1914. 1915 January 1916. January 1916.	Lt. Cdr. M. K. Horton. Cdr. M. K. Horton. Cdr. M. K. Horton. Cdr. M. K. Horton. Lt. Cdr. H. Vaughan-Jones.
Complement:	31	3 Officers, 28 Ratings.
Service Career:	1914 - 8th Flotilla. 1914 - Baltic Flotilla. 1915 - Baltic Flotilla. 1916 - Baltic Flotilla. 1917 - Baltic Flotilla. 1917 - Baltic Flotilla.	HMS Maidstone, Harwich. Dvina, Revel (Tallin), Estonia. Dvina, Revel (Tallin), Estonia. Dvina, Revel (Tallin), Estonia. Dvina, Revel (Tallin), Estonia. Pamyat Azova, Helsingfors, Finland.
	Supported the British surface fleet at the 'Battle of Helgoland'. Penetrated the Baltic with E1. Sank the Cruiser Hela in the North Sea on 13th September 1914. Sank the German destroyer S-116 in the North Sea on 6th October 1914. One of five boats to penetrate the Baltic. She sailed in October 1914 along with E.1 (Laurence) and E.11 (Nasmith). She was the second of the 'E' boats to reach the Baltic. Attacked a group of ships which had stopped to take on coal. Sank the collier Dora Hugo Stinnes and put the destroyer S-148 out of action for a long period, June 5th 1915. Attacked and badly damaged the Prinz Adelbert, 2nd July 1915. For this action Horton was awarded the Order of St. George, Russia's equivalent to the Victoria Cross. Sank a further four steamers by torpedo or by scuttling charges, the last being the Dal Alfoen, this taking place in September 1915.
Fate:	Scuttled in the Baltic to avoid capture, 3rd April 1918.

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Type:	E Class	Group Two
Pennant No.:	I.90
Laid Down:	10th July 1912.	Vickers, Barrow-in-Furness.
Commissioned:	10th August 1914.	Lt. Cdr. W. St. J. Fraser.
Commander:	1915	Lt. Cdr. W. St. J. Fraser.
Complement:	31	3 Officers, 28 Ratings.
Service Career:	8th Flotilla.	Harwich.
	Disappeared in the Heligoland Bight on the way to her patrol area, probably mined.
Fate:	Lost in the North Sea, on or about the 18th January 1915, probably mined.

