| Built By: | John Brown and Co (Cylde) |
| Build Group: | E3 |
| Fate: | Submarine E50 was lost in the North Sea on, or about 1/2/1918. The Submarine is believed to have struck a mine near the South Dogger Light Vessel. |
| 1917: | Lieutenant Commander | Kenneth Michell | |
| 1918: | Lieutenant | Ralph Edgar Snook |
Submarine E50 was a Group 2 E Class Submarine which was ordered in November 1914 as part of the Emergency War Order. The Submarine was ordered from the Clydeside Yard of Messrs. John Brown and Company in Glasgow. Submarine E50 was 'Laid Down' on 15th Mar 1915 and was 'Launched' on 14th Nov 1916. The long period between being 'Laid Down' and 'Launch' was partly the result of the Yard never having built Submarines previously and the high volume of Surface Warship work the Yard was contracted to complete. Submarine E50 was 'Completed' and 'Commissioned' on 23rd Jan 1917.
Roll of Honour |
31
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| Bigsby, Thomas James |
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| Leading Seaman | ||||||
| Leading Seaman Thomas Bigsby was born in 1891 and he was the son of Charles Henry and Annie Bella Bigsby of 16, Bell Lane, Hendon, London. Thomas Bigsby was the husband of Mary W Bigsby later of 2538, Greenmount Avenue, Baltimore, Maryland, USA. |
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| Brett, Frederick |
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| Stoker Petty Officer | ||||||
| RN DoB 30/04/1886 | ||||||
| Frank Brett was the husband of Agnes Annie Brett of 20, South Park Parade, Seven Kings, Ilford, Essex. | ||||||
| Brown, Archibald Evelyn DSM |
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| Petty Officer | ||||||
| RN DoB 25/09/1887 | ||||||
| Caudeville, Thomas Batiste |
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| Stoker 1st Class | ||||||
| Thomas Caudeville was the son of Thomas Phillipe Caudeville and Emma Milliere, his wife, of 5, Hauteville, St Peter Port, Guernsey. | ||||||
| Curd, William Fairhall |
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| Stoker 1st Class | ||||||
| Cutting, Austin Wilfred |
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| Able Seaman | ||||||
| Austin Cutting was the son of the late James George and Bessie Cutting. | ||||||
| Dunn, Archibald Freebairn |
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| Engine Room Artificer 4th Class | ||||||
| Archibald Dunn was the son of Mary Freebairn Robb (formerly Dunn) of 7, Gordon Street, Whiteinch, Glasgow and the late John Dunn. | ||||||
| Elliott, George Walter (RNR) |
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| Lieutenant | ||||||
| He was appointed as a Probationary Midshipman, RNR on 20th Jan 1913. He joined the Royal Navy 'for Training' in the 15,000 ton Battleship HMS Bulwark (Captain Guy L Sclater, Royal Navy) on 4th Jul 1914. In December 1914 Midshipman George Elliott (Seniority backdated to 18th Jan 1913) was serving in the Armed Merchant Cruiser HMS Alsatian (Captain Valentine E B Phillimore, DSO, Royal Navy) to which he had been appointed on 7th Aug 1914. He was promoted Acting Sub Lieutenant, RNR (Seniority backdated to 18th Oct 1915) on 14th Feb 1916, to Sub Lieutenant, RNR (Seniority backdated to 2nd Apr 1916) on 3rd May 1916 and to Acting Lieutenant on 11th Aug 1916. He was, subsequently 'loaned' to the Patuca (26th Oct 1916), the Orcoma (7th Dec 1916) and to the Orvieto (10th Dec 1916) before returning to Alsatian some time in 1917. George Elliott was appointed to the Submarine Depot Ship HMS Maidstone (9th Submarine Flotilla) at Harwich 'for Submarine E50 as Navigating Officer' on 29th Dec 1917 (Nominal List dated 1st Dec 1917). George Elliott was the son of William George and Caroline Mary Elliott |
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| Emery, Stanley |
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| Stoker 1st Class | ||||||
| Gent, Cecil |
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| Stoker 1st Class | ||||||
| Gibson, John Raymond |
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| Able Seaman | ||||||
| John Gibson was the son of Mr J P and Mrs R Gibson, later of 23, Theatre Street, Norwich, Norfolk. | ||||||
| Gill, Albert |
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| Leading Stoker | ||||||
| Albert Gill was the husband of Beatrice Gill of 13, Chelford Street, High Street, Chorlton-on-Medlock, Manchester. | ||||||
