H21 Class



Coastal Defence Submarine

Holland Class Submarine

  • H21 Class
  • H21
  • H22
  • H23
  • H24
  • H25
  • H26
  • H27
  • H28
  • H29
  • H30
  • H31
  • H32
  • H33
  • H34
  • H41
  • H42
  • H43
  • H44
  • H47
  • H49
  • H50
  • H51
  • H52

The following were cancelled: H35 - H40, H45 - H46, H53 - H54.
The following were ceded to Chile in return for ships which were being built in Britain at the outbreak of war: H13, H16, H17, H18, H19, H20.
The following were presented to the Royal Canadian Navy: H14, H15.

Due to the U.S. witholding the second batch of 'H' class the British decided to go ahead and build their own.   More or less the same design but somewhat longer and introducing the 21 inch torpedo tube in preference to the 18 inch.

21 Built

Submarine Builder Built
H21 - H32 Vickers, Barrow-in-Furness 1917 - 1919
H33, H34 Cammell Laird, Birkenhead 1917 - 1919
H43, H44 Armstrong Whitworth
Newcastle-on-Tyne 		1917 - 1920
H47 - H50 Beardmore, Dalmuir 1917 - 1920
H52 HM Dockyard, Pembroke 1917 - 1919

Technical Information

Displacement (tons): 423 sf
510 sm
Length (Metric): 52.4
Breadth (Metric): 4.8
Draught/Height (Metric): 4
Machinery:
 Nelseco diesel engines 480hp
2 Electric Motors 620hp
Speed (kts): 11.5 knots sf
9 knots sm
Oil Supply (tons): 16
Armament:
 4 x 21 inch tubes (bow).
Reloads:6/8.
Range: 1,375 nm at 10 kts sf.
2,985 nm at 7.5 kts sf.
10 nm at 9 kts sm.
130 nm at 2 kts sm.
Complement: 22 Officers and Ratings
sm = submerged, sf = surfaced, oa = overall, hp = horsepower, na = not available.

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Type: H Class H21 Class
Pennant No.: H.21  
Laid Down: 2nd March 1917. Vickers, Barrow-in-Furness.
Commissioned: 28th January 1918. Not known at present.
Commander: Not known at present. Not known at present.
Complement: 22 Officers and Ratings.
Service Career:    
   
Fate: Sold 17th July 1926.

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Type: H Class H21 Class
Pennant No.: H.22  
Laid Down: 6th March 1917. Vickers, Barrow-in-Furness.
Commissioned: 13th November 1918. Not known at present.
Commander: Not known at present. Not known at present.
Complement: 22 Officers and Ratings.
Service Career:    
   
Fate: Sold 19th February 1929.

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A gaggle of H classes
H.M. Submarine H23 with others June 1931.

Type: H Class H21 Class
Pennant No.: H.23  
Laid Down: 3rd March 1917. Vickers, Barrow-in-Furness.
Commissioned: 25th April 1918. Not known at present.
Commander: Not known at present. Not known at present.
Complement: 22 Officers and Ratings.
Service Career: Not known at present. Not known at present.
   
Fate: Sold 4th May 1934.

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Type: H Class H21 Class
Pennant No.: H.24  
Laid Down: 4th March 1917. Vickers, Barrow-in-Furness.
Commissioned: 9th May 1918. Not known at present.
Commander: Not known at present. Not known at present.
Complement: 22 Officers and Ratings.
Service Career: Not known at present. Not known at present.
  In June 1922 whilst submerged during exercises she was rammed by H.M.S. Vancouver.  The Conning tower was badly damaged and although the Vancouver left part of one of her screws embedded in the junction of the conning-tower and the pressure hull there were no breaches.  Fortunately there were no casualties
Fate: Sold 4th May 1934.

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Type: H Class H21 Class
Pennant No.: H.25  
Laid Down: 3rd March 1917. Vickers, Barrow-in-Furness.
Commissioned: 16th July 1918. Not known at present.
Commander: Not known at present. Not known at present.
Complement: 22 Officers and Ratings.
Service Career: Not known at present. Not known at present.
   
Fate: Sold 19th February 1929.

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Type: H Class H21 Class
Pennant No.: H.26  
Laid Down: 2nd March 1917. Vickers, Barrow-in-Furness.
Commissioned: 20th March 1918. Not known at present.
Commander: Not known at present. Not known at present.
Complement: 22 Officers and Ratings.
Service Career: Not known at present. Not known at present.
   
