100 YEARS OF BARROW-BUILT RN SUBMARINES, 1901-2001
MIDGET SUBMARINES, 1939-1952
THE WAR YEARS
MIDGET SUBMARINES
No history of Barrow-built submersibles would be complete without reference to the Royal Navy's midget submarines and it is true to say that Britain, although one of the last countries to be involved with midget submarine construction, made the most impressive use of this type of vessel.
Although not built by Vickers, the first RN Midget craft, called 'Chariots', were copies of the Italian Maiale Class, or 'Pigs'. They were followed by a range of midget submarines designed to penetrate Norwegian anchorages which were sheltering German battleships.
HUMAN TORPEDOES - 'CHARIOTS'
Intended for clandestine attacks on vessels at anchor, and copied from the Italian Pigs - which successfully attacked Alexandria in 1941 - the Chariot was not a torpedo but an electric vehicle manned by a crew of two equipped with breathing tanks, who sat externally, and attempted to attach their bow warhead on to the hull of an enemy vessel. The freezing Norwegian waters incapacitated the operators because they were so exposed, and the most decisive results were achieved in the warmer waters of the Mediterranean.
The most notable successes of the Chariots were the sinking of three Italian cruisers: Ulpio Traiano at Palermo on 3rd January, 1943; Bolzano at La Spezia on 21st June, 1944; and Gorizia at La Spezia on 26th June, 1944.
X5 CLASS
Laid down in 1939, the prototype X-craft was built by one of the leading advocates of midget submarines - a First World War. submariner, Commander Varley - and, following successful trials off Scotland in October 1942, was commissioned as X3. (Note: X1 was an experimental fleet submarine built in 1925, and X2 was a captured Italian submarine). A second prototype vessel, X4, was constructed and, based on these two boats, operational craft were quickly developed.
In December 1942, Vickers began to build six X-craft (X5 to X10) for employment in European waters. Their obvious primary operation was to attack the German battleship Tirpitz, which was 'holed up' in Alten Fjord, Norway. By September 1943, the six X5 Class midget submarines and their hand-picked, highly-trained crews were ready to undertake a mission that was to write a chapter in the history of submarine warfare.
With engines that generated 42 hp (surfaced) and only 30 hp (submerged), the X-craft were too small to undertake long passages and were, therefore, always towed to their target area by full-sized submarines, at maximum speeds of 10.5 knots (surfaced) and 12 knots (submerged). As can be expected, towing midgets reduced the endurance of submarines - the S Class, for example, had a 30 per cent reduction in endurance, and the comparable figure for the larger T Class was around 50 per cent.
The Tirpitz mission began in an undistinguished manner when, on the outward passage to Norway (which was an eight-day journey covering over 1000 miles), X9 sank and X8 had to be scuttled. Fifty miles from their target, the four remaining X-craft were cast loose to proceed under their own power, through winding, shallow fjords, mine fields and anti-submarine nets to the anchorage of Tirpitz. X10 penetrated the inner fjord but had to abandon her attack because of mechanical defects. Harassed by vigorous enemy patrols, her captain valiantly stayed hidden with his small boat for five days until, finally, he could return to the 'towing ship'. X10 was scuttled on the return journey to England.
On 22nd September, 1943, X6 (Lieut. Donald Cameron, RNR) and X7 (Lieut. Basil Place) followed an old freighter through the final set of nets and arrived at their objective within minutes of each other. An alert guard, spotting one of the craft, raised the alarm but, under a heavy counter-attack, X6 managed to get beneath the massive ship and drop two separate explosives - following which she became entangled in underwater nets and had to surrender. X7 also released two charges beneath Tirpitz but before she could fully escape, the first of the explosives from X6 detonated, and she too was soon forced to surrender. A third submarine was sighted and brought under heavy fire. This was probably X5, which was never seen again.
The attack on Tirpitz was a great success, for although the charges did not sink her, the damage they inflicted resulted in the vessel being towed south for repairs. Here Tirpitz was at last within the range of British bombers, which finally eliminated her a little more than a year later. For the part they played in preventing Tirpitz sailing from Norway, Lieutenants Place and Cameron were each awarded the Victoria Cross.
Six further X-craft, X20 to X25, were built in 1945, five of which were scrapped at the end of the war. The sixth, X22, was lost in a collision with HM Submarine Syrtis in the Pentland Firth. None of these X-craft were built at Vickers. In 1954 a further 4 X-craft, X51-54, were built by Vickers.
