The FReeper Foxhole Remembers John Waldron and The Battle of Midway (6/4/1942) - June 4th, 2003

http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/pers-us/uspers-w/j-waldrn.htm ^

[snippy_about_it]

wow!

[aomagrat]

HMS K5

HMS K6

HMS K9

HMS K15

Wednesday’s weird warship, HMS “K” class submarines

Displacement. Surface 1880, Submerged 2650
Lenght. 337’
Beam. 26’6”
Draft. 16’
Complement. 60
Speed. Surface 24 k., Submerged 9.5 k.
Armament. 1 4”; 1 3”, 1 dct.

The story of the K class submarines is a huge disaster. The idea of an oil fired, steam driven submarine seems so ridiculous as to prove the Royal Navy was hopelessly incompetent.

In 1915, Admiral Sir John Jellicoe asked the Admiralty for a new class of fleet submarine capable of accompanying the battlefleet to sea. This required a minimum speed of 21 knots. The diesel engines of the day were capable of only 19 knots at their best, so the Royal Navy decided on steam. Steam powered submarines were not a new concept. By 1914 the French (why does that not surprise me) were operating several classes of steam submarines.

To meet the requirement for speed, a pair of steam turbines developing 10,000 hp, using steam generated by two Yarrow boilers, was used. An 800 hp diesel engine drove a 700 hp dynamo to supply electric current. A 386 cell battery was used to provide power to two 700 hp electric motors for use while submerged. 17 K class submarines were built.

Soon after entering service, the problems arose. They were much larger and complicated than any previous submarines. The ease with which they could operate on the surface with the battlefleet was greatly exaggerated. A K class officer said that “they handled like destroyers but had the bridge facilities of a picket boat.” The view from the conning tower was limited because it was too close to the water, and the submarine itself was equally difficult to spot from surface ships. The K’s were built with a flush bow and they took a lot of water when steaming at speed in rough weather. It was soon discovered that a heavy wave taken over the bow would cause the submarine to submerge on its own, and due to its high speed, it could easily go beyond its crush depth before it began to respond to the diving planes. All of the K’s were retrofitted with a prominent “swan bow” to correct this problem.

To dive the ship, the procedure was to shut down the boilers, lower the funnels into wells in the superstructure and then clutch in the electric motors and the 386 cell battery. The funnels folded down into their wells in only 30 seconds, but there were also a number of quadruple mushroom capped ventilators to be secured, and any small obstruction, such as any small piece of debris could keep the ventilator from closing properly. With the ship submerged, there was no place for the heat from the boilers to go, and the ships became quite hot.

The K class were involved in a number of accidents, and talk of a “jinx” soon went around the fleet. Of the 17 built, 5 were lost from 1917 to 1921. The biggest blot on their reputation was the so called “Battle of May Island” in the Firth of Forth on 31 January 1918. Two flotillas of K class submarines were steaming at high speed without lights. K14’s helm jammed and she was rammed by K22, throwing the flotillas into confusion. A squadron of battlecruisers coming up astern steamed right into the milling submarines. In the confusion, HMS Inflexible rammed K22. HMS Fearless rammed K14, cutting her in half. K6 rammed K8. K17 rammed K8. K4 was rammed and sunk by an unknown battlecruiser or submarine.

The K class submarine remained in service for less than 8 years. The K class submarines were a bold attempt to integrate the submarine with surface ship operations. The high speed plant of the K class required large quantities of air to provide sufficient draft for the boilers, and produced a great amount of heat. That meant large ventilators and funnels, each set of which had to be closed as tightly as possible when diving. Any failure of procedure was potentially fatal. The K class was the last attempt at a high speed steam powered submarine until the advent of nuclear power.

[SpookBrat]

Antique china tea cups with a red satin back ground. My eyes hurt.

If the news hadn't told me otherwise, I would say we are in a hurricane. The wind and rain is the strongest I've seen in a long time. I'm surprised my computer is still on.

[snippy_about_it]

SAM this is wonderful work you put together for the anniversary of this battle.

I see comments about Divine Providence and miracles, I think John Waldron and Torpedo Squadron Eight were the miracle. What a blessing it is to have had and I believe continue to have men like these men fighting for us.

Divine Providence for sure.

[SAMWolf]

Thanks aomagrat.

I'm surprised the Brits built that many and that they stayed in service for 8 years. It sure doesn't sound like they were capable of a crash dive.

