A7
| Built By: | Vickers (Barrow) |
| Build Group: | A2 |
| Fate: | 16/1/1914 - Sank in Whitsand Bay near Plymouth. Remains 135 feet down as a maritime grave |
A7 with experimental hydroplanes forward of the fin
A7 & A9 with depot ship
Commanders
- 1913: Lieutenant G S Welman
Third Flotilla, HMS Forth, Plymouth
A7 was fitted with experimental hydroplanes on her conning tower. The boats of the Holland and were fitted with one set of 'diving rudders' aft, as the operation of diving the boat was performed while she was stationary. As early submariners grew more experienced, they found that they could dive their craft while under way and that another set of 'diving rudders' was necessary. Conning tower hydroplanes were not a standard fitting in the
On 16/1/1914 A7 and four other submarines were undertaking dummy torpedo runs against gunboat HMS Pygmy and depot ship HMS Onyx. A7 dived to commence an attack and never resurfaced.
It took six days to locate A7 and three salvage attmpts were made to pull her clear of the mud. Her hull was damaged and further attempts were reluctantly abandoned. Nine crew members remain buried inside in wreck.
Roll of Honour |
11
|
| Died: 06-01-1914 | |||||
| Crowley, John Francis 210582 | |||||
| Petty Officer | Died: 06-01-1914 | Aged: 29 | |||
| Naval History has Crowley Joseph F P.O. 353096 | |||||
| Dyer, Ernest Frederick 239725 | |||||
| Able Seaman | Born: 26-06-1893 | Died: 06-01-1914 | Aged: 20 | ||
| RN DoB 26/06/1891 | |||||
| Harris, Frank Charles 234433 | |||||
| Able Seaman | Died: 06-01-1914 | Aged: 25 | |||
| Jewell, Frederick 238164 | |||||
| Able Seaman | Died: 06-01-1914 | Aged: 23 | |||
| Morrison, Robert Herman Grant | |||||
| Sub Lieutenant | Died: 06-01-1914 | Aged: 22 | |||
| Nagle, Robert William 270745 | |||||
| Engine Room Artificer 2nd Class | Died: 06-01-1914 | Aged: 34 | |||
| Northam, John 304857 | |||||
| Leading Stoker | Died: 06-01-1914 | Aged: 31 | |||
| Russell, Charles Edward James 233337 | |||||
| Able Seaman | Born: 16-06-1888 | Died: 06-01-1914 | Aged: 25 | ||
| RN DoB 16/06/1887 | |||||
| Venning, Richard 269321 | |||||
| Engine Room Artificer 1st Class | Born: 16-04-1867 | Died: 06-01-1914 | Aged: 46 | ||
| RN DoB 16/04/1870 | |||||
| Wagstaff, Lancelot D/K 13882 | |||||
| Leading Stoker | Born: 24-10-1888 | Died: 06-01-1914 | Aged: 25 | ||
| RN DoB 24/10/1889 | |||||
| Welman, Gilbert Molesworth | |||||
| Lieutenant | Died: 06-01-1914 | Aged: 25 | |||
| Commanding Officer | |||||
Events
| 01-09-1903 | Laid Down |
| 21-01-1905 | Launched |
| 13-04-1905 | Completed |
| 16-01-1914 | Whilst carrying out practice torpedo attacks against HM Ships Onyx and Pigmy, HMS A7 failed to surface having been seen to submerge by HMS Pigmy at 1110 The cause of her loss is not known and although her wreck was located on the 22nd of January bad weather prevented salvage. |
| 12-03-1914 | Burial held at sea. |
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