Themes

Conflict and Change

• Introduction

• In Focus: 1900

• In Focus: World War One

  • Surface Fleet

  • Submarines

  • Royal Marines

  • Fleet Air Arm

• In Focus: Interwar

• In Focus: World War Two

• In Focus: Post War Conflict

• In Focus: Cold War Climate

• In Focus: Falklands and Beyond

• Special Exhibition: Falklands 25

Learning

• How To: Understand Propaganda

• Propaganda Image Galleries

• Education Project: Sea With Your Own Eyes

North Sea Campaign

• Introduction

• Heligoland Bight

• Sinking of the German battleship 'Hela'

• U Boat threat

Sinking of the German battleship ‘Hela'

The first successful British submarine action of World War One occurred when HMS E9, commanded by Lieutenant Commander Max Horton, sank the German battleship ‘SMS Hela' on 12th September 1914.

E9 was lying about six miles off the approaches to Heligoland. She surfaced to periscope depth at daybreak and saw the light cruiser ‘Hela', an elderly warship used as a yacht for the German Commander in Chief. E9 closed to 600 yards and fired two torpedoes, one of which hit amidships causing the cruiser to sink. Much of the German fleet was withdrawn from the North Sea to their home waters in the Baltic after this attack.

Horton went on to complete a unique double when he torpedoed and sank the German destroyer ‘S126' off the Ems on 6th October.

Related External Links

• Royal Navy Submarine Museum