View source for HMS E11

{{short description|Submarine of the Royal Navy}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2018}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2018}}
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|Ship image= HMS E11 off the Dardanelles.png
|Ship caption=HMS ''E11'' off the Dardanelles in 1915
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{{Infobox ship career
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|Ship country= United Kingdom
|Ship flag={{shipboxflag|United Kingdom|naval}}
|Ship name= ''E11''
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|Ship launched= 23 April 1914
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|Ship commissioned=19 September 1914
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|Ship fate=Sold for scrap, Malta, March 1921
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{{Infobox ship characteristics
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|Ship class=[[British E-class submarine|E-class]] [[submarine]]
|Ship type=
|Ship displacement=*{{convert|662|LT|t|0|abbr=on}} surfaced
*{{convert|807|LT|t|0|abbr=on}} submerged
|Ship length={{convert|181|ft|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship beam={{convert|15|ft|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship draft=
|Ship power=
|Ship propulsion=*2 × {{convert|800|hp|0|abbr=on}} diesels
*2 × {{convert|420|hp|0|abbr=on}} electric
*2 screws
|Ship speed=*{{convert|15.25|kn|lk=in}} surfaced
*{{convert|10.25|kn}} submerged
|Ship range=*{{convert|3000|nmi|km|abbr=on}} at {{convert|10|kn|abbr=on}}
*{{convert|65|nmi|km|abbr=on}} at {{convert|5|kn|abbr=on}}
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|Ship complement= 30
|Ship sensors=
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|Ship armament=*5 × [[British 18-inch torpedo|18-inch (450 mm)]] [[torpedo tube]]s (2 bow, 2 beam, 1 stern)
*1 × [[QF 12-pounder 12 cwt naval gun|12-pounder gun]]
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'''HMS ''E11''''' was an [[British E-class submarine|E-class submarine]] of the [[Royal Navy]] launched on 23 April 1914. ''E11'' was one of the most successful [[submarine]]s in action during the 1915 [[naval operations in the Dardanelles Campaign]], sinking over 80 vessels of all sizes in three tours of the [[Sea of Marmara]].

==Design==
Like all post-''E8'' [[British E-class submarine]]s, ''E11'' had a displacement of {{convert|662|LT|t}} at the surface and {{convert|807|LT|t}} while submerged. She had a total length of {{convert|180|ft|m}}<ref name="McCartneyBryan2013">{{cite book|author1=Innes McCartney|author2=Tony Bryan|title=British Submarines of World War I|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JWFapIxWZSUC&pg=PA11|date=20 February 2013|publisher=Osprey Publishing|isbn=978-1-4728-0035-0|pages=11–12}}</ref> and a beam of {{convert|22|ft|8.5|in}}. She was powered by two {{convert|800|hp}} Vickers eight-cylinder two-stroke diesel engines and two {{convert|420|hp}} electric motors.<ref name=Akerman>Akerman, P. (1989). ''Encyclopaedia of British submarines 1901–1955''. &nbsp;p.150. Maritime Books. {{ISBN|1-904381-05-7}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.csubmarine.org/html/class/eclass.html|title=E Class|publisher=Chatham Submarines|access-date=20 August 2015|archive-date=13 August 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150813023119/http://csubmarine.org/html/class/eclass.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> The submarine had a maximum surface speed of {{convert|16|kn|km/h mph}} and a submerged speed of {{convert|10|kn|km/h mph}}. British E-class submarines had fuel capacities of {{convert|50|LT|t}} of diesel and ranges of {{convert|3255|mi|km nmi}} when travelling at {{convert|10|kn|km/h mph}}.<ref name="McCartneyBryan2013"/> ''E11'' was capable of operating submerged for five hours when travelling at {{convert|5|kn|km/h mph}}.

''E11'' initially did not have a deck gun.<ref name=DP>{{cite book | title = "Dardanelles Patrol" | last = Shankland, Peter and | first = Hunter, Anthony | location = [[New York City|New York]] | publisher= Charles Scribner's Sons | year = 1964 | oclc = 6420053 }}</ref> After her first Dardanelles tour, she was fitted with a [[QF 12-pounder 12 cwt naval gun|12-pounder {{convert|76|mm|abbr=on}}]] QF by the dockyard in Malta.<ref>{{cite book |title=Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921 |date=12 November 1985 |publisher=Conway Maritime Press |location=London |isbn=0-85177-245-5 |page=88}}</ref>

She had five [[British 18-inch torpedo|18-inch (450 mm)]] [[torpedo tube]]s, two in the bow, one either side amidships, and one in the stern; a total of 10 torpedoes were carried.<ref name=Akerman/>

E-class submarines had wireless systems with {{convert|1|kW}} power ratings; in some submarines, these were later upgraded to {{convert|3|kW}} systems by removing a midship torpedo tube. Their maximum design depth was {{convert|100|ft}} although in service some reached depths of below {{convert|200|ft}}. Some submarines contained [[Fessenden oscillator]] systems.<ref name="McCartneyBryan2013"/>

