HMS E22

History
Name: HMS E22
Builder: Vickers, Barrow
Laid down: 27 August 1914
Commissioned: 8 November 1915
Fate: Sunk by torpedo, 25 April 1916
General characteristics
Class and type: E class submarine
Displacement:
  • 662 long tons (673 t) surfaced
  • 807 long tons (820 t) submerged
Length: 181 ft (55 m)
Beam: 15 ft (4.6 m)
Propulsion:
  • 2 × 1,600 hp (1,193 kW) diesel
  • 2 × 840 hp (626 kW) electric
  • 2 screws
Speed:
  • 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph) surfaced
  • 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) submerged
Range:
  • 3,000 nmi (5,600 km) at 10 kn (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced
  • 65 nmi (120 km) at 5 kn (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) submerged
Complement: 30
Armament:

HMS E22 was a British E class submarine built by Vickers, Barrow-in-Furness. She was laid down on 27 August 1914 and was commissioned on 8 November 1915.

Service history

E22 was involved in experiments in the North Sea to intercept Zeppelins on 24 April 1916. E22 carried two Sopwith Schneider seaplane scouts on her casing. The boat would then submerge in calm waters and the planes would float on the surface. They would then take off and then return to the East coast of England in Felixstowe. The trials were not repeated. E22 was torpedoed by the German U-boat UB-18 off Great Yarmouth in the North Sea on 25 April 1916.[1] There were two survivors, ERA F.S. Buckingham and Signalman William Harrod. The two surviving members were taken prisoner by the German U-Boat and become Prisoners of War.

Design

Like all post-E8 British E-class submarines, E22 had a displacement of 622 tonnes (686 short tons) at the surface and 807 tonnes (890 short tons) while submerged. It had a total length of 180 feet (55 m)[2] and a beam length of 22 feet 8.5 inches (6.922 m). It contained two diesel engines each providing a power of 1,600 horsepower (1,200 kW) and two electric motors each providing 840 horsepower (630 kW) power.[3] Its complement was thirty-one crew members.[2]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph) and a submerged speed of 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). British E-class submarines had fuel capacities of 50 tonnes (55 short tons) of diesel and ranges of 3,255 miles (5,238 km; 2,829 nmi) when travelling at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph).[2] E22 was capable of operating submerged for five hours when travelling at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph). It was fitted with a 6 pounds (2.7 kg) 6-pounder gun, five 18 inches (460 mm) torpedo tubes, and one spare torpedo tube. Its torpedo tubes were fitted at the front and the aft; unlike pre-E9 submarines, the two midship section torpedo tubes were not included.[2]

E-Class submarines contained wireless systems with 1 kilowatt (1.3 hp) power ratings; in some submarines, these were later upgraded to 3 kilowatts (4.0 hp) systems by removing a midship torpedo tube. Its claimed highest dive depth was 100 feet (30 m) although it was capable of reaching depths of below 200 feet (61 m). Some submarines contained Fessenden oscillator systems.[2]

References

  1. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit during WWI: E 22". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 17 December 2014.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Innes McCartney; Tony Bryan (20 February 2013). British Submarines of World War I. Osprey Publishing. pp. 11–12. ISBN 978-1-4728-0035-0.
  3. "E Class". Chatham Submarines. Retrieved 20 August 2015.

Bibliography

External links

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