# HMS A8 > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/HMS_A8 > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/HMS_A8.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_A8 > Source revision: 1355891549 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) **HMS *A8*** was an early [Royal Navy](/source/Royal_Navy) [submarine](/source/Submarine). She was a member of Group Two of the 1903 British [A-class of submarines](/source/A_class_submarine_(1903)). Like the other members of her class, she was built at [Vickers, Sons & Maxim](/source/Vickers) in [Barrow-in-Furness](/source/Barrow-in-Furness). She sank with the loss of 15 crew as a result of an accident in [Plymouth Sound](/source/Plymouth_Sound) on 8 June 1905. A sudden dip in the bow caused the submarine to be swamped through the hatch in the [conning tower](/source/Conning_tower). Only 4 survived. She was salvaged four days after the accident, at which point a loose rivet was found in the bow plating. The submarine was then repaired, recommissioned and used for training during the [First World War](/source/World_War_I) along with *[A9](/source/HMS_A9)* as part of the First Submarine Flotilla, operating near [Devonport](/source/Devonport,_Plymouth) through early 1916. She was sold on 8 October 1920 to a scrapping company in [Dartmouth](/source/Dartmouth,_Devon). ## Design The [A-class submarines](/source/A-class_submarine_(1903)) had a displacement of 190 tons surfaced, and 205–207 tons submerged. They had a length of 32 metres (105 ft), a [beam](/source/Beam_(nautical)) of 3.9 metres (13 ft), and a [draught](/source/Draft_(hull)) of 3.3 metres (11 ft). *A8* was powered by one [Wolseley](/source/Wolseley_Motors) 16-cylinder petrol engine, one [shaft](/source/Drive_shaft) and one electric motor. The engine produced 550 hp (410 kW), and the electric systems produced 150 hp (110 kW). *A8* had a speed of 11 knots (20 km/h; 13 mph) surfaced, and 6 knots (11 km/h; 6.9 mph) submerged. A8 had a range of 320 nmi (590 km; 370 mi) at a speed of 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) when surfaced. A8 had two torpedo tubes on the [bow](/source/Bow_(watercraft)) which carried a total of four [18-inch torpedoes](/source/British_18-inch_torpedo). The ship had a crew strength of 11 total officers and sailors.[1] ## Construction and service The ship was launched by [Vickers](/source/Vickers) on 23 January 1905.[1] ### Sinking A8 sank off [Plymouth Sound](/source/Plymouth_Sound) on 8 June 1905. 15 crew members died when the units onboard were being changed. It seemed like the submarine had suddenly dived.[2] As per [The Times](/source/The_Times), *A8* and *[A7](/source/HMS_A7)* had departed from [HMNB Devonport](/source/HMNB_Devonport) for diving exercises. After completing two dives, the submarine surfaced as three members of the crew would be replaced by three trainees.[3] When the three crew members had come out, the [bow](/source/Bow_(watercraft)) started dropping, sending a lot of water into the [conning tower](/source/Conning_tower). The submarine then began diving before the hatch could be closed. The sailors on the conning tower jumped into the water as the submarine sank. [HMS *Commonwealth*](/source/HMS_Commonwealth) and HMS Forth lowered their boats, but only four survivors could be found. Among the survivors were [Lieutenant](/source/Lieutenant_(navy)) [Algernon Henry Chester Candy](/source/Algernon_Henry_Chester_Candy) (later [Rear Admiral](/source/Rear-Admiral_of_the_United_Kingdom)), and [Petty Officer](/source/Petty_officer) William Waller.[4] The ship was resurfaced after four days. A loose rivet on the bow plating was found to be the cause of the sinking. Even though it was a minor error, it resulted in one ton of water entering the submarine every ten minutes. The battery bursts were thought to be the cause initially, but they were actually the effect. The batteries probably burst because the fuel vapour burnt, when the water short-circuited the electrical equipment onboard after the submarine had sunk.[4] The ship was sold for scrap on 8 October 1920,[1] to the [Dartmouth](/source/Dartmouth,_Devon) firm Philip. ## Legacy A memorial to the 46 sailors sunk aboard *[A1](/source/HMS_A1)*, *[A3](/source/HMS_A3)*, *[A5](/source/HMS_A5)* and *A8* is present at [Haslar](/source/Haslar) in [Gosport](/source/Gosport), [Hampshire](/source/Hampshire).[5] The Resurgam plaque, located in front of the [HMS *Alliance*](/source/HMS_Alliance_(P417)) at the [Royal Navy Submarine Museum](/source/Royal_Navy_Submarine_Museum) lists all the ships lost from 1905 to 1955, including the above ships.[6] ## References 1. Kemp 1990, p. 24. 1. McCartney 2002, p. 167. 1. Gray 2003, p. 51. 1. Gray 2003, p. 52. 1. ["HM Submarines A1, A3, A5 and A8"](https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/97288). *Imperial War Museums*. Retrieved 2025-07-17. 1. Herrick, Michael (16 September 2018). ["Resurgam, a War Memorial"](https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=123321). *The Historical Marker Database*. Retrieved 2025-07-17. ## Bibliography - Gray, Edwyn (2003). *Disasters of the Deep: A Comprehensive Survey of Submarine Accidents & Disasters*. Barnsley: Pen & Sword. ISBN 9781473813656. - Kemp, Paul (1990). [*British Submarines Of World War One*](https://archive.org/details/britishsubmarine0000kemp_g8b1/mode/2up). London: Arms & Armour Press. ISBN 9781854090102. - McCartney, Innes (2002). *Lost Patrols: Submarine Wrecks of the English Channel*. Cornwall: Periscope Publishing. ISBN 9781904381044. --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [HMS A8](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_A8) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_A8?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.