HMS L14

History
Name:	HMS L14
Builder:	Vickers Limited, Barrow-in-Furness
Laid down:	19 January 1917
Fate:	Sold for scrapping, May 1934
General characteristics
Class & type:	L-class submarine
Displacement:	914 long tons (929 t) surfaced 1,089 long tons (1,106 t) submerged
Length:	238 ft 7 in (72.7 m)
Beam:	23 ft 6 in (7.2 m)
Draught:	13 ft 3 in (4.0 m)
Installed power:	2,400 bhp (1,800 kW) (diesel) 1,600 hp (1,200 kW) (electric)
Propulsion:	2 × diesel engines 2 × electric motors
Speed:	17 kn (31 km/h; 20 mph) surfaced 10.5 kn (19.4 km/h; 12.1 mph) submerged
Range:	3,800 nmi (7,000 km; 4,400 mi) at 10 kn (19 km/h; 12 mph) on the surface
Test depth:	150 feet (45.7 m)
Complement:	38
Armament:	4 × bow 21 in (533 mm) torpedo tubes 2 × beam 18 in (457 mm) torpedo tubes 1 × 4-inch deck gun 16 mines

HMS L14 was a L-class submarine built for the Royal Navy during World War I. She was one of five boats in the class to be fitted as a minelayer. The boat survived the war and was sold for scrap in 1934.

Design and description

L9 and its successors were enlarged to accommodate 21-inch (53.3 cm) torpedoes and more fuel. The submarine had a length of 238 feet 7 inches (72.7 m) overall, a beam of 23 feet 6 inches (7.2 m) and a mean draft of 13 feet 3 inches (4.0 m).^[1] They displaced 914 long tons (929 t) on the surface and 1,089 long tons (1,106 t) submerged. The L-class submarines had a crew of 38 officers and ratings.^[2]

For surface running, the boats were powered by two 12-cylinder Vickers^[3] 1,200-brake-horsepower (895 kW) diesel engines, each driving one propeller shaft. When submerged each propeller was driven by a 600-horsepower (447 kW) electric motor.^[1] They could reach 17 knots (31 km/h; 20 mph) on the surface and 10.5 knots (19.4 km/h; 12.1 mph) underwater. On the surface, the L class had a range of 3,800 nautical miles (7,000 km; 4,400 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph).^[4]

The boats were armed with four 21-inch torpedo tubes in the bow and two 18-inch (45 cm) in broadside mounts. They carried four reload torpedoes for the 21-inch tubes for a grand total of ten torpedoes of all sizes.^[5] They were also armed with a 4-inch (102 mm) deck gun.^[2] L14 was fitted with 16 vertical mine chutes in her saddle tanks and carried one mine per chute.^[1]

Construction and career

HMS L14 was built by Vickers, Barrow. She was laid down on 19 January 1917 and was commissioned on an unknown date. The boat was sold to John Cashmore Ltd in May 1934 for scrapping at Newport. The periscope from L14 is preserved at the Royal Navy Submarine Museum at Gosport. It may be the only surviving example of a World War I periscope. It was manufactured by Grubb & Co. in 1918.

Notes

1. Gardiner & Gray, p. 93
2. Akermann, p. 165
3. Harrison, Chapter 25
4. Harrison, Chapters 3
5. Harrison, Chapter 27

References

• Akermann, Paul (2002). Encyclopaedia of British Submarines 1901–1955 (reprint of the 1989 ed.). Penzance, Cornwall: Periscope Publishing. ISBN 1-904381-05-7.
• Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969]. Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy (Rev. ed.). London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN 978-1-86176-281-8. OCLC 67375475.
• Gardiner, Robert & Gray, Randal, eds. (1984). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships: 1906–1921. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-85177-245-5.
• Harrison, A. N. (January 1979). "The Development of HM Submarines From Holland No. 1 (1901) to Porpoise (1930) (BR3043)". Submariners Association: Barrow in Furness Branch. Retrieved 19 August 2015.