Torpedo tube on the Holland No. 5 |
||||||||
|
Holland No. 5
Protected Wreck Since 2000 The Holland No. 5 was the Royal Navy’ s first commissioned submarine, completed in 1902 as an experimental steel vessel powered by petrol for surface movement and electric for underwater movement. Part of a cautious British response to foreign submarine developments in the late 1890s, it was one of five Holland-class submarines built at Vickers Sons & Maxim Ltd, Barrow-in-Furness.
The Holland boats were built in secrecy and subjected to extensive trials. Innovations included the first practical use of a periscope, allowing submarines to observe the surface while remaining submerged – a technique that influenced
|
naval design internationally. Holland No. 5 foundered while under tow to a breakers yard on 8 August 1912, after serving its experimental purpose. Holland No. 1, housed in the RN Submarine Museum at Gosport, is an excellent pre-dive familiarisation trip.
Discovered by diver Gerry Dowd in 1995, the wreck was designated a protected site in September 2000. Surveys show the submarine largely intact on the seabed, upright with its conning tower preserved. Most internal features remain( wreck entry is forbidden), although some lighter external fittings have been lost, including the torpedo hatch in 2010. The Holland boats generated substantial documentation, which is now
|
Hatch on the Holland No. 5 |
PHOTO: GEORGE MITCHELL |
|||||
|
held at the RN Submarine Museum at Gosport, providing a unique insight into the early development of submarines.
NAS has created a virtual diver trail for the wreck, as well as waterproof materials to aid divers in navigation and monitoring, ensuring ongoing protection and engagement with this unique site. �
|
||||||||
Visitor trail guide for the Holland No. 5 |
Find out more Diving on protected wrecks allows clubs and individuals to contribute to research, gain new skills, and experience history first hand. For divers looking to plan‘ dives with a purpose’ in 2026, these sites offer unmatched opportunity to explore our underwater heritage. For more information about diving on protected wrecks and participating in any of the NAS programmes, contact the Nautical Archaeology Society: nas @ nauticalarchaeologysociety. org or tel 023 9281 8419.
|
|||||||
42 |