HSwMS Hvalen
 | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 Sweden
| |
| Name: | Hvalen |
| Builder: | Fiat-San Giorgio, La Spezia Italy[1] |
| Launched: | 16 February 1909[1] |
| Commissioned: | 1909 |
| Decommissioned: | 1919 |
| General characteristics [1] | |
| Class & type: | Foca Class |
| Displacement: |
|
| Length: | 42.4 m (139 ft 1 in) |
| Beam: | 4.3 m (14 ft 1 in) |
| Draught: | 2.7 m (8 ft 10 in) |
| Propulsion: |
|
| Speed: |
|
| Test depth: | 30 m |
| Complement: | 17 |
| Armament: | 2 x 45.7 cm torpedo tubes |
HSwMS Hvalen was a submarine of the Swedish Navy. Constructed in Italy, the submarine sailed the entire way to Sweden for its commissioning unaccompanied.[1] In October 1915 it became involved in a diplomatic incident between neutral Sweden, and Germany, which was then engaged in fighting Britain in the First World War. Following a series of sinkings of German cargo ships and naval vessels in the Baltic sea by British submarines entering the Baltic through the (Swedish-controlled) Oresund straits, a German warship opened fire on the Hvalen killing a crew-member. According to the captain of the Hvalen, she was flying the Swedish naval flag and in Swedish home waters at the time she was fired on. [2] Compensation was later paid to the widow of the crew-member and an apology was issued.[3]
References
- 1 2 3 4 Gardiner and Gray 1985, p. 361.
- ↑ "SWEDISH SUBMARINE SHELLED IN HOME WATERS; Hvalen Flying Own Flag and Weather Clear When Germans Fired, Says Captain.". The New York Times. 22 October 1915. Retrieved 7 May 2014.
- ↑ Aselius, Gunnar. The Danish Straits and German Naval Power, 1905-1918. Militargeschichtliches Forschungsampt. p. 134.
- Gardiner, Robert; Gray, Randal, eds. (1986). Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-245-5.