October 16th - On This Date - RN Submarine Service

1917                HMS L56 laid down

1944                HMS Vengeful completed

1905                Whilst carrying out sound signal experiments at Spithead, HMS A4 was trimming down when water came through a ventilator being used to signal, with a flag on a boathook, the results of the sound tests.

The submarine went down to 90 feet with an inclination of 40 degrees by the bow. Due to the contact with seawater, chlorine gas started escaping from the batteries. The Captain ordered all ballast tanks blown and as soon as the submarine surfaced, the crew were ordered on deck.

An explosion occurred as the boat was being towed to the dock and she slowly sank. She was later salved and put back into service.

1940                HMS Tigris sinks the French fishing vessel Cimcour with gunfire in the Bay of Biscay.

1943                HMS Torbay torpedoes and sinks the German troopship Kari and torpedoes and damages the Italian merchant (in German service) Trapani east of Naxos, Greece.

1971                HMS Courageous completed