Frendly fire from torpedoes

[Sgt Stripes]

. In 1910 while on Manoeuvres, the French Battleship PATRIE  accidently launched a Torpedo that hit her sister ship the REPUBLIQUE. Did any similar accidents happen during WW1 to any Royal Navy Ships.   

[Felix C]

Torpedoes exploded in harbour during the GW on both sides. Sinking the vessels involved. Not exactly what you refer to though.

[michaeldr]

Not quite what you're after, but there was a case in the Dardanelles campaign where a submarine (E11) was nearly hit by one of its own torpedoes (due to a capsized Gyro)

 

[seaJane]

Only know of a WW2 incident.

[Sgt Stripes]

Hello and thanks for your replies. I am looking for any accidental incidents concerning running torpedoes that caused damaged to Royal Naval ships in harbour or at sea. Thank you.     

[specster]

17 hours ago, seaJane said:

Only know of a WW2 incident.

There were many incidents in that war...both ways...submarines and airplanes firing at friendlies   and friendlies firing at their own submarines

[seaJane]

51 minutes ago, specster said:

There were many incidents in that war...both ways...submarines and airplanes firing at friendlies   and friendlies firing at their own submarines

 

But only in WW2 did a ship torpedo itself.

[Hyacinth1326]

...loads of 'nearly' submarine  incidents in the Staff History Monographs. Not many involving torpedoes though. We have H5 and after that, J6 and Cymric...and just when you would think lessons had been learned in 1939 we have Triton and Oxley.  Never a good idea for two submarines to be in the same billet.

Edited 9 March , 2019 by Hyacinth1326

[Felix C]

The reason it may not happen at sea on a surface ship is torpedo tubes needed to be trained outward and the tubes prepared to launch the torpedoes in terms of charging the system. 

That is a lot of work for an accidental launch. 

Exception being heavies with fixed tubes. That also involved some prep to launch.

In either case one would ID the opposite as an adversary to launch. Torpedoes did not have great range. Seems RN torpedoes truly under performed in WW1. Read of quite a few poor runs.

Edited 9 March , 2019 by Felix C

[TeeCeeCee]

19 hours ago, seaJane said:

 

But only in WW2 did a ship torpedo itself.

The USS Tang also torpedoed herself. 

[seaJane]

Ah, thanks - I should have specified RN.

[specster]

20 hours ago, seaJane said:

 

But only in WW2 did a ship torpedo itself.

By ship are you saying a Destroyer or a Submarine ? (usually called a boat).  I know of at least one sub in WW2 that was hit by a torpedo it fired...usually submarines are referred to as "Boats"  (even though  they were usually  not)....Not trying to give you a hard time.  I know 1 sub for sure got hit by a torpedo it fired in the PTO...That Mark  14 was a real winner!...I am just now looking up and TCC nailed it  - USS Tang.

 

The Japanese "Long lance" had incredible range but, without on board guidance,  its pretty had to hit any ship at 5 plus miles - even if still   It had guidance but it only kept in the course it was fired...it did not self correct once deployed

 

[TeeCeeCee]

2 hours ago, seaJane said:

Ah, thanks - I should have specified RN.

Sorry sj if that came across somewhat badly. I just remembered Tang had sunk herself by a circling torpedo. 

[seaJane]

No worries chaps, just this being a WW1 forum I was trying not to extend the discussion (without success I see). 

 

The ship (definitely ship) I meant was HMS TRINIDAD:.   

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Trinidad_(46)

[rolt968]

As a matter of interest:

Some CMBs launched their torpedoes tail first down a chute at the stern and then went full ahead and swerved out of the way (I believe). Were there any cases where the boat didn't get out of the way fast enough?

RM