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A 3

Built By: Vickers (Barrow)
Build Group: A1
Fate: Rammed and sunk by the HMS Hazard (The original Submarine Tender), off the Isle of Wight on 2nd February 1912.

Raised and used as target and sunk on 17th May 1912.

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Commanders
TBA: Lieutenant   F T Ormond

HMS Mercury, Portsmouth

Related Pages

Hazard 1901 - 1918

Submarine Depot Ship

The Loss of Submarine A3

Submarine A3 was sunk as a result of a collision with HMS Hazard on 2nd Feb 1912 during trials in the Solent. All members of the crew were lost. The Submarine was raised and the bodies of the crew recovered. They were buried, later, in the Haslar Royal Naval Cemetery.

Roll of Honour

14
Armstrong, Charles Elliott
M 277
Died: 2nd Feb, 1912.
Aged: 39
Engine Room Artificer
Barden, William Thomas
206027
Died: 2nd Feb, 1912.
Aged: 27
Able Seaman
Campbell, Donald Patrick Colin
Died: 2nd Feb, 1912.
Aged: 23
Lieutenant
Compton, Edwin Frank
228021
Died: 2nd Feb, 1912.
Aged: 24
Able Seaman
Farr, Charles
193220
Died: 2nd Feb, 1912.
Aged: 31
Leading Seaman
Fowler, George Herbert
302987
Died: 2nd Feb, 1912.
Aged: 29
Stoker 1st Class
Gent, Arnold William
295847
Died: 2nd Feb, 1912.
Aged: 30
Stoker 1st Class
Good, Arthur Ernest
269500
Died: 2nd Feb, 1912.
Aged: 38
Engine Room Artificer
Kelly, Parker
205230
Died: 2nd Feb, 1912.
Aged: 26
Able Seaman
Ormand, Frank Thompson
Died: 2nd Feb, 1912.
Aged: 28
Lieutenant
Page, Charles George
219763
Died: 2nd Feb, 1912.
Aged: 26
Able Seaman
Richardson, Leonard Faber
Died: 2nd Feb, 1912.
Aged: 22
Lieutenant
Thornton, Ernest James Vernon
Died: 2nd Feb, 1912.
Aged: 21
Lieutenant
Wilder, George
166859
Died: 2nd Feb, 1912.
Aged: 36
Petty Officer 1st Class

Events

 06-11-1902   Laid Down
 09-03-1903   Launched
 13-07-1904   Completed
 02-02-1912   Sank off Isle of Wight after collision with HMS Hazard

The Commander-in-Chief regrets to announce that owing to a collision between His Majesty's Ship Hazard and the submarine A3, the latter sank near East Princess Buoy about noon today. It is feared that the submarine was completely flooded, in which case there is very little hope of the officers and crew being saved, though salvage appliances have been sent out.

Whilst on exercise off the Isle of Wight HMS A3 surfaced directly in the path of HMS Hazard. The collision caused a large hole to be torn in the side of the submarine sinking her almost immediately.
 17-05-1912   Raised and used as target and sunk
A1 Specification
Length overall  105 ft 1/2 inch
Beam  12 ft 8 3/4 inch
Depth  10 ft
Displacement   190 tons (surface)
  205.5 tons (submerged)
Diving Depth  100 ft
Speed  Surface 11.5 knots (design) 11+ knots (service)
  Submerged 7 knots (design) 6 knots (service)
No. of shafts  1
Propeller  3 blades, 4 ft 4 inch diameter
Armament  2 x 18 inch bow torpedo tubes (4 torpedoes carried)
Endurance  Surface: 600 miles at full power (design)
  Surface: 325 miles at full power (service)
  Submerged: 20 miles at 6 knots (service)
Complement   11
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