# HMS B6

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**HMS *B6*** was one of 11 [B-class submarines](/source/British_B-class_submarine) built for the [Royal Navy](/source/Royal_Navy) in the first decade of the 20th century. The boat survived the [First World War](/source/First_World_War) and was sold for [scrap](/source/Ship_breaking) in 1921.

## Design and description

The B class was an enlarged and improved version of the preceding [A class](/source/A-class_submarine_(1903)). The submarines had a length of 142 feet 3 inches (43.4 m) [overall](/source/Length_overall), a [beam](/source/Beam_(nautical)) of 12 feet 7 inches (3.8 m) and a mean [draft](/source/Draft_(ship)) of 11 feet 2 inches (3.4 m). They [displaced](/source/Displacement_(ship)) 287 long tons (292 t) on the surface and 316 long tons (321 t) submerged. The B-class submarines had a crew of two officers and thirteen [ratings](/source/Naval_rating).[1]

For surface running, the boats were powered by a single 16-cylinder 600-horsepower (447-kilowatt) [Vickers](/source/Vickers) [petrol engine](/source/Petrol_engine) that drove one [propeller shaft](/source/Propeller_shaft). When submerged the propeller was driven by a 180-horsepower (134-kilowatt) [electric motor](/source/Electric_motor). They could reach 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph) on the surface and 6.5 knots (12.0 km/h; 7.5 mph) underwater.[1] On the surface, the B class had a range of 1,000 nautical miles (1,900 km; 1,200 mi) at 8.7 knots (16.1 km/h; 10.0 mph).[2]

The boats were armed with two [18-inch (450 mm)](/source/British_18_inch_torpedo) [torpedo tubes](/source/Torpedo_tube) in the bow. They could carry a pair of reload torpedoes, but generally did not as they would have to remove an equal weight of fuel in compensation.[3]

## Construction and career

*B6* was built by [Vickers](/source/Vickers) at their [Barrow-in-Furness](/source/Barrow-in-Furness) [shipyard](/source/Shipyard), launched 30 November 1905 and completed 3 March 1906.

In July 1914, *B6* was based at [Gibraltar](/source/Gibraltar).[4] Following the outbreak of the [First World War](/source/World_War_I) she was employed in patrolling the [Straits of Gibraltar](/source/Straits_of_Gibraltar).[5] *B6* was deployed to the Eastern Mediterranean for service during the [Gallipoli Campaign](/source/Gallipoli_Campaign). On 17 April 1915, the submarine [HMS *E15*](/source/HMS_E15) attempted to break through the [Dardanelles](/source/Dardanelles) in order to attack shipping in the [Sea of Marmara](/source/Sea_of_Marmara). *E15* ran aground and her crew were forced to abandon ship, so later that day *B6* unsuccessfully attempted to torpedo *E15* to prevent Turkish attempts to salvage the stricken submarine.[6][7] *E15* was finally torpedoed and sunk by [picket boats](/source/Picket_boat) from the Battleships [HMS *Majestic*](/source/HMS_Majestic_(1895)) and [HMS *Triumph*](/source/HMS_Triumph_(1903)) on the night of 18 April.[8]

In August 1915 *B6* and sister ship [HMS *B11*](/source/HMS_B11) were sent to [Alexandria](/source/Alexandria) in Egypt, arriving on 13 August, to deter Turkish attempts to smuggle supplies to Bedouin tribesmen. The two submarines had orders to patrol off [Sollum](/source/Sollum), but were found to be unsuited to this duty, being too small and having too short a range and so were withdrawn from the operation.[9]

In October 1915 *B6* was one of six B-class submarines deployed to the [Adriatic Sea](/source/Adriatic_Sea) to support the Italian Navy. It was hoped that the short range of these old submarines would be less of a problem in the confined waters of the Adriatic. In November, the flotilla commenced operations out of [Venice](/source/Venice). While the B-class submarines proved to be more seaworthy than Italian submarines, operations were hampered by extensive use of [mines](/source/Naval_mine) in the Northern Adriatic.[10]

In 1917 the Italian Navy converted *B6* into surface patrol boat *S6* to serve in the Adriatic. The boat was sold in 1921 to Messrs. Francotosti, [Malta](/source/Malta).

## Notes

1. Gardiner & Gray, p. 87

1. Akermann, p. 123

1. Harrison, Chapter 27

1. ["Fleets and Squadrons in Commission at Home and Abroad: Gibraltar"](http://digital.nls.uk/british-military-lists/archive/91884238). *The Navy List*. August 1914. Retrieved 28 September 2017. – via National Library of Scotland.

1. Naval Staff Monograph No. 21 1923, p. 115

1. Corbett 1921, p. 302

1. *The Naval Review* July 1956, pp. 294–296.

1. Corbett 1921, pp. 303–304

1. Naval Staff Monograph No. 21 1923, pp. 182–184

1. Naval Staff Monograph No. 21 1923, pp. 202–204

## References

- Akermann, Paul (2002). *Encyclopaedia of British Submarines 1901–1955*. reprint of the 1989 ed. Penzance, Cornwall: Periscope Publishing. ISBN 1-904381-05-7.
- Corbett, Julian S. (1921). [*Naval Operations: Vol. II*](https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.523436). History of the Great War: Based on Official Documents. London: Longmans, Green and Co.
- *Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921*. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. 1985. ISBN 0-85177-245-5.
- [*Monograph No. 21: The Mediterranean 1914–1915*](http://www.navy.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/Naval-Staff-Monographs-Vol.VIII_opt.pdf). Vol. VIII. Naval Staff Monographs (Historical). The Naval Staff, Training and Staff Duties Division. 1923.
- Harrison, A. N. (January 1979). ["The Development of HM Submarines From Holland No. 1 (1901) to Porpoise (1930) (BR3043)"](http://rnsubs.co.uk/dits-bits/br-3043.html). United Kingdom Ministry of Defence. Retrieved 16 September 2019. – via RN Subs.
- Kemp, Paul & Jung, Peter (1989). "Five Broken Down B Boats: British Submarine Operations in the Northern Adriatic 1915–1917". *Warship International*. **XXVI** (1): 10–29. [ISSN 0043-0374](https://www.worldcat.org/issn/0043-0374)
- "The Submarine Passage of the Dardanneles: Part 1". *[The Naval Review](/source/The_Naval_Review)*. **XLIV** (3): 281–299. July 1956.
- Wilson, Michael (1981). "The British 'B' Class Submarine". *Warship Volume V*. Roberts, John (ed.). London: Conway Maritime Press. pp. 38–44, 74–79. ISBN 0-85177-244-7.

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