# HMS A5 > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/HMS_A5 > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/HMS_A5.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_A5 > Source revision: 1326572559 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) For the WWII A class submarines, see [Amphion-class submarine](/source/Amphion-class_submarine). **HMS *A5*** was an early [Royal Navy](/source/Royal_Navy) [submarine](/source/Submarine). She was a member of Group Two of the first British [A-class submarine (1903)](/source/A-class_submarine_(1903)) of submarines. Like all members of her class, she was built at [Vickers](/source/Vickers) [Barrow-in-Furness](/source/Barrow-in-Furness). ## Design and construction The A-class was designed by [Vickers](/source/Vickers) as an improvement on the previous American designed [Holland-class submarines](/source/Holland-class_submarine), and were the first class of British-designed submarines.[1] Four submarines, [HMS *A1*](/source/HMS_A1)–[HMS *A4*](/source/HMS_A4), were ordered as part of the 1902–1903 construction programme for the Royal Navy, with a further nine (*A5*–[HMS *A13*](/source/HMS_A13)) ordered under the 1903–1904 programme.[2] The design of the submarines was revised between the prototype boat, *A1*, and the other three submarines of the first order, and again for the submarines of the 1903–04 programme, with this batch being fitted with a second torpedo tube.[1] *A5* was 105 feet 0+1⁄2 inches (32.0 m) [long overall](/source/Length_overall), with a [beam](/source/Beam_(nautical)) of 12 feet 8+3⁄4 inches (3.9 m) and a [draught](/source/Draft_(ship)) of 10 feet 1 inch (3.1 m) when surfaced. [Displacement](/source/Displacement_(ship)) was about 190 long tons (190 t) surfaced and 205–207 LT t submerged. A 550 horsepower (410 kW) 16-cylinder Wolsey petrol engine powered the submarine on the surface, driving the submarine's single propeller shaft, while submerged propulsion was via a 150 horsepower (110 kW) electric motor, giving a speed of 11.5 knots (13.2 mph; 21.3 km/h) on the surface and 7 knots (8.1 mph; 13 km/h) dived. Armament was two 18 inch (45.7 cm) torpedo tubes in the ship's bow. Four torpedoes were carried.[1] *A5* was [laid down](/source/Keel_laying) at Vicker's [Barrow-in-Furness](/source/Barrow-in-Furness) shipyard in 1903, was [launched](/source/Ceremonial_ship_launching) on 3 March 1904 and completed on 11 February 1905.[3] ## Service history Immediately after commissioning she and her [tender](/source/Submarine_tender) [HMS *Hazard*](/source/HMS_Hazard_(1894)) travelled to [Queenstown](/source/Queenstown,_Ireland), (now [Cobh](/source/Cobh)) [Ireland](/source/Ireland). On 16 February 1905 at 10:05 whilst tied up alongside *Hazard* an explosion occurred on board, with a second explosion about 30 minutes later. Five of the crew were killed by the explosion. The [captain](/source/Sea_captain), [Lieutenant](/source/Lieutenant) H J G Good, and the other four crew members survived.[4] An enquiry into the accident concluded that [petrol](/source/Petrol) fumes had been ignited by an electrical spark, with the second explosion caused by smouldering debris from the first event.[4] She was returned to [Barrow-in-Furness](/source/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](/source/Portsmouth) in 1920. ## Memorial The [Irish Naval Service](/source/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*](/source/L%C3%89_Eithne_(P31)) of the [Irish Naval Service](/source/Irish_Naval_Service) and [HMS *Richmond*](/source/HMS_Richmond_(F239)) of the [Royal Navy](/source/Royal_Navy) visited Cobh for the occasion. ## Citations 1. Gardiner & Gray 1985, p. 86 1. Harrison, A. N. (2018 [1979, London: Ministry of Defence]). ["Chapter 3: The Spindle Hull Types - Holland, A, B and C Classes"](http://rnsubs.co.uk/dits-bits/br-3043/part-one/chapter-3.html). *BR3043: The Development of British Submarines: From Holland No. 1 (1901) to HMS Porpoise (1930)*. RN Subs: Website of the Barrow Submariners Association. Retrieved 25 March 2018. 1. Harrison, A. N. (2018 [1979, London: Ministry of Defence]). ["Appendix I: List of RN Submarines in the 1901 to 1936 Programmes"](http://rnsubs.co.uk/public/images/br3043/App1.pdf). *BR3043: The Development of British Submarines: From Holland No. 1 (1901) to HMS Porpoise (1930)*. RN Subs: Website of the Barrow Submariners Association. Retrieved 25 March 2018. 1. ["HM Submarine A5 (Forgotten Submariners)"](http://rnsubs.co.uk/articles/lost-found/a5-forgotten.html). RN Subs: Website of the Barrow Submariners Association. Retrieved 12 June 2022. ## References - *Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921*. London: Conway Maritime Press. 1985. ISBN 0-85177-245-5. ## External links - [*HMS A5 (Forgotten Submariners) Lost at Cobh*](http://lugnad.ie/hms-a5/) - [HMS A-5 Roll of Honour](http://www.maritimequest.com/warship_directory/great_britain/submarines/pages/a_1902_class/a_5_roll_of_honour.htm) - ['Submarine Losses 1902 to present day' - Royal Navy Submarine Museum](http://www.submarine-museum.co.uk/what-we-have/memorial-chapel/submarine-losses?start=1) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20180107222934/http://www.submarine-museum.co.uk/what-we-have/memorial-chapel/submarine-losses?start=1) 7 January 2018 at the Wayback Machine --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [HMS A5](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_A5) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_A5?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.