British E-class submarine

Class overview
Builders
Operators
Preceded byD class
Succeeded byL class
Completed58
Preserved0 (The conning towers of HMS E17, E50 and E24 are preserved at three separate locations.)
General characteristics
TypeSubmarine
Displacement
  • Group 1:
    • Surfaced: 665 tons
    • Submerged: 796 tons
  • Group 2:
    • Surfaced: 667 tons
    • Submerged: 807 tons
  • Group 3:
    • Surfaced: 662 tons
    • Submerged: 807 tons
  • Australian boats:
    • Surfaced: 664 tons
    • Submerged: 780 tons
Length
  • Group 1: 178 ft (54 m)
  • Group 2+3: 181 ft (55 m)
  • Australian boats: 176 ft (54 m)
BeamAll groups: 15.05 ft (4.59 m)
Propulsion
  • Group 1 + Australian boats:
    • 2 × 800 hp (600 kW) Vickers diesel
    • 2 × 600 hp (450 kW) electric
    • 2 screws
  • Group 2+3:
    • 2 × 800 hp Vickers diesel
    • 2 × 840 hp (630 kW) electric
    • 2 screws
Speed
  • Group 1:
    • Surfaced: 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph)
    • Submerged: 9.5 knots (17.6 km/h; 10.9 mph)
  • Group 2:
    • Surfaced: 15.25 knots (28.24 km/h; 17.55 mph)
    • Submerged: 10.25 knots (18.98 km/h; 11.80 mph)
  • Group 3 and Australian boats:
    • Surfaced: 15 knots
    • Submerged: 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph)
Range
  • All groups:
    • Surfaced: 3,000 nmi (5,600 km; 3,500 mi) at 10 knots
    • Submerged: 65 nmi (120 km; 75 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph)
ComplementAll groups: 30
Armament
Model of an E-class submarine
Interior of an E-class submarine, possibly E34
12-pounder gun of an E-class submarine

The British E-class submarines started out as improved versions of the British D-class submarine. The E class served with the Royal Navy throughout World War I as the backbone of the submarine fleet. The last surviving E class submarines were withdrawn from service by 1922.

All of the first group and some of the second group of the class were completed before the outbreak of World War I. The group 1 boats cost £101,900 per hull. As submarine technology improved, the E class went through several design modifications. The group 2 boats cost £105,700 per hull. The group 3 boats, the last group, incorporated all improvements.

The class primarily served in the North Sea and the Baltic, while some served with Russian ships in Russian coastal waters before their crews scuttled the submarines to avoid them falling into the hands of the Germans after the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk ended fighting between Germany and Russia. Additionally, some of the submarines operated against the Turks.

The British L-class submarine eventually replaced the E class.