| Haines, Frederick Charles |
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| Able Seaman | ||||||
| Frederick Haines was the son of Mr. C S and Mrs. Fanny M Haines of Chapel Lane, Binfield Heath, Henley on Thames, Oxfordshire. | ||||||
| Hards, William Walter Jordan |
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| Leading Stoker | ||||||
| William Hards was the son of Mrs M A King (formerly Hards) of 38, Garibaldi Road, Redhill, Surrey. William Hards was the husband of Florence Mary Chenery (formerly Hards) of 2, Queen's Yard Cottages, High Street, Dovercourt Bay, Essex. |
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| Hill, Farrar |
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| Able Seaman | ||||||
| Farrar Hill was the son of Farrar and Rachel Ann Hill of 2, Broom Street, Scothill, Batley, Yorkshire. | ||||||
| Holtham, Frank St Clair |
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| Leading Seaman | ||||||
| Frank Holtham was born in 1889 and he was the son of Mrs Mary Ann Holtham of 20, Keynsham Street, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. | ||||||
| Hounsome, Norman George |
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| Able Seaman | ||||||
| Norman Hounsome was the son of Charles Hounsome of Calmere Road, Totton, Hampshire. Norman Hounsome was the husband of the late Annie Hounsome of Calmere Road, Totton, Hampshire. |
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| Hutchinson, John William |
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| Leading Stoker | ||||||
| John Hutchinson was the son of John Matthew Ardington, Hutchinson of 9, Eastgate South, Driffield, Yorkshire. | ||||||
| Jewell, Alfred Henry |
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| Petty Officer | ||||||
| Alfred Jewell was the husband of Mabel Dora Jewell of 31, Hillmarten Road, Camden Town, London. | ||||||
| Lee, Arthur Swinnerton (RNR) |
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| Engine Room Artificer | ||||||
| Arthur Lee was born in 1892 and he was the son of Frederick and Alice Lee of 110, Clowes Street, West Gorton, Manchester. | ||||||
| Meek, Walter Henry |
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| Chief Engine Room Artificer 2nd Class | ||||||
| Walter Meek was born in 1891 and he was the son of Shipwright Lieutenant Frank Meek, RN (Retired) of Plymouth. Walter Meek was the husband of Alice Maud Meek of 127, Beaumont Road, Plymouth, Devon. |
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| Metcalfe, William Burton |
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| Lieutenant | ||||||
| William Metcalfe joined the Royal Navy as a Cadet. He was promoted to Midshipman on 15th Sep 1912 and to Sub Lieutenant on 15th Sep 1914. In December 1914 William Metcalfe was serving in the 23,000 ton Battleship HMS King George V (Captain George H Baird, Royal Navy). He had been appointed to that Ship on 7th Mar 1913. His Submarine career began in 1916 when he was appointed to HMS Dolphin 'for Submarine Training' (Nominal List dated 1st July 1916). A month later he was appointed to the Submarine Depot Ship HMS Maidstone (9th Submarine Flotilla) at Harwich 'for Submarine duties'. He was promoted to Lieutenant. The Nominal List of 1st Sep 1916 reports an appointment to the Submarine Depot Ship HMS Vulcan (3rd Submarine Flotilla) at Immingham 'for Submarine D8 as First Lieutenant'. In April 1917 Submarine D8 was transferred to the Submarine Depot Ship HMS Platypus. His appointment to the Submarine Depot Ship HMS Maidstone (9th Submarine Flotilla) at Harwich 'for Submarine E50 as First Lieutenant' was reported in the Nominal List of 1st Dec 1917. William Metcalfe was the son of Mr and Mrs C Percival Metcalfe. |
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| Miller, Albert Joseph |
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| Leading Telegraphist | ||||||
| Albert Miller was the son of Albert and Lillian Miller, later of of Bromley, Hants. He was the husband of Ethel Maud Palmer (formerly Miller) of 54, The Hundred, Romsey, Hampshire. |
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| Mulhall, John Joseph |
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| Signalman | ||||||
| John Mulhall was the son of Patrick and Catherine Mulhall of 11, Sutton Terrace, Sutton, County Dublin. | ||||||
| Pover, Joseph |
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| Telegraphist | ||||||