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Victoria Cross

Type:	E Class	Group Two
Pennant No.:	I.91
Laid Down:	13th July 1912.	Vickers, Barrow-in-Furness.
Commissioned:	19th September 1914.	Lt. Cdr. M. Nasmith.
Commander:	1915	Lt. Cdr. M. Nasmith.
Complement:	31	3 Officers, 28 Ratings.
Service Career:	1914 - 8th Flotilla. 1915 - Dardanelles Flotilla.	HMS Maidstone, Harwich. Hindu Kush at Mudros, Lemnos.
	One of three boats which sailed in October 1914 E.9 (Horton) and E.1 (Laurence) to penetrate the Baltic. She was hounded by bad luck in respect of her engines which gave continual trouble. At the time of her attempt the Germans had been alerted and there was much shipping in her vicinity, steamers and what gave most concern destroyers, in addtion to this she was harrassed by a German seaplane. By the 22nd of October 1914 with the crew exhausted Nasmith returned to Harwich. Sustained damage to one of her periscopes during an engagement with the Turkish gunboat Pelenki Deria on 22nd May 1915. Nasmith despatched the gunboat with a torpedo but the crew continued to fire at E.11's periscope as their ship sank beneath them. One shell took a neat piece out of the periscope and for the rest of the patrol Nasmith had to operate with only one periscope. During this patrol on the 25th May Nasmith entered Constantinople harbour and carried out attacks on shipping. E.11's second patrol lasted from 5th August to 2nd September and was crowned by the sinking of the Turkish battleship Heireddin Barbarossa on 8th August 1915. Sank Torpedo Boat Yar Hissar in the Sea of Marmara on 3rd December 1915. Sank the Gunboats Berki Satvet on 6th August 1915 and Sevket Numa on 20th November 1915, both in the Sea of Marmara. Nasmith was awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions in the Marmara in June 1915. During her patrols in the Marmara E.11 destroyed 122 ships, many of these were small craft but this did not deter from E.11's nickname of 'Scourge of the Marmara'.
	Recently received the following from Duncan Dunbar-Nasmith, the grandson of Lt. M.E. Nasmith.
	E11's second patrol in the Marmara in fact ran from 1.30 am on August 5th until 9.15 am on September 3rd, and the Periscope was damaged on 23rd May. I enclose the Patrol Report entry for that day. 23rd May 3.00 a.m. Arrived off Oxia Island. While capturing a small sailing vessel, sighted empty transport returning to Constantinople. 5.50 a.m. Observed Turkish Torpedo Gunboat at anchor off Constantinople. Attacked and sank her with Port bow torpedo, striking her amidships on the Starboard side. While sinking she opened fire with a 6pdr gun, the first round hitting the foremost periscope. Proceeded to a position North of Kalolino Island. Rose to surface and prepared damaged periscope for new top. 10.30 a.m. Hands to bathe. 4.30 p.m. Proceeded to signalling billet West of Marmara Island arriving there at 2.0 a.m. Some of the dates and types of vessels sunk during the third patrol do not quite tie up, so I enclose the list that was attached to the report for that patrol (it hasn't copied across from the Word file very well). LIST OF VESSELS DESTROYED. NOVEMBER 6TH TO DECEMBER 23RD 1915. 10.11.15 6.10 a.m. Barque Three masted large (Hay) Gunfire (Burnt). 15.11.15 11.35 a.m. Steamer. Two masts one funnel Torpedoed(Beached). 15.11.15 11.38 a.m. Schooner Two masts large (laden) Torpedoed (Sunk). 15.11.15 3.35 p.m. Steamer Two masts one funnel Torpedoed (Sunk). 26.11.15 4.35 p.m. Steamer Two masts one funnel Gunfire (Sunk). 26.11.15 5.35 p.m. Steamer. Two masts one funnel. Gunfire (rendered unserviceable). 3.12.15. 1.30 p.m. Destroyer "Xar-Hissar" Torpedoed (sunk). 4.12.15 8.00 a.m. Steamer Two masts one funnel Gunfire (Sunk). 5.12.15 2.30 p.m. Barque (Bosphorus) Three masts laden Gunfire (Sunk). 5.12.15 9.00 p.m. Steamer Shirket Steamer No.40 Gunfire (On fire). 8.12.15 12.10 p.m. Armed Dispatch vessel Two masts two funnels Gunfire (On fire). 12.12.15 4.30 a.m. Tug boat One mast one funnel Gunfire (Sunk). 12.12.15 4.30 a.m. Large hulk Two masts large (laden) Gunfire (Sunk). 14.12.15 9.53 a.m. Steamer Two masts one funnel Torpedoed (Sunk). TOTAL 11 STEAMERS 5 LARGE SAILING VESSELS 30 SMALL SAILING VESSELS GRAND TOTAL 46 VESSELS I hope that some of this is of interest to you.
Fate:	Sold 7th March 1921.

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Type:	E Class	Group Two
Pennant No.:	I.92
Laid Down:	16th December 1912.	HM Dockyard, Chatham.
Commissioned:	14th October 1914.	Lt. Cdr. K.M. Bruce.
Commander:	1915	Lt. Cdr. K.M. Bruce. Lt. F. A. Williams-Freeman.
Complement:	31	3 Officers, 28 Ratings.
Service Career:	1914 - 8th Flotilla. 1915 - Dardanelles Flotilla.	HMS Maidstone, Harwich. 'Hindu Kush' at Mudros, Lemnos.
	Had a lucky escape whilst serving in the Dardanelles. When trying to reach the Sea of Marmara she became entangled in nets, she broke free but a portion of the net had become entangled in forward hydroplanes. The boat took on a steep angle and was taken down to a depth of 245 feet, deeper than any British boat had ever been before. As well as the conning tower flooding the pressure hull began leaking, after a short time at this depth she rose to the surface rapidly and on breaking surface was fired upon by the shore batteries.
Fate:	Sold 7th March 1921.

