XE class submarine
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| General characteristics |  |
|---|---|
| Displacement: | 30.25 tons surfaced 33.5 tons submerged |
| Length: | 53.25 ft (16.23 m) |
| Beam: | 5.75 ft (1.75 m) |
| Draught: | 5.3 ft (1.60 m) |
| Propulsion: | Single shaft One Gardner 4-cyl diesel engine 42 hp (31.3 KW) @1800 rpm |
| Speed: | 6.5 knots (12.0 km/h) surfaced 5.5 knots (10.1 km/h) submerged |
| Range: | 500 nm (926 km) surfaced 82 nm (151.8 km) @2 knots submerged |
| Complement: | 4-5 |
| Armament: | Two x 4,400 lb detachable explosive charges |
| Diving depth: | 300 ft (91.5 m) |
Six XE-class midget submarines (HMS XE1 to XE6) were built for the Royal Navy during 1944. They were an improved version of the X Class midgets used in the attack on the Tirpitz.
They carried a crew of four, typically a lieutenant in command, with a sub-lieutenant as deputy, an engine room artificer in charge of the mechanical side and a seaman or leading-seaman. At least one of them was qualified as a diver.
In addition to the two side charges (each of which contained two tons of amatol explosive), they carried around six 20-pound limpet mines which were attached to the target by the diver.
They and their depot ship HMS Bonaventure arrived at Labuan in July 1945. Four of them managed to see action before the war ended.
Contents |
[edit] Operation Struggle
In August, 1945, HMS XE1 and XE3 executed a joint attack on Japanese cruisers within Singapore harbour. XE3 was tasked with mining the cruiser Takao. The approach along the Straits of Johor and through the various harbour defences took 11 hours plus a further 2 hours to locate the camouflaged target. Despite several opportunities for Japanese defenders to spot the vessel, XE3 successfully reached the Takao, fixed limpet mines and dropped its two, 2-ton side charges. The withdrawal was successfully made and XE3 safely contacted HMS Stygian, the escort submarine.
Meanwhile, XE1 had failed to find its target, the cruiser Myōkō. Instead, and knowing that the explosives already laid could explode, XE1's own charges were also laid under the Takao. XE1 escaped successfully.
The Takao was severely damaged and never sailed again. Lieutenant Ian Edward Fraser RNR, and Leading Seaman James Joseph Magennis were awarded the Victoria Cross (VC) for their part in the attack; whilst Sub-Lieutenant William James Lanyon Smith, RNZNVR, who was at the controls of XE3 during the attack, received the Distinguished Service Order (DSO); Engine Room Artificer Third Class Charles Alfred Reed, who was at the wheel, received the Conspicuous Gallantry Medal (CGM). HMS XE1 was supposed to be attacking another Japanese vessel as part of the same operation, but actually ended up also placing its explosives under the same target. XE1's C/O, Lieutenant John Elliott Smart RNVR received the DSO, and Sub-Lieutenant Harold Edwin Harper, RNVR received the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC); and ERA Fourth Class Henry James Fishleigh and Leading Seaman Walter Henry Arthur Pomeroy received the Distinguished Service Medal. ERA Fourth Class Albert Nairn, Acting Leading Stoker Jack Gordan Robinson, and Able Seaman Ernest Raymond Dee were Mentioned in Despatches for their part in bringing the two midget submarines from harbour to the point where the crews that took part in the attack took over.[1]
[edit] Operations Sabre and Foil
These were a pair of operations to cut undersea telephone cables connecting Singapore, Saigon, Hong Kong and Tokyo. The intention was to oblige the Japanese to use radio and make themselves open to message interception.
HMS XE4 performed Operation Sabre and successfully located and cut the cables from Saigon, while HMS XE5 also successfully cut cables close to Lamma Island, Hong Kong (Operation Foil).
[edit] List of XE-Craft
- First group
- XE1 — built by Vickers, used in Operation Struggle, scrapped 1945
- XE2 — built by Vickers, scrapped 1945
- XE3 — built by Vickers, used in Operation Struggle, scrapped 1945
- XE4 — built by Vickers, used in Operation Sabre, scrapped 1945
- XE5 — built by Vickers, used in Operation Foil, scrapped 1945
- XE6 — built by Vickers, scrapped 1945
- XE7 — built by Thomas Broadbent and Sons, scrapped 1952
- XE8 "Expunger"[2] — built by Broadbent, sunk as target 1952, recovered 1973 and preserved at Chatham Historic Dockyard, on loan from the IWM
- XE9 — built by Markham, scrapped 1952
- XE10 — built by Markham, cancelled incomplete 1945
- Second group
- XE11 — built by Marshall, collided with boom defence vessel in Loch Striven and lost 6 March 1945, salvaged
- XE12 — built by Marshall, cannibalised for spares 1952
- Third group
- with minor improvements, built 1954-5. See
- X51 Stickleback - to Swedish Navy as Spiggen
- X52 Shrimp
- X53 Sprat - to US Navy
- X54 Minnow
[edit] References
- ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 37346, pages 5529–5530, 9 November 1945. Retrieved on 2008-04-11.
- ^ WW2- page 1
- Submarines in Colour by Bill Gunston - Blandford Colour Series - Blandford - 1976 - ISBN 0-7137-0780-1
- Submarines - The History and Evolution of Underwater Fighting Vessels by Anthony Preston - Octopus Books - 1974 - ISBN 0-7064-0429-7
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