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1900s: The beginnings of the Submarine Service

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‘Overseas' Submarines

The D Class was the Royal Navy's first all-diesel powered submarine, replacing the more dangerous petrol engines of earlier submarines. The Admiralty took responsibility for the development of the design, with Approval to build the D Class given in 1906.

Photograph of HMS D1 at sea

HMS D1 at sea (RNSM)

The first D class boat, HMS D1, was developed in 1909 and was a great improvement on its predecessors. It had external ballast tanks that proved much safer than internal tanks as they contained water at a pressure much higher than that inside the hull, and these also took up less room inside the boat. There was also a switch to the newly invented diesel engine. Diesel was a less volatile fuel than petrol and its fumes were not as dangerous. Vickers diesel engines powered British submarines until after World War One. These were bulky but effective and reliable.

'HMS D2' painting by W L Wyllie

'HMS D2' by W L Wyllie (RNSM)

Captain Roger Keyes became the Inspecting Captain of Submarines in 1910. He removed the rule that required escorting ships to display a red flag when accompanying a submarine. Now when submarines were on manoeuvres they could perform as genuine warships and exploit their invisibility. Keyes also introduced changes allowing submarines to operate outside of ports and harbours, using them in exercises against the Grand Fleet at sea.

The D Class were intended for use as patrol submarines capable of travelling distances of over 2000 miles. They had the endurance to venture into the oceans and were the first British long range submarines.

A design for the vastly improved E Class followed, built between 1912 and 1916. They were intended as formidable fighting machines and capable of worldwide operations. In an attempt to obtain increased power, the E Class boats were fitted with larger engines, which then required a larger hull to accommodate them. The engines only offered a small improvement in performance, but the larger hull allowed an increase in fuel and weapons. The submarines' armament included five 18" torpedo tubes, as well as a deck gun.