WW1 Submarine H11 (??) discovered..?

Mixed gas divers from Bishop Auckland & South Queensferry SAC dived a fisherman’s snag mark recently expecting to find a small collier or possibly trawler, in fact what they found was an intact WW1 submarine !!

The wreck, thought to be that of the British submarine H11 lies in 63m of water just 3 miles off the Eyemouth coast.  The 45m long vessel is lying with a slight list to port, standing 5m high and is in remarkably good condition despite over 80 years on the seabed. Members of the South Queensferry SAC have been in touch with various sources including the Royal Navy Submarine Museum in an attempt to name her but as yet she remains a mystery and further dives are planned to get a positive ID and hopefully some photographs.   

The divers....

Charlie Gardener

Mark Blewitt

Ian Muirhead

Peter Elliott

Cath Robson

 Dives were carried out using mixed gas from MV North Star, run by Marine Quest Charters based in Eyemouth and skippered by Iain & Jim Easingwood

Marine Quest Boat charter

H.M.S     H11          British H-Class submarine

           Built By         U.S.A. ( Fore River Yard, Quincy , Mass. ).

        Laid Down      1915

          Launched     1915 (Completed 2 December 1915 )

   Commissioned   8 January 1918

Pennant Number     

     Displacement    364 Tons Surfaced, 434 Tons Submerged.

        Dimensions    Length 150 ft. 3 in.

                                   Beam 15 ft. 9 in. overall.

                                   Mean Draught 12 ft 4 in.

                Crew         3 Officers. 19 Ratings.

         Propulsion    Two 480 BHP diesel engines.

                                  Two 320 BHP electric motors.

                                  Twin Screws.

               Range      18 tons of fuel oil to give 3600 miles at 9 knots surfaced.

                                  80 miles at 2 knots (Submerged).

                                Diving Depth: Tested to 100 ft. Max estimated at 200 ft.

        Armament      Four 18-inch Bow Torpedo Tubes.

      Max Speed      12 knots Surfaced. 8 knots Submerged.

                C/Os        Lt. Cromwell H Varley DSC (Jan-Sept 1918);

                                Lt. Gerald E Colpoys (Sept 1918);.

          H11 History…

On completion laid up due to US Neutrality restrictions. Released on US entry into the War. Fitted out during Autumn 1917.

          1 January 1918 : (Lt. Varley DSC) in Boston Navy Yard.

8 January 1918 : Left Boston for New London , escorted by USS AZTEC. Arrived on 10 January.

7 March 1918 : Sailed for Bermuda with H12 and H14. Escort USS WILMOT had to turn back.

29 March 1918 : Sailed from Bermuda with H12 escorting Canadian drifters Nos. 71, 72 and 51.

         27 April 1918 : Sailed from Azores with H12 and 10 various US ships.

         3 May 1918 : Arrived Brest . (Convoy to St Nazaire)

         8 May 1918 : Sailed from Brest with H12. Escorted by USS ALLEN.

         10 May 1918 : Secured alongside HMS VULCAN in Kingstown , Ireland .

         4 June 1918 :  Wireless gear fitted by ship's staff.

         6 June 1918 : Sailed for first patrol in Irish Sea .

         24 June 1918 : During 2nd patrol, sighted possible U-boat.

         19 August 1918 : Part of HMS VULCAN Flotilla. Left Kingstown to patrol for enemy submarines on passage          to north west of Scotland .

         September 1918 : Transferred with Flotilla to Blyth . Designated as 14th Flotilla.

        18 December 1918 : Sailed from Blyth to Chatham to pay-off. H8 and H12 in company.

         7 January 1919 : Paid off.  

Disposal Sold, on 20 October 1920 , Stanlee, Dover . (for scrap)