B Class

A class of eleven boats, all built by the Barrow shipyard. Fitted with forward hydroplanes, which improved both the surface running and dived control of the submarine.

At the outbreak of hostilities with Turkey in 1914, the allies imposed a blockade on the Dardanelles . By December 1914, a large flotilla of ships of all types were gathered in the harbour at Mudros on the Greek island of Limnos. Amongst them were three British B class submarines B9, B10 and B11.

Under the command of Lieutenant Norman Halbrook, B11 entered the Dardanelles on December the 13 th 1914. Notwithstanding the very difficult currents, he dived his boat under five rows of mines, and torpedoed the Turkish coastal defence ship Messudiyeh in Sari Siglar bay, which was guarding the minefield.

Although attacked by both shore gunfire and torpedo boats, Lieutenant Holbrook brought his boat back safely, having been submerged on one occasion for nine hours.

Lieutenant Holbrook was awarded the Victoria Cross, the first ever for a submariner, his First Lieutenant, Lieutenant Sydney Winn the Distinguished Service Order, whilst the ships company were all awarded the Distinguished Service Medal.

By the Autumn of 1915, B11 with five other boats became ineffective due to the lack of spare parts. They were transferred to the Italian Navy, who converted them into surface patrol craft (S6 - S11) at Venice. B11 was sold in Malta in 1919 for scrapping.