HMS L6

History
Name:	HMS L6
Builder:	William Beardmore and Company, Dalmuir
Laid down:	October 1916
Commissioned:	3 July 1918
Fate:	Sold for scrapping, January 1935
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-inch deck gun

HMS L6 was a L-class submarine built for the Royal Navy during World War I. The boat survived the war and was sold for scrap in 1935.

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 draft 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 (45 cm) 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] They were also armed with a 4-inch (102 mm) deck gun.^[5]

Construction and career

HMS L3 was laid down on 19 October 1916 by William Beardmore and Company at their Dalmuir shipyard, launched on 14 January 1918, and completed on 3 July 1918. She was based at Falmouth, Cornwall in 1918. HMS L6 was sold for scrap in January 1935 in Newport, Monmouthshire.

Notes

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. OCLC 67375475. 
• Gardiner, Robert & Gray, Randal, eds. (1984). 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)". Submariners Association: Barrow in Furness Branch. Retrieved 19 August 2015.