HMS E17

HMS E17 was a British E-class submarine built by Vickers, Barrow-in-Furness. She was laid down on 29 July 1914, launched on 16 January 1915 and was commissioned on 7 April 1915. HMS E17 was wrecked off Texel in the North Sea on 6 January 1916. Her crew were rescued by a Dutch cruiser Noordbrabant. They were interned. The conning tower of E17 is preserved as a monument at the Royal Navy Submarine Museum in Gosport, the United Kingdom.^[1]

The conning tower of E17
History
United Kingdom
Name	E17
Builder	Vickers, Barrow
Laid down	29 July 1914
Launched	16 January 1915
Commissioned	7 April 1915
Fate	Wrecked, 6 January 1916
General characteristics
Class and type	E-class submarine
Displacement	662 long tons (673 t) surfaced 807 long tons (820 t) submerged
Length	181 ft (55 m)
Beam	15 ft (4.6 m)
Propulsion	2 × 800 hp (597 kW) diesels 2 × 420 hp (313 kW) electric 2 screws
Speed	15.25 knots (28.24 km/h; 17.55 mph) surfaced 10.25 knots (18.98 km/h; 11.80 mph) submerged
Range	3,000 nmi (5,600 km) at 10 kn (19 km/h; 12 mph) 65 nmi (120 km) at 5 kn (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph)
Complement	31
Armament	5 × 18-inch (450 mm) torpedo tubes (2 bow, 2 beam, 1 stern) 1 × 12-pounder gun

Design

Like all post-E8 British E-class submarines, E17 had a displacement of 662 long tons (673 t) at the surface and 807 long tons (820 t) while submerged. She had a total length of 180 feet (55 m)^[2] and a beam of 22 feet 8.5 inches (6.922 m). She was powered by two 800 horsepower (600 kW) Vickers eight-cylinder two-stroke diesel engines and two 420 horsepower (310 kW) electric motors.^[3][4] The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph) and a submerged speed of 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). British E-class submarines had fuel capacities of 50 long tons (51 t) of diesel and ranges of 3,255 miles (5,238 km; 2,829 nmi) when travelling at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph).^[2] E17 was capable of operating submerged for five hours when travelling at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph).

As with most of the early E-class boats, E17 was not fitted with a deck gun during construction, but probably had one fitted later forward of the conning tower. She had five 18-inch (450 mm) torpedo tubes, two in the bow, one either side amidships, and one in the stern; a total of 10 torpedoes were carried.^[3]

E-class submarines had wireless systems with 1 kilowatt (1.3 hp) power ratings; in some submarines, these were later upgraded to 3 kilowatts (4.0 hp) systems by removing a midship torpedo tube. Their maximum design depth was 100 feet (30 m) although in service some reached depths of below 200 feet (61 m). Some submarines contained Fessenden oscillator systems.^[2]

Her complement was three officers and 28 men.^[2]