HMS E31

Career
Name: HMS E31
Builder: Scotts, Greenock
Laid down: December 1914
Commissioned: 8 January 1916
Fate: Sold, 6 September 1922
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) surfaced
Complement:30
Armament:• 5 × 18 in (457 mm) torpedo tubes (2 bow, 2 beam, 1 stern)
• 1 × 12-pounder gun

HMS E31 was a British E class submarine built by Scotts, Greenock. She was laid down in December 1914 and was commissioned on 8 January 1916.

Service history

HMS E31 was involved in a curious incident when she was operating with the sea plane carrier Engadine in the North Sea in an air raid on the Zeppelin sheds at Tondern on 4 May 1916. HMS E31 surfaced and spotted Zeppelin L 7. She dived to avoid attack. While at periscope depth, it was observed that the Zeppelin was losing altitude as it had been hit by shells from the light cruisers Galatea and Phaeton. HMS E31 surfaced to shoot the Zeppelin down and rescued seven survivors.

HMS E31 was sold on 6 September 1922.

References