E29 Events

[yellow]

Has anyone got any details on these two events concerning the submraine E29:

1. 19th June 1918: Involved in minor incident with E55 when E29 was attacked in error.

2. Unsuccessful attack on U-Boat whilst part of Harwich Flotilla 1918.

Many thanks in advance,

Steve.

[J T Gray]

You could try PMing Dirty Dick, he's into submarines (as it were).

For some reason ther is suddenly a lot of interest in E-class subs these last few days - Wonder why?

Adrian

[ashton]

Hi Steve

From "A Dammed Un-English Weapon by Edward Grey" - so somewhat dramatised (see yesterdays E50 post.)

Lt Blacklock in the Harwich Flotilla's E.29 also had a brush with a U-boat but, on this occasion, the enemy got away. It was a thrilling chase and one which exemplified the courage of the British submarine captains in their dangerous task. The U-boat was sighted on the surface at 1,ooo yards but, as Ronnie Blacklock took E.29 down to attack, the U-boat commander sighted the British submarine and began diving at precisely the same time. Now that both boats were submerged it became a game of blindman's buff and Blacklock used the hydrophones to pick up the sound and direction of the U-boat's engines. `If we pick him up,' he told the crew, `we'll try to ram him underwater.' Fortunately for E.29 the enemy boat was not located and, after a long search, the hunt was called off. Had she rammed the enemy as Blacklock intended it is highly likely that she would have plunged to the bottom alongside her victim.

No exact date is given but sometime in October 1918.

Nothing on the first incident.

Adrian, it's nothing sinister I'm not really trying to increase the interest in my book before it goes on Ebay.

regards

Derek Riley

[J T Gray]

Adrian, it's nothing sinister I'm not really trying to increase the interest in my book before it goes on Ebay.

In which case I shan't ask whether it says anything about E22, which may well have tried to ram it's adverasary before it was torpedoed...

Adrian

[ashton]

Adrian, in the cause of shameless Book promotion (or perhaps fast track promotion to a second stripe) I will tell you anyway.

There are a couple of pages of description of the East Coast bombardment on the 25 April which are of course in the usual exciting style. These conclude with "On balance the Germans had scored a victory, U-boats from the Flanders Flotilla were patrolling the area to cover Hipper's return across the North Sea when one of them, UB-18, located E.22 and, at 11.4S am precisely, a well-aimed torpedo sent the British submarine to the bottom."

Sadly no description of the Ramming incident but as I have said It favours style over content.

regards

Derek

[J T Gray]

Ah well, never mind,I do have one good description of the incident so all is not lost. Thanks for looking!

Adrian

[Lörscher]

Hi Steve,

the E 55 (Lt. James L. Boyd) tried to attack the E 29 (LCdr. Colin Cantlie) on 19.06.18, but was able to identify her "target" early enough to evade an "friendly fire incident". This was in the Doggerbank area.

The attack from E 29 against an german U-boat was on 18.10.1916, at 09.45h north of Schouwen Bank LV.

The E 29 (LCdr. Herbert W. Shove) attacked an german UC-type with 2 torpedoes and fired an third later, but missed.

This U-boat had yet to be identified.

Oliver

[ashton]

Adrian

One more snippet from "British warship losses of the 20th Century" - Paul Kemp:

E.22 was proceeding to sea in company with three other submarines when she was attacked by UB18 (Kapitanleutnant Otto Steinbrinck). Steinbrinck's first torpedo missed and E.22 turned towards her assailant as if to ram. UB18 went under E.22, catching her net cutter on E.22's hull as she did so. Steinbrinck was not deterred and fired again: his second torpedo hit the submarine which sank very quickly leaving two men, ERA F. Buckingham and Signalman Harrod, in the water. By coincidence E.22 had been fitted with a wooden platform on her casing for carrying aircraft. The splintered remains of this wooden planking kept Buckingham and Harrod afloat until UB18 surfaced to rescue them.

There is also a rather poor picture of E22 showing the seaplane platform.

Regards

Derek