HMS A1

HMS A1 was the Royal Navy's first British-designed submarine, and their first to suffer fatal casualties.

For the WWII A class submarines, see Amphion-class submarine. For U.S. Navy ships with a similar name, see USS A-1.

HMS A1
History
United Kingdom
NameHMS A1
BuilderVickers, Barrow-in-Furness
Laid down19 February 1902
Launched9 July 1902
Completed27 July 1903
FateLost, 1911
General characteristics
Class and typeA-class submarine
TypeSubmarine
Displacement
  • 190 long tons (193 t) (surfaced)
  • 207 long tons (210 t) (submerged)
Length103.25 ft (31.47 m)
Beam11.9 ft (3.6 m)
Installed power
  • 450 hp (340 kW) (petrol engine)
  • 87 hp (65 kW) (electric motor)
Propulsion
  • 1 × 16-cylinder Wolseley petrol engine
  • 1 × electric motor
  • 1 × shaft
Speed
  • 11.5 kn (13.2 mph; 21.3 km/h) (surfaced)
  • 7 kn (8.1 mph; 13 km/h) (submerged)
Range
  • 500 nmi (580 mi; 930 km) at 11.5 kn (13.2 mph; 21.3 km/h) (surfaced)
  • 20 nmi (23 mi; 37 km) at 5 kn (5.8 mph; 9.3 km/h) (submerged)
Complement11 (2 officers and 9 ratings)
Armament2 × 18 in (450 mm) torpedo tubes (bow, four torpedoes)

She was the lead ship of the first British A-class submarines and the only one to have a single bow torpedo tube. She was actually sunk twice: first in 1904 when she became the first submarine casualty, with the loss of all hands; however, she was recovered, but sank again in 1911, this time when she was unmanned. The wreck was discovered in 1989 and was designated under the Protection of Wrecks Act in 1998. The wreck is a Protected Wreck managed by Historic England.

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