| Joseph Pover was the son of Joseph and Alice Pover of 36, Market Street, Maple, Cheshire. | ||||||
| Roberts, Jonathan Thomas |
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| Petty Officer | ||||||
| Jonathan Roberts was the son of William Thomas and Bessie Roberts of Lower Compton, Plymouth, Devon. He was serving in the Submarine Depot Ship HMS Alecto (7th Submarine Flotilla) at Dundee in 1912 'as Submarine Spare Crew' and was employed in the 'working party and for the whalers crew'. He was advanced to Leading Seaman and to Petty Office. Jonathan Roberts was the husband of Lily Roberts of 2, St Mawes Terrace, Keyham Ford, Plymouth, Devon |
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| Rogers, Wilford Ira |
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| Stoker 1st Class | ||||||
| Wilford Rogers was the son of Henry and Emily J Rogers of 5, Woodville Road, Cwm, Newport, Monmouthshire. | ||||||
| Snook, Ralph Edgar |
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| Lieutenant | ||||||
| Commanding Officer | ||||||
| Ralph Snook joined the Royal Navy as a Cadet at the RN College, Osborne on 15th Sep 1903. He was promoted to Midshipman on 15th May 1908 and, on the same date he was appointed to the Armoured Cruiser HMS Bacchante. An appointment to the Armoured Cruiser HMS Aboukir followed on 6th Nov 1909 and promotion to Sub Lieutenant followed on 15th Jul 1911. Sub Lieutenant Ralph Snook was appointed to HMS Dolphin 'for Submarine Training' on 1st May 1913 and was appointed to the Submarine Depot Ship HMS Thames 'for Submarine C2' in June 1913. He was promoted Lieutenant on 15th July 1913 then appointed to the Submarine Depot Ship HMS Bonaventure 'for Submarines' on 25th Aug 1913. His next appointment (recorded on the Nominal List dated 8th April 1915) was to HMS Dolphin 'for Submarine V1 as First Lieutenant' to date 6th Apr 1915. His appointment was changed on 24th May 1915 to the Submarine Depot Ship HMS Maidstone (8th Submarine Flotilla) at Harwich 'for Submarine V4 as First Lieutenant'. Five months later the Nominal List for 7th October 1915 notes that he had been appointed to HMS Maidstone 'for Submarine E4 as First Lieutenant' to date 22nd Sep 1915. The first command for Ralph Snook is recorded in the Nominal list for 1st April 1916 when he was appointed to the Submarine Depot Ship HMS Forth'); attached to the 9th Submarine Flotilla) at Harwich 'for Submarine C21 in Command' to date 1st Apr 1916. Submarine C21 was transferred to the Submarine Depot Ship HMS Arrogant at Dover as shown in the Nominal List for 1st July 1916. His next Command came on 5th Dec 1916 (Nominal List dated 1st Jan 1917) when he was appointed to HMS Dolphin 'for Submarine C20 in Command'. His appointment to the Submarine Depot Ship HMS Maidstone 'for Submarine E50 in Command' to date 17th Jul 1917 was reported in the Nominal List of 1st August 1917. Ralph Snook was the son of the late F W Snook and Mrs Snook. His wife was Constance Marjorie Percy Smith whom he married on 17th Apr 1917. |
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| Tordoff, Norman (RNR) |
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| Engine Room Artificer | ||||||
| Norman Tordoff was born in 1890 and he was the son of John and Lena who lived in Halifax in the West Riding of Yorkshire. It I understood that his father was a mechanic who worked a gas engine in a worsted mill. Norman Tordoff married Florence (nee Brown) in 1914 and they had two children, Jack born in 1915 and Norman, born in 1917. |
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| White, Herbert |
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| Stoker 1st Class | ||||||
| Herbert White was the son of Albert and Mary Ann White of Ride End, Finchampstead, Berkshire. | ||||||
| Young, William Farquhar |
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| Able Seaman | ||||||
| William Young was the husband of Edith Young of 61, Butler Street, Oldham Road, Manchester. | ||||||
| 01-03-1915 | Laid Down |
| 13-11-1916 | Launched |
| 23-01-1917 | Completed |
| 01-02-1918 | Mined and sunk in the North sea |
He was a trailblazer for what would become known as the American Century: Isaac Rice was a law professor, magazine publisher, industrial entrepreneur and a hell of a salesman and exactly 100 years ago he sailed to England and pulled off another big deal. He sold the Royal Navy its first submarine.
