HMS A5
Encyclopedia
HMS A5 was an early Royal Navy
submarine
. She was a member of Group Two of the first British A-class of submarines (a second, much different A-class submarine appeared towards the end of the Second World War). Like all members of her class, she was built at Vickers
Barrow-in-Furness
.
Immediately after commissioning she and her tender
HMS Hazard
travelled to Queenstown, (now Cobh
) Ireland
. On 16 February 1905 at 10:05 whilst tied up alongside Hazzard an explosion occurred onboard.
Six of the crew were immediately killed by the explosion or died shortly afterwards:
The captain
, Lieutenant
H G J Good and the other four crew members survived.
Sub-Lieutenant Skinner's remains were buried with military honours in his home town of Bedford, Bedfordshire whilst the other five dead crewmen were interred in Old Church Cemetery near Cobh
on 20 February 1905. The town virtually closed down for the funeral
as a mark of respect, and bands
and pipers
from HMS Emerald
, the Gordon Highlanders and that of Rear Admiral McLeod, the commanding officer of
Haulbowline
Naval Base.
An inquiry and inquest were held in Haulbowline Base and Cobh Town Hall respectively. The conclusion of the inquiry was that the first explosion was caused by the ignition of a mixture of petrol vapour and air which had accumulated towards the stern of the boat. It had been triggered by a spark
from the electric switch when the submarine's main propulsion motor
was turned on. Either clothing or electrical insulation which was smouldering from the first explosion triggered the second which was underneath the conning tower.
She was returned to Barrow-in-Furness
the following month for repairs and returned to service in the Home Fleet in October. She was used for training until paid off for disposal in December 1915 and was finally broken up in Portsmouth
in 1920.
As the accident occurred in peacetime, the graves do not form part of the responsibility of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission
and eventually fell into neglect.
The Irish Naval Service
, donated a granite block with a brass plaque giving details of the A5 tragedy, and this was unveiled in March 2000.
On 13 February 2005 there was a ceremony to mark the centenary of the accident.
LÉ Eithne
of the Irish Naval Service
and HMS Richmond
of the Royal Navy
visited Cobh
for the occasion.
Much of the material, relating to the Cobh accident, was provided by Mr John Gregory, Secretary Cork & County R N A. It was first published in the journal of the Maritime Institute of Ireland
. Publication is encouraged so that these submariners will not be forgotten.
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 Group Two of the first British A-class of submarines (a second, much different A-class submarine appeared towards the end of the Second World War). Like all members of her class, 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...
.
Immediately after commissioning she and her 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...
HMS Hazard
HMS Hazard (1894)
The sixth HMS Hazard was a Dryad-class torpedo gunboat. She was launched in 1894 and was converted into the world's first submarine depot ship in 1901...
travelled to Queenstown, (now Cobh
Cobh
Cobh is a seaport town on the south coast of County Cork, Ireland. Cobh is on the south side of Great Island in Cork Harbour. Facing the town are Spike Island and Haulbowline Island...
) Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. On 16 February 1905 at 10:05 whilst tied up alongside Hazzard an explosion occurred onboard.
Six of the crew were immediately killed by the explosion or died shortly afterwards:
- Sub-LieutenantSub-LieutenantSub-lieutenant is a military rank. It is normally a junior officer rank.In many navies, a sub-lieutenant is a naval commissioned or subordinate officer, ranking below a lieutenant. In the Royal Navy the rank of sub-lieutenant is equivalent to the rank of lieutenant in the British Army and of...
F C Skinner - Chief Engine Room Artificer Charles Sinden
- Petty OfficerPetty OfficerA petty officer is a non-commissioned officer in many navies and is given the NATO rank denotion OR-6. They are equal in rank to sergeant, British Army and Royal Air Force. A Petty Officer is superior in rank to Leading Rate and subordinate to Chief Petty Officer, in the case of the British Armed...
1st Class Arthur Manley - Petty OfficerPetty OfficerA petty officer is a non-commissioned officer in many navies and is given the NATO rank denotion OR-6. They are equal in rank to sergeant, British Army and Royal Air Force. A Petty Officer is superior in rank to Leading Rate and subordinate to Chief Petty Officer, in the case of the British Armed...
1st Class William J Pryor - Leading Stoker Earnest Goldthorpe
- Stoker Harry Davis
The captain
Captain (nautical)
A sea captain is a licensed mariner in ultimate command of the vessel. The captain is responsible for its safe and efficient operation, including cargo operations, navigation, crew management and ensuring that the vessel complies with local and international laws, as well as company and flag...
, Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
H G J Good and the other four crew members survived.
