HMS R1

The R-class submarine was designed to meet an Admiralty requirement for a specialised hunter-killer submarine with an emphasis on submerged performance. The boats had a length of {{convert|163|ft|9|in|m|1}} overall, a beam of {{convert|15|ft|3|in|m|1}} and a mean draft of {{convert|11|ft|6|in|m|1}}. They displaced {{convert|410|LT|t}} on the surface and {{convert|503|LT|t}} submerged. The R-class submarines had a crew of 2 officers and 20 ratings.Gardiner & Gray, p. 93 They had a diving depth of {{convert|150|ft|1}}.Harrison, Chapter 19

For surface running, the boats were powered by a single eight-cylinder,Harrison, Chapter 25 {{convert|240|bhp|lk=in|0|adj=on}} diesel engine that drove the single propeller shaft. When submerged it was driven by a {{convert|1200|hp|0|adj=on}} electric motor. They could reach {{convert|9.5|kn|lk=in}} on the surface and {{convert|15|kn}} underwater. On the surface, the R class had a range of {{convert|2400|nmi|lk=in}} at {{convert|9|kn|}} and {{convert|60|nmi|abbr=on|lk=in}} at {{convert|5|kn|}} submerged.Harrison, Chapter 10

The boats were armed with six 18-inch (45 cm) torpedo tubes in the bow. They carried six reload torpedoes for a grand total of a dozen torpedoes. They were equipped with an array of five hydrophones in the bow to allow them to locate and engage targets while submerged.

HMS R1 was laid down at Chatham Dockyard on 4 February 1917 and launched on 25 April 1918 by Lady Sturdee.{{refn|group=lower-alpha|Wife of Admiral Sir Doveton Sturdee}} The boat was commissioned on 14 October 1918.{{cite book |last1=Colledge |first1=J. J. |title=Ships of the Royal Navy: An Historical Index - Vol.1 |date=1969 |publisher=David & Charles |location=Newton Abbot |page=447}} She came too late to see any combat in World War I, like most of the other R-class submarines.

R1 was listed as being part of the 14th Submarine Flotilla, part of the Grand Fleet, in January 1919.{{cite magazine |title=Supplement to the Navy List Showing Organisation of the Fleet, Flag Officers' Commands, &c.: I.—The Grand Fleet: Submarine Flotillas of the Grand Fleet |magazine=The Navy List |date=January 1919 |page=11|url= https://digital.nls.uk/british-military-lists/archive/92370906|access-date=3 June 2023 |via=National Library of Scotland}} By March, she had transferred to the Fourth Submarine Flotilla,{{cite magazine |title=Supplement to the Navy List Showing Organisation of the Fleet, Flag Officers' Commands, &c.: I.—The Grand Fleet: Submarines |magazine=The Navy List |date=March 1919 |page=12|url= https://digital.nls.uk/british-military-lists/archive/92419766 |access-date=3 June 2023 |via=National Library of Scotland}} and remained part of that flotilla in August 1919.{{cite magazine |title=II.—Home Fleet: Submarines |magazine=The Navy List |date=August 1919 |page=702|url= https://digital.nls.uk/british-military-lists/archive/92506734 |access-date=3 June 2023 |via=National Library of Scotland}} In November 1919, R1 was listed as allocated to join the material reserve at Portsmouth "later",{{cite magazine |title=I.—Atlantic Fleet: Submarines |magazine=The Navy List |date=November 1919 |page=702—3

|url= https://digital.nls.uk/british-military-lists/archive/92583834 |access-date=5 June 2023 |via=National Library of Scotland}} and in January 1920, was listed as being at Portsmouth, but still awaiting transfer to the material reserve.{{cite magazine |title=II.—Local Defence and Training Establishments, Patrol Flotillas, etc.: Portsmouth |magazine=The Navy List |date=January 1920 |page=704 |url=https://digital.nls.uk/british-military-lists/archive/92626862 |access-date=5 June 2023 |via=National Library of Scotland}} In September 1921 she was towed from the Firth of Forth to Chatham Dockyard for preparation to be put into the material reserve at Gosport, where she arrived on 10 January 1922.{{cite news |title=Rough Passage |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0004358/19210924/124/0007 |access-date=4 June 2023 |work=Sheerness Guardian |issue=3263 |date=24 September 1921 |page=7|via=British Newspaper Archive}}{{cite news |title=The Material Reserve |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000290/19220111/170/0007 |access-date=4 June 2023 |work=Evening News |issue=12807 |date=11 January 1922 |location=Portsmouth |page=7|via=British Newspaper Archive}} R1 was sold for scrap on 20 January 1923 to J. Smith, who also acquired R11 and R12.

{{reflist|group=lower-alpha}}

{{reflist|30em}}

• {{cite book|last=Akermann|first=Paul|title=Encyclopaedia of British Submarines 1901–1955|edition=repr. 2nd|year=2002|orig-year=1989|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 R-class submarine}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:R01}}

Category:British R-class submarines

Category:Royal Navy ship names

Category:1918 ships