O 8-class submarine

Design history [1]

One of 20 H 1-class submarines completed by dockyards in Canada and the United States for the Royal Navy. It was of the "single hull"-type (ballast tanks were located within the pressure hull).

H 6 served with the Harwich Submarine Force and had the misfortune to become stranded off the island Schiermonnikoog in January 1916. She was interned and later purchased by the Netherlands. This boat, together with the German submarine UC 8 (which was similarly interned and became M 1 in the RNethNavy), gave the Dutch valuable insight into wartime submarine design. Studying these boats laid the foundation for the development of submarines during the next decades. O 8 was refitted in 1916-1917 based on insights gained by studying M 1.

The O 8 was still in active service during 1939 - 1940 and used as a training boat (thus replacing O 7), but considered too old for front line service. She didn't see action during May, 1940. At the time of the evacuation, she was deemed to old and useless to make the crossing to the United Kingdom in May, 1940, and apparently not even warranted thorough destruction.

[1]: From [JAL] unless otherwise noted.
[2]: [JAL] says the H 6 was of the H 21-type. [LFL] classifies the boat as H 1-type. The H 21-type was considerably bigger, 440 tons versus 368 tons.

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Construction details [1]

Name O 8

Dockyard Canadian Vickers & Company, Montreal (Canada)

Dockyard number ?

Ordered ?

Laid down 1915

Launched May 12, 1915^[2]

Commissioned June 10, 1915 (Royal Navy)^[2]
May 7, 1917 (RNethN)^[3]

[1]: From [JAL] unless otherwise noted. Confirmed by other sources unless otherwise noted.
[2]: From [UBN].
[3]: [MB36] says May 1, 1917.

Specifications [1]

Displacement 368 tons surfaced^[2]
440 tons submerged

Crew 26

Dimensions 46,20 (over all) x 4,86 x 3,87 m

Armament (as designed) 1 x 37 mm^[3]
1 x machinegun No.3

Torpedoes 4 x 450 mm bow tubes
8 x 450 mm torpedoes^[4] Type I⁴⁵ and II⁴⁵.

Maximum depth 40 m

[1]: From [JAL] unless otherwise noted. Confirmed by other sources unless otherwise noted
[2]: [MB36] says 341 tons standard.
[3]: [MB36] only mentions a machinegun. The 37 mm may have been removed by then.
[4]: Torpedo types from [MOH].

Propulsion details [1]

Machinery 2 x Nelseco 4-stroke 8-cylinder diesel engines
2 x electrical engines

Performance 480 shp (diesels)
320 shp (electrical engines)

Shafts 2

Bunkerage ?

Batteries 120 battery cells

Range 1350 nautical miles at 12 knots (surfaced)
1600 nautical miles at 10 knots (surfaced)
24 nautical miles at 8 knots (submerged)

Maximum speed 13 knots (surfaced)
8 knots (submerged)^[2]

[1]: From [JAL] unless otherwise noted. Confirmed by other sources unless otherwise noted.
[2]: [LFL] says 10 knots submerged for this class.

History [1]

Stranded off Schiermonnikoog on January 19, 1916.
Refloaded February 22, 1916.
Purchase agreement reached between Dutch and British governments May 4, 1916.
Commissioned in Royal Netherlands Navy May 7, 1917
Active service September 1939 - May 1940. At sea May 10-12, 1940, but did not see action.
Decommissioned May 12, 1940, moored alongside depot ship Cornelis Drebbel.
Captured at Den Helder May, 1940.^[2]
Commissioned in the Kriegsmarine as UD 1 on November 20, 1940. See further Uboat.net.
Decommissioned November 23, 1943.
Scuttled Kiel (Germany) on May 3, 1945.
Raised and scrapped (dates unknown).

[1]: From [JAL], [GB110] unless otherwise noted. Confirmed by other sources unless otherwise noted.
[2]: Some sources mention that O 8 was destroyed. [GB110] mentions specifically that she was captured undamaged. If damage was done, it was persumably only minor.

Sources

JAL P.C. Jalhay/J.J.A. Wijn "Ik nader ongezien! - De onderzeeboten van de Koninklijke Marine" (1997)

LFL H.M. Le Fleming "Warships of World War I", published 1961.

MB36 Departement van Defensie, "Jaarboek van de Koninklijke Marine 1936-1937" (1938).

MOH J.M. Mohrmann "Marine torpedodienst 1875-2000" (2000).