==Crew==
Her [[Ship's company|complement]] was three officers and 28 men.<ref name="McCartneyBryan2013"/>

==Service history==
===European operations===
''E11'' joined the [[8th Submarine Flotilla]] at [[Harwich]] following [[sea trials]] on 2 October 1914 under the command of [[Lieutenant-Commander]] [[Martin Dunbar-Nasmith|Martin Nasmith]].<ref>Harris, p. 325</ref><ref>He would go on to command [[Anti-submarine warfare|A/S]] forces in [[Western Approaches]] during the [[Second World War]].</ref>

Later that month, on her first war patrol ''E11'' was dispatched to the [[Baltic Sea]] along with two other submarines. Nasmith was deterred from breaking through the entrance to the Baltic by numerous vessels and warships in Swedish waters during a night passage. Next morning he mistook {{ship|HDMS|Havmanden|A 3|2}}, a submarine of [[Neutral country|neutral]] [[Denmark]], for the German submarine {{SMS|U-3|Germany|6|sub=y}}. The misidentification was principally caused by the pennant number "3" on her [[conning tower]]. Two [[torpedo|torpedoes]] were fired, one of which glanced off the bottom of the hull, causing no damage and a minor diplomatic incident.<ref>Harris, pp. 190–198</ref><ref>{{cite book | last = Compton-Hall | first = Richard | title = Submarines at War, 1914–18 | location = [[Penzance]] | publisher= Periscope Publishing | year = 2004 | orig-year = 1991 | isbn = 978-1-904381-21-1 | oclc = 57639764 | page = 140 }}</ref> ''E11'' then returned to Harwich.

During the [[Scarborough Raid]] in December 1914, ''E11'' was sent into the [[Heligoland Bight]] to intercept the returning German Fleet. However, it had already returned to harbour by the time ''E11'' arrived. On the following morning Nasmith was able to attack the [[battleship|battleships]] of the [[I Battle Squadron|1.Geschwader]] in transit from the [[Elbe]] to the [[Jade (river)|Jade]]. His torpedo missed the leading battleship, [[SMS Ostfriesland|SMS ''Ostfriesland'']], which was unaware of the attack.<ref>Harris, pp. 278–283</ref><ref>A number of sources record the vessel attacked as [[SMS Posen|SMS ''Posen'']], the fifth vessel in the squadron. ''Posen'' actually sighted ''E11'' some time after the torpedo was fired when ''E11'' lost control during a second abandoned attack and broke surface.</ref>

''E11'' took part in the [[Cuxhaven Raid]], which culminated on 25 December 1914 in the attack by seven [[seaplane|seaplanes]] from the [[seaplane carrier|seaplane carriers]] {{HMS|Engadine|1911|6}}, {{HMS|Riviera}}, and {{HMS|Empress|1914|6}} (escorted by three [[cruiser]]s and several [[destroyer]]s of the [[Harwich Force]]) on [[Zeppelin]] sheds and other military targets near [[Cuxhaven]]. Four of the aircraft failed to regain their ships. ''E11'' was acting as a mark boat on their return route. Three aircraft which were running out of fuel saw ''E11'' and alighted nearby. The five aircrew were rescued by ''E11'' whilst Zeppelin [[List of Zeppelins|''L 5 (LZ 28)'']] closed to attack. Two bombs were dropped and exploded nearby as ''E11'' submerged. Nasmith received a mention in despatches.<ref>Harris, pp. 301–308</ref><ref>Barnes & James, p.98.</ref><ref>The rescued pilots were Flight Lieutenant Arnold John Miley (aircraft serial no. ''120''), Flight Sub-Lieutenant Vivian Gaskell Blackburn (aircraft serial no. ''814'') and Flight Commander Douglas Austin Oliver (aircraft serial no. ''815'').</ref>

===Mediterranean operations===
[[File:E11 in action.jpg|thumb|left|''E11'' torpedoes the ''Stamboul'' off Constantinople, 25 May 1915]]

In May 1915, still commanded by Nasmith, ''E11'' arrived at the [[Dardanelles]] to join the submarine campaign in the [[Sea of Marmara]].  ''E11'' was the second submarine to undertake a successful tour, following the {{HMS|E14||2}} which had passed through the straits on 27 April.

The ''E11'' passed through the Dardanelles on the night of 18 May.  Surfacing off the town of [[Gallipoli]], Nasmith captured a Turkish sailing vessel and lashed it to the [[conning tower]] to act as a disguise.  However, this [[ruse of war|ruse]] failed to attract any targets, so after several days he abandoned it.  Travelling up the Sea of Marmara, he sank a [[gunboat]] and several other small craft on 23 May.  The following day, near the port of [[Rodosto]] (today [[Tekirdağ]]), ''E11'' encountered the Turkish transport ''Nagara'', laden with [[ammunition]].  Aboard the transport was an American journalist, [[Raymond Gram Swing]], from the ''[[Chicago Daily News]]''.  Nasmith sank the ship after it was abandoned by the crew and passengers. Nasmith sank another transport and forced one aground before being driven away from the shore by some Turkish [[cavalry]].

