British H and L Class Submarines

[sitalkes]

Anybody got any information what the British H and L Class submarines were doing in summer and autumn 1940? Their logs are in the National Archives but haven't been digitised. U-boat.net has the full details on all the other British submarines, but on these there is only the commanding officer history.

L Class - 890 / 1080 BRT
HMS L 23 (N 23)
HMS L 26 (N 26)
HMS L 27 (N 27) 15 Oct 1940: HMS L 27 attacked a German convoy in the English Channel off Cape Barfleur, France. All torpedoes fired missed their target.

H Class - 423/510 BRT. This class was mainly used for training. Actions off Brest and the Dutch coast are mentioned though.

HMS H 44 (N 44) the ship's log for H44 September 1940 http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.u ... i=C3859509 can be viewed by visiting the National Archives, it has not been digitised.
HMS H 28 (N 28)
HMS H 31 (N 31)
HMS H 32 (N 32)
HMS H 33 (N 33)
HMS H 34 (N 34)
HMS H 43 (N 43)
HMS H 49 (N 49) Lost on 18 Oct 1940
HMS H 50 (N 50)

[Urmel]

Have you looked here?

http://www.rnsubs.co.uk/Boats/BoatDB2/index.php

[sitalkes]

Thanks for that, lots of good information about the submarines there, but no extra information about whether they were being used as training boats or what during 1940

[Felix C]

There was a wonderful site with much detail. Still accessible via the wayback machine.

here is a view from 2007 https://web.archive.org/web/20071006145 ... lcraft/sm/

Info on L-27
Completed at Chatham Dockyard, commissioned 25-Mar-26. Nov 39-Apr 41- 5th Flotilla. Refit then to Rosyth. Sep 40 to July 41 made patrols in Bay of Biscay. While off Cherbourg on 16 Oct 40 made three torpedo hits on a 7000-ton merchant ship escorted by 7 trawlers. On 5 Nov 40 had bridge wrecked by a mine while dived. After repairs was assigned to training duties. Jun 41 - Sep 43 7th Flotilla Rothesay on Anti-Submarine Training. Sep 43 - To Royal Canadian Navy for A/S Training at Halifax and Bermuda. July 1946 sold to Metal Industries, Montreal, CA, where she was eventually scrapped.

More data in 2008
https://web.archive.org/web/20081230090 ... page4.html

It will take a bit of work but activities can be gleaned from here http://www.naval-history.net/xDKWW2-3909-06SEP01.htm

[sitalkes]

That's great, thankyou!

L23 May-Jun 40 - 3rd Flotilla Rosyth for patrols off Texel. From the end of 1941 onwards was used mostly for AS training.
L 26 May-Jun 40 - 3rd Flotilla Rosyth. 18 May 40 picked up 9 refugees in an open boat in the North Sea. Mar 41-Feb 43 - 7th Flotilla Rothesay employed in Anti-Submarine Training.
HMS H 44 (N 44) Training Flotilla at Rothesay.
HMS H 28 (N 28) Training Flotilla at Rothesay.
HMS H 31 (N 31) Training Flotilla at Rothesay
HMS H 32 (N 32) Training Flotilla at Rothesay.
HMS H 33 (N 33) Training Flotilla at Rothesay
HMS H 34 (N 34) Training Flotilla at Rothesay
HMS H 43 (N 43) Training Flotilla at Rothesay
HMS H 49 (N 49) May 1940 3rd Flotilla, Harwich. Lost on 18 Oct 1940 off Texel
HMS H 50 (N 50) Training Flotilla at Rothesay until 1941

total: 1 H and 2 L class submarines available

[Felix C]

I was researching in another site and came across this:

http://uboat.net/allies/warships/types. ... =Submarine

[Felix C]

Hello Sitalkes,

Came across more information regarding WW2 patrols of H and L class submarines. Are you interested? If so I will copy the text here in English as it from a Spanish language book about British submarines. http://www.cartamar.com/productos/subma ... 575_1.html