L Class
Minelaying Submarine
- L Class Minelayers
- L14
- L17
- L24
- L25
- L26
- L27
The above six boats of the second group of 'L' class were selected to be completed as minelayers. These were ordered in 1916, they wre finished too late to be used in WWI. L24 to L27 were only launched after WWI. L26 and L27 were transferred unfinished from Vickers to to HM Dockyards for completion.
Because the idea of laying mines from vertical chutes was dropped shortly after WWI these boats were never employed in laying mines. Although the mine tubes were never used it is highly unlikely that they were removed.
As with the 'E Class' minelayers the mine tubes were arranged in the saddle tanks.
6 Built
| Submarine | Builder | Built |
|
L14,L17,L24,L25 L26,L27 |
Vickers, Barrow-in-Furness |
1917 - 1926 |
| L26 | H.M. Dockyard,Devonport | 1918 - 1926 |
| L27 | H.M. Dockyard, Sheerness | 1918 - 1926 |
L26 was completed by HM Dockyard Portsmouth.
L27 was completed by Sheerness Dockyard.
Technical Information
| Displacement (tons): | L14, L17,
L26, L27: 908 sf 1,065 sm L24, L25: 911 sf 1068 sm |
| Length (ft): | 238.5 (oa) |
| Breadth (ft) | 23.5 |
| Draught/Height (ft): | 13.5 |
| Machinery: | 2 x 12
cylinder solid injection Vickers type diesels 2400 bhp. 4 x electric motors 1600 bhp 1 x 20 hp aux motor for slow running. Twin screws. |
| Speed (kts): | 17.5 sf 10.5 sm |
| Oil Supply (tons): | 76 tons. |
| Armament: | 1 x 4
inch/40 QF; 2 MG. 4 x 21 inch bow tubes. 8 Torpedoes carried. L24/L25 completed without the 4 inch gun. L14, L17, L26, L27: 16 mines. L24, L25: 14 mines. |
| Range: | 3,800/200nm at 10/2 kt. |
| Complement: | 39 officers and ratings. |
| sm = submerged, sf = surfaced, oa = overall, hp = horsepower, na = not available. | |
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'Minelayer'
| Type: | L Class | Group Two - Minelayer |
| Pennant No.: | L.14 | |
| Laid Down: | 19th January 1917. | Vickers, Barrow. |
| Commissioned: | 18th October 1918. | Not known at present. |
| Commander: | ---- | Not known at present. |
| Complement: | 39 | Officers and Ratings. |
| Service Career: | Not known at present. | Not known at present. |
| Fate: | Sold May 1934. | |
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'Minelayer'
| Type: | L Class | Group Two - Minelayer |
| Pennant No.: | L.17 | |
| Laid Down: | 24th January 1917. | Vickers, Barrow. |
| Commissioned: | 30th September 1918. | Not known at present. |
| Commander: | ---- | Not known at present. |
| Complement: | 39 | Officers and Ratings. |
| Service Career: | Not known at present. | Not known at present. |
| Fate: | Sold February 1934. | |
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'Minelayer'
| Type: | L Class | Group Two - Minelayer |
| Pennant No.: | L.17 | |
| Laid Down: | 24th January 1917. | Vickers, Barrow. |
| Commissioned: | 30th September 1918. | Not known at present. |
| Commander: | ---- | Not known at present. |
| Complement: | 39 | Officers and Ratings. |
| Service Career: | Not known at present. | Not known at present. |
| Fate: | Sold February 1934. | |
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'Minelayer'
| Type: | L Class | Group Two - Minelayer |
| Pennant No.: | L.25 | |
| Laid Down: | 23rd February 1918. | Vickers, Barrow. |
| Commissioned: | 29th July 1920. | Not known at present. |
| Commander: | ---- | Not known at present. |
| Complement: | 39 | Officers and Ratings. |
| Service Career: | Not known at present. | Not known at present. |
| Fate: | Sold 1935. | |
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'Minelayer'
H.M. Submarine L26.
| Type: | L Class | Group Two - Minelayer |
| Pennant No.: | L.26 26L N26 |
|
| Laid Down: | 1917 | Vickers,
Barrow-in-Furness. (Completed by H.M. Naval Dockyard, Chatham. |
| Commissioned: | 1919 | Not known at present. |
| Commander: | Not known at present. | Not known at present. |
| Complement: | 39 | Officers and Ratings. |
| Service Career: | 1941 -
2nd Flotilla. 1940 - 1942 |
Rosyth. Training submarine. |
| Sent to Canada in 1944 to assist in Anti - Submarine training to the convoy escort group. | ||
| Fate: | Scrapped in Canada in 1945. | |
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'Minelayer'
H.M. Submarine L27.
These pictures courtesy of Stephen
Johnson
| Type: | L Class | Group Two - Minelayer |
| Pennant No.: | L.27 27L N27 |
|
| Laid Down: | 1917 | Vickers,
Barrow-in-Furness. (Completed by H.M. Naval Dockyard, Chatham. |
| Commissioned: | 1919 | Not known at present. |
| Commander: | 1940 | Lt. H.N. Edmunds. |
| Complement: | 39 | Officers and Ratings. |
| Service Career: | 1941 -
5th Flotilla. 1940 - 1942 |
H.M.S.
Dolphin, Gosport, Portsmouth. Training submarine. |
| Sent to Canada in 1944 to assist in Anti - Submarine training to the convoy escort group. | ||
| Fate: | Used as Anti-Submarine target off Canadian Atlantic coast 25th September 1945. | |
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