# HMS L56

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History United Kingdom Name HMS L56 Builder Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company, Govan Laid down 16 October 1917 Launched 29 May 1919 Fate Sold for scrapping, 25 March 1938 General characteristics Class & type L-class submarine Displacement 960 long tons (980 t) surfaced 1,150 long tons (1,170 t) submerged Length 235 ft (71.6 m) Beam 23 ft 6 in (7.2 m) Draught 13 ft 2 in (4.0 m) Installed power 2,400 bhp (1,800 kW) (diesel) 1,600 hp (1,200 kW) (electric) Propulsion 2 × diesel engines 2 × electric motors Speed 17 kn (31 km/h; 20 mph) surfaced 10.5 kn (19.4 km/h; 12.1 mph) submerged Range 4,500 nmi (8,300 km; 5,200 mi) at 8 kn (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) on the surface Test depth 150 feet (45.7 m) Complement 44 Armament 6 × bow 21 in (533 mm) torpedo tubes 2 × 4-inch deck guns

**HMS *L56*** was a late-model [L-class submarine](/source/British_L_class_submarine) built for the [Royal Navy](/source/Royal_Navy) during the First World War. The boat was not completed before the end of the war and was sold for [scrap](/source/Ship_breaking) in 1938.

## Design and description

*L52* and its successors were modified to maximise the number of [21-inch (53.3 cm)](/source/British_21_inch_torpedo) torpedoes carried in the bow. The submarine had a length of 235 feet (71.6 m) [overall](/source/Length_overall), a [beam](/source/Beam_(nautical)) of 23 feet 6 inches (7.2 m) and a mean [draft](/source/Draft_(ship)) of 13 feet 2 inches (4.0 m).[1] They [displaced](/source/Displacement_(ship)) 960 long tons (980 t) on the surface and 1,150 long tons (1,170 t) submerged. The L-class submarines had a crew of 44 officers and [ratings](/source/Naval_rating).[2] They had a diving depth of 150 feet (45.7 m).[3]

For surface running, the boats were powered by two 12-cylinder [Vickers](/source/Vickers)[4] 1,200-[brake-horsepower](/source/Horsepower#Brake_horsepower) (895 kW) [diesel engines](/source/Diesel_engine), each driving one [propeller shaft](/source/Propeller_shaft). When submerged each propeller was driven by a 600-horsepower (447 kW) [electric motor](/source/Electric_motor). They could reach 17 [knots](/source/Knot_(unit)) (31 km/h; 20 mph) on the surface and 10.5 knots (19.4 km/h; 12.1 mph) underwater. On the surface, the L class had a range of 4,200 [nautical miles](/source/Nautical_mile) (7,800 km; 4,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph).[1]

The boats were armed with six 21-inch [torpedo tubes](/source/Torpedo_tube) in the bow. They carried eight reload torpedoes for a grand total of a dozen torpedoes.[5] They were also armed with two 4-inch (102 mm) [deck guns](/source/Deck_gun).[2]

## Construction and career

HMS *L56* was [laid down](/source/Laid_down) on 16 October 1917 by [Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company](/source/Fairfield_Shipbuilding_and_Engineering_Company) at their [Govan](/source/Govan) [shipyard](/source/Shipyard), [launched](/source/Ship_naming_and_launching) on 29 May 1919, and completed on 3 September 1919. The boat was sold for scrap on 25 March 1938.

## Notes

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-gg9_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-gg9_1-1) Gardiner & Gray, p. 94

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-a5_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-a5_2-1) Akermann, p. 165

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Harrison, Chapter 11

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Harrison, Chapter 25

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Harrison, Chapter 27

## References

- Akermann, Paul (2002). *Encyclopaedia of British Submarines 1901–1955* (reprint of the 1989 ed.). Penzance, Cornwall: Periscope Publishing. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [1-904381-05-7](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/1-904381-05-7).

- [Colledge, J. J.](/source/J._J._Colledge); Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969]. [*Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of All Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy from the 15th Century to the Present*](/source/Ships_of_the_Royal_Navy) (3rd Rev ed.). London: Chatham Publishing. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-86176-281-8](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-86176-281-8). [OCLC](/source/OCLC_(identifier)) [67375475](https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/67375475).

- Gardiner, Robert & Gray, Randal, eds. (1985). *Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921*. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-85177-245-5](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-85177-245-5).

- 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). RN Subs. Retrieved 27 September 2022.

v t e British L-class submarines Royal Navy L1 class L1 L2 L3 L4 L5 L6 L7 L8 L9 class L9 L10 L11 L12 L14 L15 L16 L17 L18 L19 L20 L21 L22 L23 L24 L25 L26 L27 L28N L29N L30N L31N L32N L33 L34X L35X L50 class L50X L51X L52 L53 L54 L55 L56 L57X L58X L59X L60X L61X L62X L63X L64X L65X L66X L67X L68X L69 L70X L71 L72X L73X L74X Soviet Navy Bezbozhnik (ex-L55) Preceded by: J class Followed by: M class N Not completed X Cancelled List of submarines of the Royal Navy List of submarine classes of the Royal Navy

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