HMS L2

HMS L2 by Francis Dodd
History
United Kingdom
Name	HMS L2
Builder	Vickers Limited, Barrow-in-Furness
Laid down	18 May 1916
Launched	6 July 1917
Commissioned	18 December 1917
Fate	Sold for scrapping, March 1930
General characteristics
Class and type	L-class submarine
Displacement	891 long tons (905 t) surfaced 1,074 long tons (1,091 t) submerged
Length	231 ft 1 in (70.4 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	100 feet (30.5 m)
Complement	35
Armament	6 × 18 in (457 mm) torpedo tubes (4 bow, 2 beam) 1 × 4 in (102 mm) deck gun

HMS L2 was a L-class submarine built for the Royal Navy during World War I.

Contents

• Design and description
• Construction and career
• Notes
• References

Design and description

The L-class boats were enlarged and improved versions of the preceding E class. The submarine had a length of 231 feet 1 inch (70.4 m) overall, a beam of 23 feet 6 inches (7.2 m) and a mean draught of 13 feet 3 inches (4.0 m). They displaced 891 long tons (905 t) on the surface and 1,074 long tons (1,091 t) submerged. The L-class submarines had a crew of 35 officers and ratings. ^[1]

For surface running, the boats were powered by two 12-cylinder Vickers ^[2] 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. ^[3] On the surface, the L class had a range of 3,200 nautical miles (5,900 km; 3,700 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). ^[1]

The boats were armed with a total of six 18-inch (460 mm) 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. ^[4] L2 was initially fitted with a 3-inch (76 mm) anti-aircraft gun, but this was later replaced by a 4-inch (102 mm) deck gun. ^[5]

Construction and career

Originally laid down as E-class submarine E58 on 18 May 1916, she and sister ship E57 incorporated enough changes that they were renamed as the first pair of boats of a newly designated L class. L2 was launched 6 July 1917, and commissioned on 18 December 1917.

During World War I, L2 was on patrol when she became the target of a friendly fire incident involving three United States Navy destroyers. On 24 February 1918, the destroyers USS Davis, USS Paulding, and USS Trippe were proceeding in a scouting line in the Atlantic Ocean off the south coast of Ireland bound for Queenstown, Ireland, when Paulding sighted L2′s periscope. Mistaking L2 for an Imperial German Navy U-boat, Paulding headed for the periscope at flank speed and opened gunfire. L2 had sighted the destroyers and, assuming that the destroyers had not seen her periscope, submerged to 90 feet (27 m), but upon hearing Paulding open fire, she dove to 200 feet (61 m). Paulding dropped two depth charges, the first of which shook L2 severely and jammed her diving planes in a hard-upward position. This caused L2 to take on a tremendous inclination, and her stern struck the seabed at a depth of 300 feet (91 m). Four more depth charges exploded, again shaking the submarine. Her commanding officer, Lieutenant Commander Anworth, gave the order to blow the number 5 and 6 ballast tanks, and L2 surfaced bow-first. Davis dropped a depth charge near her, and then all three destroyers opened gunfire on her from a range of about 1,500 yards (1,370 m). One round struck L2′s pressure hull just abaft her conning tower. Some of L2's crew emerged from her conning tower, waved their hands and a White Ensign, and fired a smoke grenade. The destroyers ceased fire immediately. L-2 did not sustain serious damage, and Davis escorted her to Berehaven, Ireland. ^[6] The force commander of British submarines, Captain Martin Dunbar-Nasmith, commended L2 and the destroyers for the action in his report on the incident. Admiral Lewis Bayly, the Royal Navy′s Commander-in-Chief, Coast of Ireland, in his endorsement of Nasmith′s report, wrote, "Had L-2 not been very skillfully and coolly handled, she would have been lost. The U. S. destroyers deserve great credit for their smartness in attack, and for their quickness in recognizing the submarine as British." ^[6]

L2 was assigned to the 4th Submarine Flotilla and HMS Titania in 1919 and proceeded to Hong Kong, arriving on 14 April 1920, She was placed in the Reserve Flotilla in Hong Kong in 1923. She was sold in March 1930, and arrived in April 1930 at Thos. W. Ward, Grays, Essex, England, for breaking-up.

Notes

Related Research Articles

USS Paulding (DD-22) was the lead ship of Paulding-class destroyers in the United States Navy. She was named for Rear Admiral Hiram A. Paulding (1797-1878). She was in commission from 1910 to 1919 and saw service in World War I.

The second USS Trippe (DD-33) was a Paulding-class destroyer in commission in the United States Navy from 1911 to 1919. She was named for Lieutenant John Trippe. She saw service during World War I.

USS Davis (DD-65) was a Sampson-class destroyer in commission in the United States Navy from 1916 to 1922. She saw service during World War I. She was the second Navy ship named for Rear Admiral Charles Henry Davis (1807–1877).

The British L-class submarine was originally planned under the emergency war programme as an improved version of the British E-class submarine. The scale of change allowed the L class to become a separate class.

HMS Salmon was a second-batch S-class submarine built during the 1930s for the Royal Navy. Completed in 1935, the boat fought in the Second World War. Salmon is one of twelve boats named in the song "Twelve Little S-Boats".

HMS D7 was one of eight D-class submarines built for the Royal Navy during the first decade of the 20th century.

HMS L52 was a late-model L-class submarine built for the Royal Navy during the First World War. The boat was not completed before the end of the war and was sold for scrap in 1935.

HMS L53 was a late-model L-class submarine built for the Royal Navy during the First World War. The boat was not completed before the end of the war and was sold for scrap in 1939.

HMS L54 was a late-model L-class submarine built for the Royal Navy during the First World War. The boat was not completed before the end of the war and was sold for scrap in 1939.

HMS Sterlet was a second-batch S-class submarine built during the 1930s for the Royal Navy. Completed in 1938, the boat fought in the Second World War. The submarine is one of the 12 boats named in the song Twelve Little S-Boats. Thus far she has been the only ship of the Royal Navy to be named Sterlet.

HMS Seawolf was a second-batch S-class submarine built during the 1930s for the Royal Navy. Completed in 1936, the boat fought in the Second World War.

HMS L69 was a late-model L-class submarine built for the Royal Navy during the First World War. The boat was not completed before the end of the war and was sold for scrap in 1939.

HMS L11 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 1932.

HMS L12 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 1932.

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.

HMS L23 was a L-class submarine built for the Royal Navy during World War I. The boat was not completed before the end of the war and was one of the three L-class boats to serve during World War II. L23 was sold for scrap in 1946.

HMS L20 was a L-class submarine built for the Royal Navy during World War I. The boat was not completed before the end of the war and was sold for scrap in 1935.

HMS L21 was a L-class submarine built for the Royal Navy during World War I. The boat was not completed before the end of the war and was sold for scrap in 1939.

HMS L24 was a L-class submarine built for the Royal Navy during World War I. The boat was not completed before the end of the war and was sunk in an accidental collision in 1924.

HMS L25 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 1935.

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.
• Gardiner, Robert & Gray, Randal, eds. (1985). 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)". RN Subs. Retrieved 27 September 2022.