HMS L4

History
Name:	HMS L4
Builder:	Vickers Limited, Barrow-in-Furness
Laid down:	21 June 1916
Commissioned:	26 December 1918
Fate:	Sold for scrapping, 24 February 1934
General characteristics
Class and type:	L-class submarine
Displacement:	891 long tons (905 t) surfaced 1,074 long tons (1,091 t) submerged
Length:	231 ft 1 in (70.4 m)
Beam:	23 ft 6 in (7.2 m)
Draught:	13 ft 3 in (4.0 m)
Installed power:	2,400 bhp (1,800 kW) (diesel) 1,600 hp (1,200 kW) (electric)
Propulsion:	2 × diesel engines 2 × electric motors
Speed:	17 kn (31 km/h; 20 mph) surfaced 10.5 kn (19.4 km/h; 12.1 mph) submerged
Range:	3,800 nmi (7,000 km; 4,400 mi) at 10 kn (19 km/h; 12 mph) on the surface
Test depth:	100 feet (30.5 m)
Complement:	35
Armament:	6 × 18 in (457 mm) torpedo tubes (4 bow, 2 beam) 1 × 4-inch deck gun

HMS L4 was a L-class submarine built for the Royal Navy during World War I. The boat survived the war and was sold for scrap in 1934.

Design and description

The L-class boats were enlarged and improved versions of the preceding E class. The submarine had a length of 231 feet 1 inch (70.4 m) overall, a beam of 23 feet 6 inches (7.2 m) and a mean draft of 13 feet 3 inches (4.0 m). They displaced 891 long tons (905 t) on the surface and 1,074 long tons (1,091 t) submerged. The L-class submarines had a crew of 35 officers and ratings.^[1]

For surface running, the boats were powered by two 12-cylinder Vickers^[2] 1,200-brake-horsepower (895 kW) diesel engines, each driving one propeller shaft. When submerged each propeller was driven by a 600-horsepower (447 kW) electric motor.^[1] They could reach 17 knots (31 km/h; 20 mph) on the surface and 10.5 knots (19.4 km/h; 12.1 mph) underwater.^[3] On the surface, the L class had a range of 3,200 nautical miles (5,900 km; 3,700 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph).^[1]

The boats were armed with a total of six 18-inch (45 cm) torpedo tubes. Four of these were in the bow and the remaining pair in broadside mounts. They carried 10 reload torpedoes, all for the bow tubes.^[4] They were also armed with a 4-inch (102 mm) deck gun.^[5]

Construction and career

Spear taken from the pirates who had seized SS Irene

HMS L4 was built by Vickers, Barrow. She was laid down on 21 June 1916 and was commissioned on 26 December 1918. On 20 October 1927 off Hong Kong, L4 and HMS L5 rescued crew of the merchant ship SS Irene from a pirate attack after firing her deck gun. HMS L4 was sold on 24 February 1934 and then broken up in Charlestown, Fife.

Notes

References

• Akermann, Paul (2002). Encyclopaedia of British Submarines 1901–1955 (reprint of the 1989 ed.). Penzance, Cornwall: Periscope Publishing. ISBN 1-904381-05-7. 
• 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. OCLC 67375475. 
• Gardiner, Robert & Gray, Randal, eds. (1984). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships: 1906–1921. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-85177-245-5. 
• Harrison, A. N. (January 1979). "The Development of HM Submarines From Holland No. 1 (1901) to Porpoise (1930) (BR3043)". Submariners Association: Barrow in Furness Branch. Retrieved 19 August 2015. 

Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in 1927
Shipwrecks	25 Feb: Artemis 11 Mar: El Sol 5 Aug: Chiyoda, O-2 18 Aug: Hennepin 21 Oct: Irene 25 Oct: Principessa Mafalda 28 Oct: Fortuna 3 Nov: Greycliffe 21 Nov: Georgia 7 Dec: Kamloops 17 Dec: USS S-4 30 Dec: Seneca
Other incidents	29 Jan: Celtic 6 Mar: USCGC Seminole 11 Mar: Sac City 1 May: USS Colorado 2 May: Astoria 24 Aug: Jintsū 19 Oct: Irene 20 Oct: Irene, HMS L4, HMS L5 3 Nov: Tahiti 8 Nov: Catala 27 Nov: Wahehe November (unknown date): Hougomont 12 Dec: HSwMS Fylgia 16 Dec: Equity 17 Dec: USCGC Paulding 31 Dec: Consul Horn Unknown date: America
1926 1928