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Type:	E Class	Group Two
Pennant No.:	I.93
Laid Down:	16th December 1912.	HM Dockyard, Chatham.
Commissioned:	9th December 1914.	Lt. G. Layton.
Commander:	1915	Lt. G. Layton.
Complement:	31	3 Officers, 28 Ratings.
Service Career:	1914 - 8th Flotilla.	HMS Maidstone, Harwich.
	Whilst en route to the Baltic she ran aground near the Danish island of Saltholm on 18th August 1915 due to a faulty gyro compass. The Danish authorities gave the commanding officer twentyfour hour to refloat the boat or risk being interned. The boat came under attack from two German torpedo boats and but for the intervention of the Danish torpedo boat Soulven may have suffered greater than she did. Fourteen members of the crew were killed or fatally injured. The remainder of the crew were interned and the boat was eventually sold to the Danish August 1915. She was eventually scrapped but parts of her machinery gave service for many years. Her motors were sold to the Aarhus Electric Works in 1929 and one was resold to a firm in Grenan where it remained in service until 1952.
Fate:	Sold August 1915 to Denmark.

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e14
H.M. Submarine E14.

Victoria Cross

Type:	E Class	Group Two
Pennant No.:	I.94
Laid Down:	14th December 1912.	Vickers, Barrow-in-Furness.
Commissioned:	1st December 1914.	Lt. Cdr. E.C. Boyle.
Commander:	1915 1918	Lt. Cdr. E.C. Boyle. Lt. Cdr. G.S. White.
Complement:	31	3 Officers, 28 Ratings.
Service Career:	1914 - 8th Flotilla. 1915 -Dardanelles Flotilla.	HMS Maidstone, Harwich. 'Hindu Kush' at Mudros, Lemnos.
	She was the third British submarine to attempt to break into the Sea of Marmara and also the first to return. On her return Boyle was awarded the Victoria Cross and the other two officers the Distinguished Service Cross. This boat was later commanded by Lt. Cdr. G.S. White, who was posthumously awarded the VC for an attempt to sink the German battlecruiser Goeben in the Dardanelles in January 1918. Sank the Gunboat Nurelbahr on the 1st May 1915 in the Sea of Marmara. Also disabled the minelaying gunboat Peykisevket by torpedo. Attacked the armed transport Gul Djemal on the 10th May 1915 damaging her enough for the crew to beach her. E14 completed 21 days on patrol in the Marmara
Fate:	Sunk by gunfire from Turkish coastal batteries in the Dardanelles 27th January 1918. Nine of her crew rescued and taken prisoner. E14 was the last submarine to be lost in the conflict with Turkey.

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Type:	E Class	Group Two
Pennant No.:	I.95
Laid Down:	14th October 1912.	Vickers, Barrow-in-Furness.
Commissioned:	15th October 1914.	Lt. T.S. Brodie.
Commander:	1914 1915	Lt. T.S. Brodie. Lt. T.S. Brodie.
Complement:	31	3 Officers, 28 Ratings.
Service Career:	1914 - 8th Flotilla 1915 - Dardanelles Flotilla.	HMS Maidstone, Harwich. Hindu Kush at Mudros, Lemnos.
	Ran aground after trying to enter the Sea of Marmara on 17th April 1915. She was bombarded by the shore batteries to whom she was completely exposed. The commanding officer was killed whilst leaving the conning tower. The Turks attempted to salvage her but she was destroyed by topedoes fired by British Picket boats.
Fate:	Destroyed by torpedoes fired by British Picket boats. April 1915.

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Type:	E Class	Group Two
Pennant No.:	I.96
Laid Down:	14th October 1912.	Vickers, Barrow-in-Furness.
Commissioned:	26th February 1915.	Lt. Talbot.
Commander:	1916	Lt. Cdr. K. J. Duff-Dunbar.
Complement:	31	3 Officers, 28 Ratings.
Service Career:	8th Flotilla.	Harwich.
	Sank U-6 in the North Sea on 15th September 1915. Sank Torpedo Boat V-188 in the North Sea on 27th July 1915.
Fate:	Sunk in the North Sea on 22nd August 1916 by a mine.

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Type:	E Class	Group Two
Pennant No.:	I.97
Laid Down:	29th July 1913.	Vickers, Barrow-in-Furness.
Commissioned:	7th April 1915.	Lt. Cdr. J. R. G. Moncreiffe.
Commander:	1916	Lt. Cdr. J. R. G. Moncreiffe.
Complement:	31	3 Officers, 28 Ratings.
Service Career:	1916 - 8th Flotilla.	HMS Maidstone, Harwich.
	Not known at present.
Fate:	Wrecked when she struck an uncharted sandbank North of Texel 6th January 1916. The crew were rescued by the Dutch cruiser Noord Brabant and interned in Holland for the rest of the war.

