Top
Home → Boats → Submarines → M Class → M3

M 3

Built By: Armstrong Whitworth (Tyne)
Build Group: M
Fate: Sold for scrapping in February 1932.

Upload An Image Of This Boat

Commanders
1919: Lieutenant Commander   Hugh Richard Marrack DSC
1923: Lieutenant Commander   Colin Mayers
1924: Lieutenant   James Feltham
1927: Lieutenant Commander   Ian Agnew Patteson Macintyre
1943: Acting Lieutenant   Leslie Arthur Martin

Started life as K20.

15th October 1926: Reserve.
1927-1928: Reconstuction at HM Dockyard, Chatham.
June-October 1928: Trials.
8th October 1928: Reserve.
1928-1930: Reserve-Portsmouth - Trials.
1930-1932: Reserve-Portsmouth.

In 1927 M2 and M3 had their large 12-inch guns removed in the late 1920s to conform with the Washington Disarmament Treaty, which stated that no submarine should have larger than 8-inch calibre guns.

M3 was converted to an experimental minelayer, stowing her 100 mines on rails inside a large free-flooding casing outside the hull. The mines were laid over her stern by means of a chain-conveyor belt. M3 was finally taken out of service in April 1932, and scrapped in 1933.

Events

 04-12-1916   Laid Down
 19-10-1918   Launched
 09-07-1920   Completed

Unofficial
M Specification
Length overall  295 ft 9 inch
Beam  24 ft 8 inch
Depth  18 ft 8 inch
Displacement  1594 tons (surface)
  1946 tons (submerged)
Diving Depth  200 ft
Speed  Surface 16 knots (design) 10 (service)
  Submerged 10 (design) 8 to 9 knots (service)
No. of shafts  2
Propeller  3 blades, 5 ft 10 inch diameter
Armament  (i) 4 x 18 inch bow tubes (8 torpedoes carried)
  1 x 12 inch gun
  1 x 3 inch gun
Endurance  Surface: 2500 miles at 16 knots (design) 2000 miles at full power or 4500 miles max (service) / Submerged: 10 miles at 10 knots (design) 9 miles at 8+ knots (service)
Complement  6 Officers and 62 Ratings
Note  (i) In M3 these were replaced by four 21 inch bow tubes, which were responsible for an overall increase in length of 10 ft
Further Reading
BUY
M-class Submarines
M-class Submarines

Martin H. Brice

Add A Comment (click to open)

This form is for you to comment on, or add additional information to this page. Any questions will be deleted. If you wish to ask a question contact the Branch or the Webmaster using the Contact Us page or ask your question on our Facebook Page

Name E-Mail
Your email will not be shown, but is required
Anti Spam: Type the following code exactly as shown into the box below.

ajRQ    
Note: All submissions are subject to approval prior to appearing on the page. As a SPAM prevention measure, any comments containing links to other sites will be automatically discarded.

Featured Badge

Unity (N 66)

Class: 1936 - 1958: U Class
Built By: Vickers (Barrow)
Build Group: U1
Fate:
Sank after collision with the Norwegian Atle Jarl off the River Tyne entrance 29th April 1940.

Lt. Low along with three ratings remained below shutting bulkhead doors while the remainder of the crew reached safety.

Lt. Low was posthumously awarded the George Cross.

All four who remained behind were lost.
Featured Film
HMS Splendid
David Suchet narrates the BBC series featuring the Royal Navy's Hunter-Killer submarine, HMS Splendid, on a top secret three-month mission.

After travelling from its Farlane base to San Diego, the sub is charged with testing the first Tomahawk cruise missile, and the crew is followed every step of the way.

Also included is a feature on the sub's new Lieutenant Commander as he undergoes the 'Perisher' selection course.
Buy from Amazon
Latest Updated Pages
Branch Events
Updated: February 10, 2026
Branch Rules and Minutes
Updated: February 10, 2026
Branch Newsletter
Updated: February 8, 2026
Branch Noticeboard
Updated: February 8, 2026
Branch Rollcall
Updated: February 3, 2026
About Me
Updated: January 31, 2026
Commodore David Charles Langbridge MSC CEng FIME
Updated: January 31, 2026
Lieutenant Commander (WESM) Clive Waghorn
Updated: January 31, 2026
Welcome
Updated: January 31, 2026
Clyde Shipbuilding and Engineering
Updated: January 28, 2026
In Depth Newsletter
Updated: January 19, 2026

11 pages added or updated in the last 1 month

Errors and Corrections

Please help to maintain this site by reporting any Errors, Broken Links, Information or Site Issues on this page using this button

Report An Error

Buy Me A Coffee

If you find this site useful, please consider supporting my work with a small Donation. Or you can make a big one if you like :)

Click to Donate

Please Note: Donations made using this option go directly to the site owner and not to the Submariners Association.

Thankyou for your support.