XT CLASS
During 1943 and 1944, Vickers built six XT-craft submarines for training purposes. Having an endurance of only 500 miles at 4 knots, the XT-boats were a simplified X5 class submarine - without the side cargo-release gear, night periscope or automatic helmsman. In addition, their day periscope, projector compass and air induction trunk were fixed in the 'up' position.
Twelve more vessels, ordered in 1943 from Broadbents of Huddersfield, were cancelled before completion. The six Barrow-boats were scrapped at the end of the war.
XE CLASS
The XE Class, with air-conditioning and extra stowage space, were designed for employment in the Far East. Spring-loaded legs made it easier for these midget submarines to rest on the sea-bed, and an air-lock allowed a diver to leave the submarine and place limpet mines on the hulls of enemy ships.
Vickers built the first six vessels of the class, the most famous and successful of which was HMS Midget Submarine XE3, commanded by Lieut. Ian Fraser, RNR, which attacked the Japanese heavy cruiser Takao on 31st July, 1945.
After being released from the towing submarine, XE3 spent more than 24 hours getting into a position to attack the Takao, which was moored in the Johore Strait, Singapore. After his first attempt failed, Fraser circled the target and put his boat under the great ship's hull. Despite being hampered by weed and barnacles and a leak in his diving equipment, the boat's diver, Leading Seaman James Magennis, swam along the cruiser's hull placing limpet mines. Exhausted he re-entered the submarine and XE3 pulled clear.
During the next stage of the attack, a jammed empty limpet container prevented the jettisoning of the side cargoes of explosives, which gave the submarine an uncontrollable list. Magennis volunteered to go back outside, and spent 15 minutes freeing the load. All this time the submarine and the diver were vulnerable, lying in the crystal clear water. XE3 eventually made her escape and, whilst returning to base unscathed, the charges detonated - sinking the 11 000-ton vessel. Lieutenant Fraser and Leading Seaman Magennis were both awarded the Victoria Cross for their bravery in performing this operation.
Five additional XE-craft were built - four were scrapped in 1952, and XE11 was lost in a collision with the boom defence vessel Loch Striven in March 1945.
WELMAN TYPE MIDGET
The 'Welman'-type midget was a Royal Navy-built submarine that was never particularly successful, and never saw action. It is not known how many Welmans were produced, but the prototype was built at Welwyn Garden City. A one-man. submarine, it had no periscope, and vision was through armoured glass segments in the small 'conning tower'. Designed to fix a 560-pound charge to its target by means of magnetic clips, the Welman could never be made to work properly and was finally abandoned.
Other underwater assault craft were tested towards the end of the war, including submersible canoes and supply craft for clandestine operations. An X-craft with a conning tower was designed but never built.
Midget submarines were used to reconnoitre landing beaches, etc prior to the Normandy invasion in June 1944, and on D-Day itself XE20 and 23 acted as navigation beacons well inshore to guide the first assault wave in operations Juno and Sword. In the Far East, XE1-6 were used to cut submarine cables, sabotage telephone lines and sink Japanese Naval ships. At best, the secretive operations of midget submarines were hazardous, but many feats of skill and bravery were performed by their crews.
The design of X-craft midget submarine classes varied considerably, but for an indication of the details, the main particulars of the prototype (X3) and the X5 Class are listed below.
MAIN PARTICULARS X3 X5
Length overall 43 ft 6 in 51 ft 7 in
Beam:
with charges 8 ft 8 ft 6 in
without charges 5 ft 6 in 5 ft 9 1/2 in
Displacement, with charges:
surface 30 tons Unknown
submerged 32 1/4 tons Unknown
Displacement, without charges:
surface 22 tons 27 tons
submerged 24 tons 29 1/2 tons
Diving depth 200 feet 300 feet
No. of shafts 1 1
Speed, surface:
with charges 5.5 knots 6.5 knots
without charges 6 knots Unknown
Speed, submerged:
with charges Unknown 5 knots
without charges Unknown Unknown
Endurance, surface:
with charges 1100 miles at 4.5 knots 1320 miles at 4 knots
without charges 1400 miles at 4.5 knots 1860 miles at 4 knots
Endurance, submerged:
with charges 85 miles at 2 knots 80 miles at 2 knots
without charges 85 miles at 2 knots Unknown
Armament 2 2-ton side charges 2 2-ton side charges
