HMS L1

{{short description|Submarine of the Royal Navy}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2016}}

{{Use British English|date=December 2016}}

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|Ship image= Hms_l1_submarine.jpg

|Ship caption= HMS L1 submarine

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|Ship country= United Kingdom

|Ship flag= {{shipboxflag|United Kingdom|naval}}

|Ship name= HMS L1

|Ship ordered=

|Ship builder= Vickers Limited, Barrow-in-Furness

|Ship laid down=18 May 1916

|Ship launched= 10 May 1917

|Ship acquired=

|Ship commissioned=10 November 1917

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|Ship fate= Sold for scrapping, March 1930

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{{Infobox ship characteristics

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|Header caption=

|Ship class=L-class submarine

|Ship displacement=*{{convert|891|LT|t|0|abbr=on}} surfaced

  • {{convert|1074|LT|t|0|abbr=on}} submerged

|Ship length={{convert|231|ft|1|in|m|1|abbr=on}}

|Ship beam={{convert|23|ft|6|in|m|1|abbr=on}}

|Ship draught={{convert|13|ft|3|in|1|abbr=on}}

|Ship power=*{{convert|2400|bhp|kW|lk=in|abbr=on}} (diesel)

  • {{convert|1600|hp|kW|abbr=on}} (electric)

|Ship propulsion=*2 × diesel engines

|Ship speed=*{{convert|17|kn|abbr=on|lk=in}} surfaced

  • {{convert|10.5|kn|abbr=on}} submerged

|Ship range={{convert|3800|nmi|abbr=on|lk=in}} at {{convert|10|kn|abbr=on}} on the surface

|Ship test depth={{convert|100|ft|1}}

|Ship complement=35

|Ship armament=*6 × British 18 inch torpedo torpedo tubes (4 bow, 2 beam)

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HMS L1 was the lead boat of the L-class submarines built for the Royal Navy during World War I.

Design and description

The L-class boats were enlarged and improved versions of the preceding E class. The submarine had a length of {{convert|231|ft|1|in|m|1}} overall, a beam of {{convert|23|ft|6|in|m|1}} and a mean draught of {{convert|13|ft|3|in|m|1}}. They displaced {{convert|891|LT|t|0}} on the surface and {{convert|1074|LT|t|0}} submerged. The L-class submarines had a crew of 35 officers and ratings.Gardiner & Gray, p. 93

For surface running, the boats were powered by two 12-cylinder VickersHarrison, Chapter 25 {{convert|1200|bhp|lk=in|0|adj=on}} diesel engines, each driving one propeller shaft. When submerged each propeller was driven by a {{convert|600|hp|0|adj=on}} electric motor. They could reach {{convert|17|kn|lk=in}} on the surface and {{convert|10.5|kn}} underwater.Harrison, Chapters 3 On the surface, the L class had a range of {{convert|3200|nmi|lk=in}} at {{convert|10|kn}}.

The boats were armed with a total of six British 18 inch torpedo torpedo tubes. Four of these were in the bow and the remaining pair in broadside mounts. They carried 10 reload torpedoes, all for the bow tubes.Harrison, Chapter 27 L1 was initially fitted with a {{convert|3|in|mm|adj=on}} anti-aircraft gun, but this was later replaced by a {{convert|4|in|mm|adj=on|0}} deck gun.Akermann, p. 165

Construction and career

Originally laid down by Vickers, Barrow, as E-class submarine E57 on 18 May 1916, she and sister ship {{HMS|E58||2}} incorporated enough changes that they were renamed as the first pair of boats of a newly designated L class. L1 was launched 10 May 1917, and commissioned on 10 November 1917.

She sailed with the Submarine Depot Ship HMS Ambrose (1903) to Hong Kong in 1919 as part of the 4th Submarine Flotilla, arriving there in January 1920. L1 was placed in the reserve flotilla in 1923 in Hong Kong. She was then sold to John Cashmore Ltd in March 1930 for scrapping. While being towed to Newport she broke free and was stranded at Penanwell Cove, near Porth Nanven in Cornwall. She was scrapped where she lay. Some metal remains can still be seen there on low spring tides.{{Cite web|url=http://www.submerged.co.uk/submarine-l1-and-battle-ensign-of-revenge.php|title=Submarine L1, and the Battle Ensign of H.M.S.Revenge - Submerged}}

Notes

{{reflist|30em}}

References

  • {{cite book|last=Akermann|first=Paul|title=Encyclopaedia of British Submarines 1901–1955|edition=reprint of the 1989|year=2002|publisher=Periscope Publishing|location=Penzance, Cornwall|isbn=1-904381-05-7}}
  • {{Cite Colledge2006}}
  • {{cite book |editor1-last=Gardiner|editor1-first=Robert|editor2-last=Gray|editor2-first=Randal|title=Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921|year=1985|location=Annapolis, Maryland|publisher=Naval Institute Press|isbn=0-85177-245-5|name-list-style=amp}}
  • {{cite web|url=http://rnsubs.co.uk/dits-bits/br-3043.html|title=The Development of HM Submarines From Holland No. 1 (1901) to Porpoise (1930) (BR3043)|last=Harrison|first=A. N.|date=January 1979|publisher=RN Subs|access-date=27 September 2022}}

{{British E class submarine}}

{{British L class submarine}}

{{1930 shipwrecks}}

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Category:British E-class submarines of the Royal Navy

Category:British L-class submarines

Category:Ships built in Barrow-in-Furness

Category:1917 ships

Category:World War I submarines of the United Kingdom

Category:Royal Navy ship names

Category:Maritime incidents in 1930

Category:Cornish shipwrecks