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Type:	E Class	Group Two
Pennant No.:	I.98
Laid Down:	January 1914.	Vickers, Barrow-in-Furness.
Commissioned:	6th June 1915.	Lt. Cdr. R. C. Halahan.
Commander:	1915 1916	Lt. Cdr. R. C. Halahan. Lt. Cdr. R. C. Halahan.
Complement:	31	3 Officers, 28 Ratings.
Service Career:	8th Flotilla. Baltic Flotilla.	Harwich. Revel (Tallin), Estonia.
	Was sent to join the Baltic Flotilla in September 1915. Torpedoed the Destoyer V-100 on 23rd May 1916.
Fate:	Conflicting information - one source states 'Lost without trace' 24th May 1916, the other states: Sunk by gunfire from German 'Q' ship K in the Baltic on 24th May 1916.

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e18 and e19 MattE

Order of St. George

E18 and E19 taken in the Baltic, 1915.
Kindly forwarded by Mattias Ericsson.
The medals to left and right, awarded to Cromie by the Russians.

Order of St. Anne

Gutrune MattE
The Gutrune.
The images above and below, kindly forwarded by Mattias Ericsson
of Gothenburg,
Director MattE
Underwater shot of the Director Reppenhagen.

Type:	E Class	Group Two
Pennant No.:	I.991
Laid Down:	27th November 1914.	Vickers, Barrow-in-Furness.
Commissioned:	12th July 1915.	Lt. Cdr. F. N. Cromie.
Commander:	1915 1916 - 1917	Cdr. F. N. Cromie. Cdr. F. N. Cromie.
Complement:	31	3 Officers, 28 Ratings.
Service Career:	8th Flotilla. 1915 - Baltic Flotilla. 1916 - Baltic Flotilla. 1917 - Baltic Flotilla. 1917 - Baltic Flotilla.	Harwich. Dvina, Reval (Tallin), Estonia. Dvina, Reval (Tallin), Estonia. Dvina, Reval (Tallin), Estonia. Pamyat Azova, Helsingfors, Finland.
	Was sent to join the Baltic Flotilla in support of the Russians in September 1915. Sank two German submarines, one in November and one in December of 1915. Sank 'Walter Leonhardt', 11th October 1915. Pursued the 'Germania' until she ran aground, left to natures fate, 11th October 1915. Sank the 'Gutrune', date not known. Sank the 'Direktor Rippenhagen', date not known. Sank the 'Nicodemia', date not known. There is a possibility that the above were all sank on the same day. Sank the Cruiser Undine in the Baltic on 7th November 1915. Cromie was decorated by the Russians firstly for breaking through into the Baltic (Order of St. Vladimir), secondly with the Order of St. Anne after his first patrol. He was awarded with the Order of St. George for the dispatch of the Undine and invited to dine with the Tsar. Unfortunately Cromie's feats were not recognised by the Admiralty until May of 1916 when he was awarded the DSO. Cromie was appointed Senior Naval Officer, Baltic in 1916 and granted the rank of Acting Captain, he gave up command of E19 in May 1917. Commander Cromie remained in Russia attached to the British Embassy instead of returning home with the remaining submarine crews. He was murdered on the steps of the British Embassy in Petrograd, 31st August 1918.
Fate:	Scuttled in the Baltic to avoid capture on 3rd April 1918.

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Type:	E Class	Group Two
Pennant No.:	I.69
Laid Down:	25th November 1914.	Vickers, Barrow-in-Furness.
Commissioned:	30th August 1915.	Lt. Cdr. C.H. Warren.
Commander:	1915	Lt. Cdr. C.H. Warren.
Complement:	31	3 Officers, 28 Ratings.
Service Career:	1915 - Dardanelles Flotilla.	Hindu Kush at Mudros, Lemnos.
	She successfully negotiated the Narrows for her rendezvous with the French submarine Turquoise in The Sea of Marmora. Unfortunately the Turquoise had been abandoned leaving behind their confidential books which gave the enemy the information regarding the rendezvous. UB-14 was waiting for her arrival and promptly sank her with one torpedo. Nine survivors, including the commanding officer, were picked up by UB-14.
Fate:	Sunk by UB-14 on 6th November 1915.

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