British G-class submarine

Class overview
G class submarine. Photo: R N Submarine Museum, Gosport.
Name:	G
Builders:	Chatham Dockyard, Armstrong Whitworth, Vickers, Scott's
Operators:	Royal Navy
Completed:	14
Cancelled:	1
Lost:	4
Retired:	10
General characteristics
Type:	submarine
Displacement:	Surfaced / Submerged: 703 tons / 837 tons
Length:	57.5 m (189 ft)
Beam:	6.92 m (22.7 ft)
Draught:	4.15 m (13.6 ft)
Propulsion:	Twin-shaft, 2 × 800 bhp Vickers diesel, 2 × 840 shp electric motors
Speed:	Surfaced / Submerged: 14.5 knots (27 km/h) / 10.0 knots (19 km/h).
Range:	44.14 tons of fuel oil giving 3,160 nm surfaced at 10 knots (19 km/h). 95 nm submerged, at 3 knots (6 km/h).
Complement:	31
Armament:	Torpedoes: 2 × 18" bow tubes, 2 × 18" beam tubes, 1 × 21" stern tube. 10 torpedoes in total. Guns: 1 × 3 inch 10 cwt. Mk.1 Elswick Quick Fire High Angle {QFHA}, forward. 1 × 12-pounder. 8 cwt. Mk. 1 gun HA mounting, aft.

The Royal Navy's G-class of diesel/electric submarines were launched between 1914 and 1917, and intended for operations in the North Sea and German Bight in World War I against German U-boats. The design was based on the E-class, adopting the double hull concept, but in practice showed little improvement, the ships notoriously slow to dive.^[1]^[2]

A total of 14 boats were built at four yards: G1 to G5 by Chatham Dockyard, G6 & G7 by Armstrong Whitworth, G8 to G13 by Vickers, and G14 by Scott's on the Clyde. G15 was ordered from Samuel White's yard at Cowes, Isle of Wight, but cancelled.^[3] The class was distinguished by the 21-inch stern torpedo tube, an electric oven in the galley, and Fessenden Underwater Sound Telegraphy. The G-class had their bows raised during the war to increase buoyancy and improve seakeeping.

Boats

Fourteen of fifteen vessels ordered were completed:

G1 - Launched 14 August 1915. Sold for scrap 1920.
G2 - Launched 23 December 1915. Sank U-78 in the Skagerrak, 28 October 1918. Sold for scrap 1920.
G3 - Launched 22 January 1916. Sold for scrap 1920.
G4 - Launched 23 October 1915. Sold 1928.
G5 - Launched 23 November 1915. Sold 1922.
G6 - Launched 7 December 1915. Sold 1921.
G7 - Launched 14 March 1916. Last British submarine lost in World War I, on or about 23 October 1918, cause unknown.
G8 - Launched 1 May 1916. Lost in the North Sea for reasons unknown on or about 14 January 1918.
G9 - Launched 15 June 1916. Sunk in error by HMS Pasley on 16 September 1917. One survivor.
G10 - Launched 11 January 1916. Sold 1923.
G11 - Launched 22 February 1916. Wrecked on rocks off Howick, Northumberland, in thick fog, 22 November 1918. Two crew drowned while abandoning ship.
G12 - Launched 24 March 1916. Sold 1920.
G13 - Launched 18 July 1916. Sank UC-43 off Muckle Flugga, 10 March 1917. Sold 1923.
G14 - Launched 17 May 1917. Sold 1923.
G15 - Ordered 30 September 1914, cancelled 20 April 1915

References

↑ Arthur, M. (1997). Lost voices of the Royal Navy, pp. 84. Hodder & Stoughton Ltd, London. ISBN 0-340-83814-0
↑ Yorkshire-divers.com
↑ www.rnsubmus.co.uk

External links

Media related to British G class submarines at Wikimedia Commons

British G-class submarine

G1 G2 G3 G4 G5 G6 G7 G8 G9 G10 G11 G12 G13 G14

List of submarines of the Royal Navy List of submarine classes of the Royal Navy

British naval ship classes of the First World War

Aircraft/Seaplane carriers	Anne^S^V Argus^S^V Ark Royal^S Ben-my-Chree^S^V Campania^S^V Empress^S^V Engadine^S^V Furious^M Manxman^S^V Nairana^S^V Pegasus^S^V Raven II^S^V Riviera^S^V Vindex^S^V Vindictive^S^V

Dreadnought battleships	Dreadnought^S Bellerophon St Vincent Neptune^S Colossus Orion King George V Erin^S Agincourt^S Iron Duke Canada^S Queen Elizabeth Revenge

Pre-dreadnought battleships	Royal Sovereign Majestic Canopus Formidable Duncan King Edward VII Swiftsure Lord Nelson

Battlecruisers	Invincible Indefatigable Lion Queen Mary^S Tiger^S Renown Courageous Admiral^S^C Incomparable^X

Armoured cruisers	Cressy Drake Monmouth Devonshire Duke of Edinburgh Warrior Minotaur

Heavy cruisers	Hawkins

Light cruisers	Town^G Arethusa C^{G, C} Danae^C Emerald^A

Protected cruisers	Apollo Astraea Eclipse Blake Pearl Edgar Powerful Diadem Arrogant Pelorus Highflyer Challenger Topaze

Scout cruisers	Adventure Forward Pathfinder Sentinel Boadicea Blonde Active

Destroyer flotilla leaders	Swift^S Faulknor Marksman Parker Admiralty (or Scott)^C Thornycroft (or Shakespeare)^C

Destroyers	A^G B^G C^G D^G E^G F Cricket^G G H I K L Admiralty M Hawthorn M Thornycroft M Yarrow M Yarrow Later M R^G S^{G, C} Talisman V and W^{G, C}

Monitors	Marshal Ney Abercrombie Lord Clive Humber Gorgon M15 M29 Erebus

Minesweepers	Flower Racecourse Hunt 24^C

Gunboats	Fly Insect

Submarines	A B C D E F G H^C J K L^C M^C R^C Swordfish^S V

A All completed after the war C One or more completed after the war G Grouping of several classes M converted from Courageous class S Single ship of class V Conversions X Cancelled