HMS Alaric (P441)
HMS Alaric (P441), was an Amphion-class submarine of the Royal Navy, built by Cammell Laird laid down in May 1944 and launched 18 February 1946.[1]
| History | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Ordered: | Very late in World War II |
| Builder: | Cammell Laird, Birkenhead |
| Laid down: | 31 May 1945 |
| Launched: | 18 February 1946 |
| Commissioned: | 11 December 1946 |
| Decommissioned: | 1971 |
| Fate: | Sold to be broken up for scrap on 24 June 1971; Scrapped at Inverkeithing in July 1971 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | Amphion class submarine |
| Displacement: |
|
| Length: | 293 ft 6 in (89.46 m) |
| Beam: | 22 ft 4 in (6.81 m) |
| Draught: | 18 ft 1 in (5.51 m) |
| Propulsion: | 2 × 2,150 hp Admiralty ML 8-cylinder diesel engine, 2 × 625 hp electric motors for submergence driving two shafts |
| Speed: |
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| Range: |
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| Test depth: | 350 ft (110 m) |
| Complement: | 5 officers 55 enlisted |
| Armament: |
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Design
Like all Amphion-class submarines, Alaric had a displacement of 1,360 tonnes (1,500 short tons) when at the surface and 1,590 tonnes (1,750 short tons) while submerged. It had a total length of 293 feet 6 inches (89.46 m), a beam length of 22 feet 4 inches (6.81 m), and a draught length of 18 feet 1 inch (5.51 m). The submarine was powered by two Admiralty ML eight-cylinder diesel engines generating a power of 2,150 horsepower (1,600 kW) each. It also contained four electric motors each producing 625 horsepower (466 kW) that drove two shafts.[2] It could carry a maximum of 219 tonnes (241 short tons) of diesel, although it usually carried between 159 and 165 tonnes (175 and 182 short tons).[2]
The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 18.5 knots (34.3 km/h; 21.3 mph) and a submerged speed of 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph).[3] When submerged, it could operate at 3 knots (5.6 km/h; 3.5 mph) for 90 nautical miles (170 km; 100 mi) or at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) for 16 nautical miles (30 km; 18 mi). When surfaced, it was able to travel 15,200 nautical miles (28,200 km; 17,500 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) or 10,500 nautical miles (19,400 km; 12,100 mi) at 11 knots (20 km/h; 13 mph).[2] Alaric was fitted with ten 21 inches (530 mm) torpedo tubes, one QF 4 inch naval gun Mk XXIII, one Oerlikon 20 mm cannon, and a .303 British Vickers machine gun. Its torpedo tubes were fitted to the bow and stern, and it could carry twenty torpedoes. Its complement was sixty-one crew members.[2]
Service
Alaric served on the home station all her life and was modernised in the 1960s. In 1953 she took part in the Fleet Review to celebrate the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.[4] In 1968 she was part of the First Submarine Squadron based at HMS Dolphin and took part in Navy Days at Portsmouth during that year.[5] Following decommissioning, Alaric was sold to Thos W Ward for scrapping at Inverkeithing, arriving there in July 1971.
Commanding officers
| From | To | Captain |
|---|---|---|
| 1953 | 1953 | Lieutenant-Commander A J D'A Burdett RN |
| 1960 | 1961 | Lieutenant-Commander G A S Paul RN |
| 1965 | 1966 | Lieutenant-Commander A E Thomson RN |
| 1968 | 1968 | Lieutenant-Commander D H Barraclough RN |
References
- "Alaric". Uboat.net. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
- Paul Akermann (1 November 2002). Encyclopedia of British Submarines 1901-1955. Periscope Publishing Ltd. p. 422. ISBN 978-1-904381-05-1.
- "Acheron class". World Naval Ships, Cranston Fine Arts. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
- Souvenir Programme, Coronation Review of the Fleet, Spithead, 15 June 1953, HMSO, Gale and Polden
- Programme, Navy Days at Portsmouth 31 August–September 2nd 1968, p.21.
Publications
- Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969]. Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy (Rev. ed.). London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN 978-1-86176-281-8.