On 25 May 1915 ''E11'' reached [[Constantinople]] (now [[Istanbul]]). Nasmith was searching for the German warships {{SMS|Goeben}} and {{SMS|Breslau}}, but when he surfaced at 12:40, he sighted the elderly transport ''Stamboul'' lying alongside the Tophane [[Arsenal]].  Nasmith's first torpedo ran in a circle and nearly struck the ''E11'', however the second torpedo hit ''Stamboul''.  Under fire from shore-based [[artillery]], ''E11'' dived to make her escape.  Caught in the strong [[Bosphorus]] current, ''E11'' was out of control for 20 minutes until she settled on the bottom near the [[Maiden's Tower|Leander Tower]].<ref name=DP /> ''Stamboul'' failed to sink, but was beached at [[Harem, Istanbul|Harem]]. ''E11''{{'}}s attack on Constantinople, the first by an enemy vessel in over 100 years, had an enormous impact on Turkish [[morale]], causing a panic in the city and compelling ''Goeben'' to shift to a safer mooring.
[[File:Cheering E11.jpg|thumb|left|The crew of {{HMS|Grampus|1910|6}} cheering the surfaced ''E11'' after a successful attack, 1915.]]
''E11'' returned to the Bosphorus approaches on 27 May and sank more ships, but running short of torpedoes and with mounting mechanical problems, Nasmith headed home on 5 June. On his return passage through the Dardanelles he encountered an anchored transport near the Moussa Bank which, despite his vulnerable position and the poor state of the submarine, he attacked and sank with his final torpedo.<ref name=DP />  Passing through the Narrows near [[Kilid Bahr]], ''E11'' snagged a moored [[naval mine|mine]]. Nasmith had to tow the mine out of the straits before he was able to disentangle the submarine. On ''E11''{{'}}s first tour, eleven ships were sunk or disabled.  For this successful tour Nasmith was awarded the [[Victoria Cross]], the third submarine commander to receive the award during the Dardanelles Campaign.

''E11'' was on her second tour when, on 6 August, she successfully torpedoed  the Turkish [[torpedo cruiser]] {{ship|Ottoman cruiser|Peyk-i Şevket||2}}, causing serious damage.<ref>Langensiepen & Güleryüz, pp. 38–39</ref> Two days later 8 August 1915 as a new British landing was underway at [[Suvla]], ''E11'' torpedoed the antiquated Turkish [[pre-dreadnought battleship]] {{ship|Ottoman battleship|Barbaros Hayreddin||2}} off [[Bulair]] at the northern entrance to the Dardanelles. The ship sank with the loss of 21 officers and 237 men.<ref>Langensiepen & Güleryüz, p. 28</ref> ''Barbaros Hayreddin'' was one of two Ottoman battleships sunk during the campaign. Visiting Constantinople again, ''E11'' sank a [[Black Sea]] [[collier (ship type)|collier]] [[SS Northenden (1886)|''Isfahan'']] as it was preparing to unload — a significant blow as [[coal]] was the main fuel source and supplies were scarce.  Moving into the [[Gulf of Izmit]], on the night of 20 August, ''E11''{{'}}s first officer, [[Lieutenant]] [[Guy D'Oyly-Hughes]], swam ashore and blew up a section of the Constantinople–[[Bagdad Railway|Baghdad railway]] line, a feat for which he was awarded the [[Distinguished Service Cross (United Kingdom)|Distinguished Service Cross]]. Navigating Officer Lieutenant Robert Brown was also awarded the Distinguished Service Cross. A reservist from the Merchant Navy, Brown had famously been born rounding the Cape Horn on the clipper ''John Gambles'', the sister ship to the more famous {{ship||Cutty Sark}}.

''E11'' made three tours of the Sea of Marmara and sank in total 27 [[steamship|steamers]] and 58 smaller vessels.<ref>{{cite web |title=E11's Exemplary Service |url=http://rnsubs.co.uk/articles/service/e11s-service.html |website=rnsubs |access-date=30 September 2020}}</ref>

==Footnotes==
{{reflist}}

==Bibliography==
* {{cite book
  | last = Barnes C.H. & James D.N
  | title =Shorts Aircraft since 1900
  | year =1989
  | publisher =Putnam
  | location =London
  | isbn = 0-85177-819-4}}
*{{cite book|last1=Langensiepen|first1=Bernd|last2=Güleryüz|first2=Ahmet|year=1995|title=The Ottoman Steam Navy 1828–1923|publisher=Conway Maritime Press|location=London|isbn=978-0-85177-610-1|name-list-style=amp}}
*{{cite book | last1 = Harris | first1 = Mark | date=2021 |title=Harwich Submarines in the Great War: The first submarine campaign of the Royal Navy in 1914 |publisher=Helion & Company |location=Warwick |isbn=978-1-914059-97-1|name-list-style=amp}}
{{British E class submarine}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:E11}}
[[Category:British E-class submarines of the Royal Navy]]
[[Category:Ships built in Barrow-in-Furness]]
[[Category:1914 ships]]
[[Category:World War I submarines of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Royal Navy ship names]]