Themes

Conflict and Change

• Introduction

• In Focus: 1900

• In Focus: World War One

• In Focus: Interwar

  • Surface Fleet

  • Submarines

  • Royal Marines

  • Fleet Air Arm

• 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

Submarine disasters

Article Highlights

• Introduction

• HMS M1

• HMS M2

• HMS Thetis

HMS M1

HMS M1 took part in an exercise in the English Channel on 12th November 1925, intended to simulate the passage of a troop convoy with minesweepers representing destroyers. M1 dived during the exercise and then disappeared.

The disappearance remained a mystery until the captain of the Swedish boat ‘SS Vidar' read the report of the missing boat on arrival in Germany. The captain had watched the exercise taking place during his passage when he suddenly heard a noise and felt the boat shake. He presumed it had been caused by an explosive being used as part of the exercise and, after checking that his boat was undamaged, continued on his way. However, as soon as he read the report, the captain reported the incident on 19th November but despite a month long search by divers and survey ships, M1 was never located.

A group of divers finally located the missing submarine about 55 miles off the south east coast of Plymouth on 18th June 1999.

Related External Links

• Royal Navy Submarine Museum