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A 4

Built By: Vickers (Barrow)
Build Group: A1
Fate: Sold for breaking on 16th January 1920 to J.H. Lee of Bembridge, IOW.

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A4 off Spithead from an old postcard
A4 off Spithead from an old postcard
Commanders

1914-15: Harbour service, Portsmouth
1918: Training duty

On 16 October 1905 A4 was involved in a near fatal accident.

A dinghy was positioned some distance from the submarine, and from it a bell was struck underwater In order for those in A4 to show whether they could hear the bell, a ventilation shaft was left open and a boathook with a flag tied to it was poked up through the ventilator.

The experiment had been carried out at sea the previous day, but on the 16th the weather was much rougher so they stayed inside the breakwater. The same trim settings were used on the second day, but there was a much greater proportion of fresh water inside the breakwater. This meant that the water was less buoyant than on the first day, so quite simply the submarine sank.

A silver cigarette case was presented to my Commander Nasmith (then aged 22) by the whole of the rest of the crew in gratitude for his actions in then bringing A4 to the surface.

This experience allowed Commander Nasmith to recognise what was happening to E11 on the way up the Dardanelles, and also to discover that they could dive to 70 feet anywhere in the Marmara, and rest on the line between the fresh water and sea water with all engines turned off.

It meant that the whole crew could have an undisturbed night's sleep, with no battery usage.

Related Pages
Lieutenant Commander Martin Eric Nasmith

For most conspicuous bravery in command of one of His Majesty's Submarines (HMS E11) while operating in the Sea of Marmara.

Events

06-11-1902 Laid Down
09-06-1903 Launched
17-04-1904 Completed
16-10-1905 Whilst carrying out sound signal experiments at Spithead, HMS A4 was trimming down when water came through a ventilator being used to signal, with a flag on a boathook, the results of the sound tests.

The submarine went down to 90 feet with an inclination of 40 degrees by the bow. Due to the contact with seawater, chlorine gas started escaping from the batteries. The Captain ordered all ballast tanks blown and as soon as the submarine surfaced, the crew were ordered on deck.

An explosion occurred as the boat was being towed to the dock and she slowly sank. She was later salvaged and put back into service.
16-01-1920 Sold to J.H. Lee of Bembridge, IOW.
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