HMS A3
Encyclopedia
HMS A3 was an early Royal Navy
submarine
.
She was a member of the first British A-class of submarine
s, although slightly bigger than the lead boat, . She was built at Vickers
, Barrow-in-Furness
and was commissioned on 13 July 1904. She was accidentally rammed whilst surfacing by the submarine tender
off the Isle of Wight
on 2 February 1912 and sank with the loss of all on board. The wreck was salvaged and subsequently sunk as a gunnery target near Portland Bill
on 12 May 1912, where she remains today.
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
submarine
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
.
She was a member of the first British A-class of submarine
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
s, although slightly bigger than the lead boat, . She was built at Vickers
Vickers
Vickers was a famous name in British engineering that existed through many companies from 1828 until 1999.-Early history:Vickers was formed in Sheffield as a steel foundry by the miller Edward Vickers and his father-in-law George Naylor in 1828. Naylor was a partner in the foundry Naylor &...
, Barrow-in-Furness
Barrow-in-Furness
Barrow-in-Furness is an industrial town and seaport which forms about half the territory of the wider Borough of Barrow-in-Furness in the county of Cumbria, England. It lies north of Liverpool, northwest of Manchester and southwest from the county town of Carlisle...
and was commissioned on 13 July 1904. She was accidentally rammed whilst surfacing by the submarine tender
Submarine tender
A submarine tender is a type of ship that supplies and supports submarines.Submarines are small compared to most oceangoing vessels, and generally do not have the ability to carry large amounts of food, fuel, torpedoes, and other supplies, nor to carry a full array of maintenance equipment and...
off the Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
on 2 February 1912 and sank with the loss of all on board. The wreck was salvaged and subsequently sunk as a gunnery target near Portland Bill
Isle of Portland
The Isle of Portland is a limestone tied island, long by wide, in the English Channel. Portland is south of the resort of Weymouth, forming the southernmost point of the county of Dorset, England. A tombolo over which runs the A354 road connects it to Chesil Beach and the mainland. Portland and...
on 12 May 1912, where she remains today.