The 'X' stood for experimental, but it might equally have meant extraordinary, exotic or extravagant, as this giant submarine attracted superlatives. Built in the early 1920s, it was the world's largest, most heavily armed, and deepest diving submersible of the day. A controversial project conceived behind the backs of politicians, X.1 would remain an unwanted stepchild. As British diplomats attempted to outlaw the use of submarines as commerce raiders, the Admiralty was building the world's most powerful corsair submarine, designed to destroy entire convoys of merchant ships.
This book explores the historical background of submarine cruisers, the personalities involved in X.1's design and service, the spy drama surrounding her launch, the treason trial of a Royal Navy submarine commander, the ship's checkered career, and her political demise. Despite technical successes, the X.1 became the target of a misinformation campaign aimed at persuading foreign naval powers that the cruiser submarine did not work. While the myth of her failure persists even today, it was ignored by other navies, who went on building submarine cruisers of their own. The book analyses the submarine cruisers built by the US, French, and Japanese navies, as well as the projected German copy of X.1, the Type XI U-Boat.
13 pages added or updated in the last 2 month
Please help to maintain this site by reporting any Errors, Broken Links, Information or Site Issues on this page using this button
If you find this site useful, please consider supporting my work with a small Donation.
Please Note: Donations made using this option go directly to the site owner and not to the Submariners Association.
Thankyou for your support.
He was a trailblazer for what would become known as the American Century: Isaac Rice was a law professor, magazine publisher, industrial entrepreneur and a hell of a salesman and exactly 100 years ago he sailed to England and pulled off another big deal. He sold the Royal Navy its first submarine.
The 'X' stood for experimental, but it might equally have meant extraordinary, exotic or extravagant, as this giant submarine attracted superlatives. Built in the early 1920s, it was the world's largest, most heavily armed, and deepest diving submersible of the day. A controversial project conceived behind the backs of politicians, X.1 would remain an unwanted stepchild. As British diplomats attempted to outlaw the use of submarines as commerce raiders, the Admiralty was building the world's most powerful corsair submarine, designed to destroy entire convoys of merchant ships.
This book explores the historical background of submarine cruisers, the personalities involved in X.1's design and service, the spy drama surrounding her launch, the treason trial of a Royal Navy submarine commander, the ship's checkered career, and her political demise. Despite technical successes, the X.1 became the target of a misinformation campaign aimed at persuading foreign naval powers that the cruiser submarine did not work. While the myth of her failure persists even today, it was ignored by other navies, who went on building submarine cruisers of their own. The book analyses the submarine cruisers built by the US, French, and Japanese navies, as well as the projected German copy of X.1, the Type XI U-Boat.
13 pages added or updated in the last 2 month
Please help to maintain this site by reporting any Errors, Broken Links, Information or Site Issues on this page using this button
If you find this site useful, please consider supporting my work with a small Donation.
Please Note: Donations made using this option go directly to the site owner and not to the Submariners Association.
Thankyou for your support.
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