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Home → Boats → Submarines → H Class → H42

H 42

Built By: Armstrong Whitworth (Tyne)
Build Group: H21
Fate: Sunk in Collision with HMS Versatile off Gibraltar 23rd March 1922

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Roll of Honour
26
Anderson, Herbert Charles
K 24252
Born: 2nd Jul, 1890.
Died: 23rd Mar, 1922.
Aged: 31
Leading Stoker
RN DoB 02/07/1891
Barnard, George Lawrence
K 29260
Died: 23rd Mar, 1922.
Aged: 27
Stoker 1st Class
Blackwell, Arthur William
272345
Died: 23rd Mar, 1922.
Aged: 38
Chief Engine Room Artificer
Cant, Athol Hazel
J 34995
Born: 20th Jul, 1897.
Died: 23rd Mar, 1922.
Aged: 24
Leading Telegraphist
RN DoB 20/07/1898
Dale, Samuel George
J 98338
Died: 23rd Mar, 1922.
Aged: 17
Boy 1st Class
Davis, Montague Edward
J 85592
Died: 23rd Mar, 1922.
Aged: 19
Leading Telegraphist
Fookes, Charles William
K 21909
Born: 24th Mar, 1895.
Died: 23rd Mar, 1922.
Aged: 26
Stoker 1st Class
RN DoB 19/11/1895
Fowler, Richard
M 4712
Died: 23rd Mar, 1922.
Aged: 30
Engine Room Artificer 2nd Class
Gamblen, Cyril
J 15398
Died: 23rd Mar, 1922.
Aged: 25
Leading Seaman
Hansford, James George
308223
Born: 14th May, 1884.
Died: 23rd Mar, 1922.
Aged: 37
Stoker Petty Officer
RN DoB 14/05/1886
Harris, Walter George
K 18681
Died: 23rd Mar, 1922.
Aged: 27
Stoker 1st Class
Harvey, Edward James
J 10580
Died: 23rd Mar, 1922.
Aged: 27
Leading Signalman
Hazel, William Josiah
J 11956
Died: 23rd Mar, 1922.
Aged: 26
Able Seaman
Hooper, Alwin Septimus
J 14872
Died: 23rd Mar, 1922.
Aged: 28
Able Seaman
Kean, George James
J 15564
Died: 23rd Mar, 1922.
Aged: 25
Able Seaman
McDonald, Donald
M 7995
Died: 23rd Mar, 1922.
Aged: 23
Engine Room Artificer 4th Class
Oswell, Thomas Murray
Died: 23rd Mar, 1922.
Aged: 23
Lieutenant
Parsons, George Washington
J 1878
Born: 14th Sep, 1891.
Died: 23rd Mar, 1922.
Aged: 30
Able Seaman
RN DoB 14/09/1892
Pearce, William Arthur
J 17236
Died: 23rd Mar, 1922.
Aged: 25
Able Seaman
Penney, Ernest
J 9617
Died: 23rd Mar, 1922.
Aged: 28
Petty Officer
Porch, Robet Emery
J 12072
Died: 23rd Mar, 1922.
Aged: 28
Petty Officer
Porter, Albert Ernest
J 98344
Died: 23rd Mar, 1922.
Aged: 18
Ordinary Seaman
Price, James Charles Woolmer DSC
Died: 23rd Mar, 1922.
Aged: 24
Lieutenant
Rickard, George Henry
J 13668
Died: 23rd Mar, 1922.
Aged: 26
Able Seaman
Sealy, Douglas Carteret DSC
Died: 23rd Mar, 1922.
Aged: 30
Lieutenant
Commanding Officer
Smart, Henry John
K 18164
Born: 24th Feb, 1888.
Died: 23rd Mar, 1922.
Aged: 34
Stoker 1st Class
RN DoB 24/02/1890

Events

01-09-1917  Laid Down
21-10-1918  Launched
01-05-1919  Completed
23-03-1922  Sunk in Collision with HMS Versatile off Gibraltar

As part of the 3rd Submarine Flotilla H42 had spent Christmas 1921 in Portsmouth before sailing in January 1922 for exercises in the Mediterranean. H42 surfaced just off Gibraltar 120 yards in front of the destroyer HMS Versatile who at that time was cruising at 20 knots. The Destroyer was unable to take avoiding action and ploughed into the submarine almost slicing her in two.
H21 Specification
Length overall  171 ft 9 inch
Beam  15 ft 9 inch
Depth  15 ft 4 inch
Displacement   438 tons (surface)
  504 tons (submerged)
Diving Depth  150 ft
Speed  Surface 13 knots (design)
  Surface 11.5 knots (service)
  Submerged 10 to 10.5 knots (design)
  Submerged 9 knots (service)
No. of shafts  2
Armament  4 x 21 inch bow tubes (6 torpedoes carried)
Endurance  Surface: 2000 miles at full power (design)
  Surface: 1100 miles at full power or 1600 miles at 10 knots (service)
  Submerged: 70 miles at 3 knots (design)
  Submerged: 9 miles at 8 knots or 34 miles at 3.5 knots (service)
Complement   22
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