Fate: Sold 21st April 1928.

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A gaggle of H classes
H.M. Submarine H27 with others June 1931.

Type: H Class H21 Class
Pennant No.: H.27  
Laid Down: 20th March 1917. Vickers, Barrow-in-Furness.
Commissioned: 2nd January 1919. Not known at present.
Commander: Not known at present. Not known at present.
Complement: 22 2 Officers and 20 Ratings.
Service Career: Not known at present. Not known at present.
   
Fate: Sold 30th August 1935.

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A gaggle of H classes
H.M. Submarine H28 with others June 1931.

Type: H Class H21 Class
Pennant No.: H.28  
Laid Down: 18th March 1917. Vickers, Barrow-in-Furness.
Commissioned: 29th June 1918. Not known at present.
Commander: Not known at present. Not known at present.
Complement: 22 Officers and Ratings.
Service Career: Not known at present. Not known at present.
   
Fate: Sold to West of Scotland shipbreakers, Troon, 18th August 1944, scrapped.

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Type: H Class H21 Class
Pennant No.: H.29  
Laid Down: 19th March 1917. Vickers, Barrow-in-Furness.
Commissioned: 14th September 1918. Not known at present.
Commander: 1926. Lt. F. H. E. Skyrme.
Complement: 22 Officers and Ratings.
Service Career: Not known at present. H.M.S. Vulcan, Blyth.
  Sank during basin trials at end of refit in Devonport Dockyard with the loss of six lives, one naval rating and five civilians.
Fate: Sank, raised and scrapped 1927.

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Type: H Class H.21 Class
Pennant No.: H.30  
Laid Down: 18th March 1917. Vickers, Barrow-in-Furness.
Commissioned: 19th October 1918. Not known at present.
Commander:   Not known at present.
Complement: 22 Officers and Ratings.
Service Career: Not known at present. Not known at present.
   
Fate: Sold 30th August 1935.

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H.M. Submarine H31
H.M. Submarine H31

Type: H Class H.21 Class
Pennant No.: H.31
31.H
N.31 		 
Laid Down: 19th April 1917. Vickers, Barrow-in-Furness.
Commissioned: 21st February 1919. Not known at present.
Commander: 1941 Lt. F. B. Gibbs.
Complement: 22 Officers and Ratings.
Service Career: 1941 - 7th Flotilla HMS Cyclops, Rothesay.
  Sailed from Falmouth on or around 19th December 1941 to patrol the Bay of Biscay areas.
Fate: Lost whilst patrolling in the Bay of Biscay.
Possibly mined, December 1941.

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Type: H Class H.21 Class
Pennant No.: H.32
32.H
N.32 		 
Laid Down: 20th April 1917. Vickers, Barrow-in-Furness.
Commissioned: 27th May 1919. Not known at present.
Commander: Not known at present. Not known at present.
Complement: 22 Officers and Ratings.
Service Career: 1939 - 6th Flotilla

1941 7th Flotilla. 		H.M.S. Vulcan, Blyth.
H.M.S. Titania, Blyth.
H.M.S. Cyclops, Rothesay.
  Not known at present.
Fate: Sold 18th October 1944.

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Type: H Class H.21 Class
Pennant No.: 33H
N33 		 
Laid Down: 20th November 1917. Cammell Laird, Birkenhead.
Commissioned: 17th May 1919. Not known at present.
Commander: Not known at present. Not known at present.
Complement: 22 Officers and Ratings.
Service Career: Not known at present. Not known at present.
   
Fate: Sold to West of Scotland shipbreakers, Troon, October 1944, scrapped.

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Type: H Class H.21 Class
Pennant No.: 34H
N34 		 
Laid Down: 20th November 1917. Cammell Laird, Birkenhead.
Commissioned: 10th September 1919. Not known at present.
Commander: Not known at present. Not known at present.
Complement: 22 Officers and Ratings.
Service Career: Not known at present. Not known at present.
   
Fate: Sold to West of Scotland shipbreakers, Troon, July 1945, scrapped.