Sub-Lieutenant Skinner's remains were buried with military honours in his home town of Bedford, Bedfordshire whilst the other five dead crewmen were interred in Old Church Cemetery near Cobh
Cobh
Cobh is a seaport town on the south coast of County Cork, Ireland. Cobh is on the south side of Great Island in Cork Harbour. Facing the town are Spike Island and Haulbowline Island...
on 20 February 1905. The town virtually closed down for the funeral
Funeral
A funeral is a ceremony for celebrating, sanctifying, or remembering the life of a person who has died. Funerary customs comprise the complex of beliefs and practices used by a culture to remember the dead, from interment itself, to various monuments, prayers, and rituals undertaken in their honor...
as a mark of respect, and bands
Band (music)
In music, a musical ensemble or band is a group of musicians that works together to perform music. The following articles concern types of musical bands:* All-female band* Big band* Boy band* Christian band* Church band* Concert band* Cover band...
and pipers
Bagpipes
Bagpipes are a class of musical instrument, aerophones, using enclosed reeds fed from a constant reservoir of air in the form of a bag. Though the Scottish Great Highland Bagpipe and Irish uilleann pipes have the greatest international visibility, bagpipes of many different types come from...
from HMS Emerald
HMS Black Prince (1861)
HMS Black Prince was the third ship of that name to serve with the Royal Navy. She was the world's second ocean-going, iron-hulled, armoured warship, following her sister ship, . For a brief period the two s were the most powerful warships in the world, being virtually impregnable to the naval guns...
, the Gordon Highlanders and that of Rear Admiral McLeod, the commanding officer of
Haulbowline
Haulbowline
Haulbowline is the name of an island in Cork Harbour off the coast of Ireland. It is the main naval base and headquarters for the Irish Naval Service.-Etymology:...
Naval Base.
An inquiry and inquest were held in Haulbowline Base and Cobh Town Hall respectively. The conclusion of the inquiry was that the first explosion was caused by the ignition of a mixture of petrol vapour and air which had accumulated towards the stern of the boat. It had been triggered by a spark
Electrostatic discharge
Electrostatic discharge is a serious issue in solid state electronics, such as integrated circuits. Integrated circuits are made from semiconductor materials such as silicon and insulating materials such as silicon dioxide...
from the electric switch when the submarine's main propulsion motor
Electric motor
An electric motor converts electrical energy into mechanical energy.Most electric motors operate through the interaction of magnetic fields and current-carrying conductors to generate force...
was turned on. Either clothing or electrical insulation which was smouldering from the first explosion triggered the second which was underneath the conning tower.
She was returned to 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...
the following month for repairs and returned to service in the Home Fleet in October. She was used for training until paid off for disposal in December 1915 and was finally broken up in Portsmouth
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
in 1920.
As the accident occurred in peacetime, the graves do not form part of the responsibility of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission is an intergovernmental organisation of six independent member states whose principal function is to mark, record and maintain the graves, and places of commemoration, of Commonwealth of Nations military service members who died in the two World Wars...
and eventually fell into neglect.
The Irish Naval Service
Irish Naval Service
The Naval Service is the navy of Ireland and is one of the three standing branches of the Irish Defence Forces. Its main base is in Haulbowline, County Cork....
, donated a granite block with a brass plaque giving details of the A5 tragedy, and this was unveiled in March 2000.
On 13 February 2005 there was a ceremony to mark the centenary of the accident.
LÉ Eithne
LÉ Eithne (P31)
LÉ Eithne is an Eithne class ship in the Irish Naval Service. The ship is named after Eithne, a tragic heroine and the daughter of the one-eyed Fomorian King, Balor in an early Irish romantic tale....
of the Irish Naval Service
Irish Naval Service
The Naval Service is the navy of Ireland and is one of the three standing branches of the Irish Defence Forces. Its main base is in Haulbowline, County Cork....
and HMS Richmond
HMS Richmond (F239)
HMS Richmond is a Type 23 frigate of the Royal Navy. She was launched on 6 April 1993 by Lady Hill-Norton, wife of the late Admiral of the Fleet the Lord Hill-Norton, and was the last warship to be built by Swan Hunter Shipbuilders...
of the Royal Navy
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...
visited Cobh
Cobh
Cobh is a seaport town on the south coast of County Cork, Ireland. Cobh is on the south side of Great Island in Cork Harbour. Facing the town are Spike Island and Haulbowline Island...
for the occasion.
Much of the material, relating to the Cobh accident, was provided by Mr John Gregory, Secretary Cork & County R N A. It was first published in the journal of the Maritime Institute of Ireland
Maritime Institute of Ireland
The Maritime Institute of Ireland was founded in 1941, at a time when World War II was raging and many seamen were in great peril of either being severely injured or losing their lives. Ireland, being an island nation, was dependent on the sea for all forms of movement external to the island as...
. Publication is encouraged so that these submariners will not be forgotten.
External links
- http://www.mariner.ie/history/articles/war/hm-submarine-a5Forgotten Submariners from the Maritime Institute of IrelandMaritime Institute of IrelandThe Maritime Institute of Ireland was founded in 1941, at a time when World War II was raging and many seamen were in great peril of either being severely injured or losing their lives. Ireland, being an island nation, was dependent on the sea for all forms of movement external to the island as...
] - HMS A-5 Roll of Honour