UBN Uboat.net

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Design history [1]
One of 20 H 1-class submarines completed by dockyards in Canada and the United States for the Royal Navy. It was of the "single hull"-type (ballast tanks were located within the pressure hull). H 6 served with the Harwich Submarine Force and had the misfortune to become stranded off the island Schiermonnikoog in January 1916. She was interned and later purchased by the Netherlands. This boat, together with the German submarine UC 8 (which was similarly interned and became M 1 in the RNethNavy), gave the Dutch valuable insight into wartime submarine design. Studying these boats laid the foundation for the development of submarines during the next decades. O 8 was refitted in 1916-1917 based on insights gained by studying M 1. The O 8 was still in active service during 1939 - 1940 and used as a training boat (thus replacing O 7), but considered too old for front line service. She didn't see action during May, 1940. At the time of the evacuation, she was deemed to old and useless to make the crossing to the United Kingdom in May, 1940, and apparently not even warranted thorough destruction.
[1]: From [JAL] unless otherwise noted. [2]: [JAL] says the H 6 was of the H 21-type. [LFL] classifies the boat as H 1-type. The H 21-type was considerably bigger, 440 tons versus 368 tons.

Construction details [1]
Name	O 8
Dockyard	Canadian Vickers & Company, Montreal (Canada)
Dockyard number	?
Ordered	?
Laid down	1915
Launched	May 12, 1915^[2]
Commissioned	June 10, 1915 (Royal Navy)^[2] May 7, 1917 (RNethN)^[3]
[1]: From [JAL] unless otherwise noted. Confirmed by other sources unless otherwise noted. [2]: From [UBN]. [3]: [MB36] says May 1, 1917.

Specifications [1]
Displacement	368 tons surfaced^[2] 440 tons submerged
Crew	26
Dimensions	46,20 (over all) x 4,86 x 3,87 m
Armament (as designed)	1 x 37 mm^[3] 1 x machinegun No.3
Torpedoes	4 x 450 mm bow tubes 8 x 450 mm torpedoes^[4] Type I⁴⁵ and II⁴⁵.
Maximum depth	40 m
[1]: From [JAL] unless otherwise noted. Confirmed by other sources unless otherwise noted [2]: [MB36] says 341 tons standard. [3]: [MB36] only mentions a machinegun. The 37 mm may have been removed by then. [4]: Torpedo types from [MOH].

Propulsion details [1]
Machinery	2 x Nelseco 4-stroke 8-cylinder diesel engines 2 x electrical engines
Performance	480 shp (diesels) 320 shp (electrical engines)
Shafts	2
Bunkerage	?
Batteries	120 battery cells
Range	1350 nautical miles at 12 knots (surfaced) 1600 nautical miles at 10 knots (surfaced) 24 nautical miles at 8 knots (submerged)
Maximum speed	13 knots (surfaced) 8 knots (submerged)^[2]
[1]: From [JAL] unless otherwise noted. Confirmed by other sources unless otherwise noted. [2]: [LFL] says 10 knots submerged for this class.

History [1]
Stranded off Schiermonnikoog on January 19, 1916. Refloaded February 22, 1916. Purchase agreement reached between Dutch and British governments May 4, 1916. Commissioned in Royal Netherlands Navy May 7, 1917 Active service September 1939 - May 1940. At sea May 10-12, 1940, but did not see action. Decommissioned May 12, 1940, moored alongside depot ship Cornelis Drebbel. Captured at Den Helder May, 1940.^[2] Commissioned in the Kriegsmarine as UD 1 on November 20, 1940. See further Uboat.net. Decommissioned November 23, 1943. Scuttled Kiel (Germany) on May 3, 1945. Raised and scrapped (dates unknown).
[1]: From [JAL], [GB110] unless otherwise noted. Confirmed by other sources unless otherwise noted. [2]: Some sources mention that O 8 was destroyed. [GB110] mentions specifically that she was captured undamaged. If damage was done, it was persumably only minor.

Sources
JAL	P.C. Jalhay/J.J.A. Wijn "Ik nader ongezien! - De onderzeeboten van de Koninklijke Marine" (1997)
LFL	H.M. Le Fleming "Warships of World War I", published 1961.
MB36	Departement van Defensie, "Jaarboek van de Koninklijke Marine 1936-1937" (1938).
MOH	J.M. Mohrmann "Marine torpedodienst 1875-2000" (2000).
UBN	Uboat.net