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Type: H Class H.21 Class
Pennant No.: H.41  
Laid Down: 17th September 1917. Armstrong Whitworth, Newcastle-on-Tyne.
Commissioned: November 1918. Not known at present.
Commander: 1919. Lt. Cdr. N. R. Peploe.
Complement: 22 Officers and Ratings.
Service Career: Not known at present. H.M.S. Vulcan, Blyth.
  Sank after being holed by the depot ship H.M.S. Vulcan even before being fully completed and accepted into the Navy.
Fate: Sank, raised and sold 1920.

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Type: H Class H.21 Class
Pennant No.: H.42  
Laid Down: September 1917. Armstrong Whitworth, Newcastle-on-Tyne.
Commissioned: 1st May 1919. Not known at present.
Commander: 1922. Lt. D.C. Sealy.
Complement: 22 Officers and Ratings.
Service Career: 3rd Flotilla. Not known at present.
  Sank during exercises in the Mediterranean after collission with the destroyer H.M.S. Versatile off Gibraltar.
Fate: Lost with all hands 23rd March 1922.

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Type: H Class H.21 Class
Pennant No.: 43H
N43 		 
Laid Down: 4th October 1917. Armstong Whitworth, Newcastle.
Commissioned: 25th November 1919. Not known at present.
Commander: Not known at present. Not known at present.
Complement: 22 Officers and Ratings.
Service Career: Not known at present. Not known at present.
   
Fate: Sold to West of Scotland shipbreakers, Troon, November 1944. scrapped.

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Type: H Class H.21 Class
Pennant No.: H.44
44.H
N.44 		 
Laid Down: 10th October 1917. Armstrong Whitworth,
Newcastle-on-Tyne.
Commissioned: 15th April 1920. Lt. R.C. Watson. RCN.
Commander: 1939
1940
1941 		Lt. J. S. Huddart
Lt. W. N. R. Knox.
Mars.
Complement: 22 Officers and Ratings.
Service Career: 1941 - 7th Flotilla.
1941 - 7th Flotilla. 		H.M.S. Cyclops, Londonderry.
H.M.S. Cyclops, Rothesay.
   
Fate: Sold for scrap February 1945 to West of Scotland Shipbreaking.

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Type: H Class H.21 Class
Pennant No.: H.47  
Laid Down: 20th November 1917. Beardmore, Dalmuir.
Commissioned: 25th February 1919. Not known at present.
Commander: 1929. Lt. R.J. Gardner.
Complement: 22 Officers and Ratings.
Service Career: Not known at present. Not known at present.
  Sank in collision with L12, off Milford Haven 9th July 1929.

Petty Officer Hicks was on the bridge of H47 at the time of the collision and had a remarkable escape.  He had jumped from the bridge onto the bows of L12 and grabbed hold of her forward jumping wire.  He was taken down with L12 but managed to cling to the wire until she returned to the surface.
Fate: Lost 9th July 1929, three survivors.

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H.M. Submarine H49
H.M. Submarine H49
HM Submarine H49 October 1936

Type: H Class H.21 Class
Pennant No.: H.49
49.H
N.49 		 
Laid Down: 15th July 1919. Beardmore, Dalmuir.
Commissioned: 25th October 1919. Not known at present.
Commander: 1940. Lt. R. E. Coltart.
Complement: 22 Officers and Ratings.
Service Career: 1940 - 3rd Flotilla. HMS Cyclops, Harwich.
  Sailed from Harwich on 17th October 1940.
Fate: Lost.
Depth charged by German anti-submarine vessels of the 11th Anti-submarine Flotilla, off Texel, Holland, 18th October 1940.

One survivor, Leading Stoker G. W. Oliver was rescued and landed in Holland from where he was moved to Wilhelmshaven.

From Wilhelmshaven he was taken to a Polish POW camp at Thorn, after two years at Thorn he was transferred to a POW camp in Germany.

The wreck of H49 was discovered in 1984 by a Dutch diver.
The wreck is considered to be a war grave.

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Type: H Class H.21 Class
Pennant No.: 50H
N50 		 
Laid Down: 23rd January 1918. Beardmore, Dalmuir.
Commissioned: 3rd February 1920. Not known at present.
Commander: Not known at present. Not known at present.
Complement: 22 Officers and Ratings.
Service Career: Not known at present. Not known at present.
   
Fate: Sold to West of Scotland shipbreakers, Troon, July 1945.

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No Details at Present
No Details at Present