HMS E14

HMS "E14" was a British E class submarine built by Vickers, Barrow-in-Furness. She was laid down on 14 December 1912 and was commissioned on 18 November 1914. Her hull cost £105,700.

HMS "E14" took part in an operation to penetrate the Sea of Marmara. She successfully dived beneath the minefields and broke into the Sea of Marmara on 27 April 1915. She quickly sank the Turkish gunboat "Nurel Bahr", sinking 200 tons on May 1. She then went on to damage the minelayer "Peik I Shevket" sinking 1014 tons in a torpedo attack. Upon her return, her captain, Lieutenant Commander Courtney Boyle received the Victoria Cross.

Later in her career, her new captain, Lieutenant Commander G S White received posthumously a Victoria Cross for his actions in the Dardanelles.

HMS "E13" attacked a merchant ship on 28 January 1918. But one of her torpedoes prematurely exploded which damaged the submarine. She was forced to surface because of flooding but then came under coastal battery fire off Kum Kale. Then while attempting to beach safely, Lieutenant Commander G S White was killed by shellfire. HMS "E14" sank but fortunately, nine of her crew survived but were taken prisoner.

References

* "Submarines, War Beneath the Waves, from 1776 to the Present Day", by Robert Hutchinson ISBN 978-0-06-081900-2