[snippy_about_it]

ouch, red background, that could hurt. :)

Batten down the hatches and stay safe.

[SAMWolf]

Thanks you Snippy. I mentioned "Incredible Victory" on another Midway thread, the number of miracles" at Midway is incredible.

[HiJinx]

The K class were involved in a number of accidents, and talk of a “jinx” soon went around the fleet.

I may have been born there, but...and I want you to take note of this...I never...had anything to do...with those boats...the K Class. And that's the truth as I know it.

[SAMWolf]

LOL! That's what you say.

[snippy_about_it]

It couldn't have been you jinxy. They're way before your time.:)

[HiJinx]

See, Snippy knows the truth, too!
You're outnumbered, SAM!

[SAMWolf]

Current Military News
82nd Airborne

United States Army paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division deploy June 4, 2003 in the Iraqi city of Falluja, some 60 km from the capital Baghdad. Scores of U.S. tanks and military vehicles rolled into Falluja on Wednesday to tighten their grip on the Sunni city that has witnessed growing tension and clashes between residents and troops. REUTERS/Jamal Saidi


A Member of the U.S. 82nd Airborne takes an Afghan prisoner on suspicion of being Taliban and/or al Qaeda, June 2, 2003 during Operation Dragon Fury in eastern Afghanistan. U.S. forces mounted a major operation in Afghanistan this week to hunt for suspected al Qaeda and Taliban militants crossing from Pakistan, but arrested just four men on a farm. The two-day operation involving some 500 troops, was the latest in a series of actions concentrating on the east and southeast of the country. Photo by Pool/Reuters


U.S. soldiers of the 82nd Airborne march through the Showi Kowt mountains, Afghanistan June 2, 2003 during the start of Operation Dragon Fury in eastern Afghanistan. The objective of the operation, which took place in the same vicinity as Operation Anaconda, and was the largest since that March 2002 mission, was to capture remaining Taliban and Al Qaeda forces rumored to be working in the region. REUTERS/Pool


U.S. soldiers of the 82nd Airborne ride in a Chinook helicopter, June 2, 2003 at the start of Operation Dragon Fury in Bagram, Afghanistan. REUTERS/Pool

[SAMWolf]

I'm always outnumbered, Mr "K-Class" ;-)

[snippy_about_it]

Good to see pics of our troops in Afghanistan. thanks

[colorado tanker]

Thanks, Sam, for a great tribute to the "Miracle at Midway," fer shure one of my favorite battles. The battle has such a dramatic mix of courage, heroism, luck and, as was said, Providence.

IMHO, Midway was the decisive battle of the war in the Pacific - the Japanese were placed permanently on the defensive.

I also admire Adm. Nimitz's courage in deciding to risk what was left of his fleet to play offense rather than defense at Midway, despite the risks and the naysayers in Washington.

And I must say I've always been surprised that the Japenese, for all their warlord mentality, were just not very good planners and strategists. The sure made a mistake dividing their forces at Midway and not paying close enough attention to the US carriers until it was too late.

[SAMWolf]

ONe thing I've noticed in all my reading about the Japanese during World War Two, was that they always seemed to come up with over-complicated plans.

Sometimes they got lucky and things worked out anyway buit when they went wrong (like at Midway) it was a disaster.

The entire side in the Aluetians, which was to draw US resources away from Midway, failed and ended up just having Japanese carriers away from the main assault.

[colorado tanker]

ONe thing I've noticed in all my reading about the Japanese during World War Two, was that they always seemed to come up with over-complicated plans.

I agree, Sam. It's so hard to coordinate forces in the "fog of battle" that the KISS principle is the way to go.

I've never understood why the Japanese invaded the Aleutians. Did they seriously think we'd send half the Army and Navy north just because they took Attu and Kiska? C'mon, seals and snow are not strategic commodities.

[SAMWolf]

That was some miserable fighting in the Aleutians.

In the end, we could spare the resources a lot better than the Japanese could.

[colorado tanker]

Midway is one of my favorite war movies, too, although I think the human interest story was pretty lame. I like to watch Midway in video to zap those scenes and stick to the battle story line.

I did the same with Pearl Harbor and found I could actually stand to watch the movie, although Tora Tora Tora is the best movie on the subject.

I understand that some footage shot for Tora Tora Tora was actually used in the Midway movie.

[SAMWolf]