The Submarine Heritage Centre - Thames Class

Sponsorship Comments

Commissioned by Cameron and Beryl Douglas and their Grandsons, Thomas Dent and James Irwin. “In tribute to the Shipwrights – past and present”.

Thames Technical Facts:

- Builder: Vickers Armstrong Limited
- Pennant Number: N71
- Yard Number: 672
- Ordered: 1st September 1930
- Launched: 26th January 1932
- Completed: 14th September 1932
- Dimensions (in feet): Length: 345 ft. Beam: 28 ft. Draught: 18 ft 11".
- Machinery: Two 10 cylinder diesel engines: 7,500bhp. Two electric motors 2,500bhp Twin shafts.
- Speed: Surfaced 22.5 knots, Submerged 10 knots.
- Endurance: 12,000 nautical miles at 8 knots surfaced.
- Armaments: 6 x 21 inch bow torpedo tubes, 12 torpedoes carried. 1 x 4 inch QF gun. 120 rounds carried.
- Complement: 61.
- Cost: £400,745
- Notes: Thames was the first diesel boat to exceed 22 knots.

Historical Facts:

A further attempt to develop a fleet submarine similar to the K-boats, but with diesel engines for propulsion. These submarines, were by the standards of the day very comfortable, but lightly armed for their displacement.

The original intention was for a class of twenty boats, but a change of thinking on submarine construction, and the very high cost of these boats restricted the class to just three boats.

World War II

Thames

1939 - 2nd Submarine Flotilla based at Dundee – Scotland.
1940 - July 23rd struck a mine and sank of Norway.

Clyde and Severn

1939 - At Free Town, Siera Leone.
1940 - 2nd Submarine Flotilla based at Dundee – Scotland.
1941 - Mediterranean – Alexandria. Employed as cargo carriers for the besieged island of Malta (George Cross). September 1941, Clyde carried a total of 1,200 tons of supplies.
1944 - Sent to the Eastern Fleet.

All three submarines were badly underused during the Norwegian Campaign – they were to large.

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