Submarine wreck [c.NU 261 178] reputed to be a German 'prize' ship en route to Rosyth. Some wreckage is visible above high water. (1)(2)

Remains of 1918 wreck of British submarine which stranded near Howick in fog and has since been dispersed. This steel submarine with diesel engines, built in 1916, was on a patrol near the Dogger Bank out of her base in the River Tees. (3)

The remains of a First World War British Submarine, the G11, which crashed on in November 1918, just after armistice. It overshot Blyth, where it was due to dock, in fog and was wrecked on the rocks at Howick, just north of the bathing house. Two of the crew were lost in the wreck, one was never found and the other was recovered and buried in the churchyard at Longhoughton. The wreck was left for sometime before allegedly it was extensively salvaged and blown up. The escape hatch, parts of the steel hull and several other fragments remains of the submarine. (Citizan ID 81839). (4)

(NU 26352 17429) Wreck Site and Archaeological Remains:

Wrecked off Howick during fog, position 55 27 00N 001 35 00W approx.

24-MAR-1988: Small remains are to be found embedded in rocks. (5a)

'Today the G11 makes a good first wreck dive as it is possible to step from the rocks onto the site. The wreckage is scattered up to 100m from the shore, in three narrow gullies with a maximum depth of 10m. Large lumps of polished brass, the results of the efforts of many divers to remove them over the years, lie concreted into the bedrock...Large air cylinders, looking ominously like bombs, litter the site in some parts...' (5b)

She was finally blown up and wreckage now lies over a large area, some above the waterline. Because of the ease of access it is a popular spot for trainee divers. (5d)

Wreck Event and Documentary Evidence:

'The truth about the circumstances leading to the G11 being stranded is revealed in the study of the documents recording the initial Court of Inquiry held on November 22nd, 1918.

'Although the war officially ended on 11th November, on November 19th G11 was sent on patrol on the Dogger Bank under the temporary command of Lt Cdr G E Bradshaw, DSO, RN...On November 22nd all Grand Fleet submarines were ordered back to base...

'Because of over'Because of overcast weather, the Captain had difficulty obtaining satisfactory sights. The compass was believed to be faulty and a minefield had to be avoided. A CW (Wireless Direction) fix was obtained which put them in an impossible position close to Berwick-upon-Tweed. A later CW fix which put them to the north-east of their position was treated with suspicion. In view of the circumstances, the Temporary Captain took over as Officer of the Watch'Their intent was to make Coquet Island but the mist was closing in and they had to approach land in order to see the lighthouse. The following is the skipper's account of what happened:-

"At about 1840hrs I observed what I took to be a fog bank ahead, which was rapidly thickening. On entering thick fog shortly afterwards I sensed something ahead. I asked the Cox'n P O Palmer if he saw anything ahead. He replied "No". I then gave the order, "Hard-a-Starboard, Stop both". At the same time he sighted land close ahead. Immediately after the engines stopped we struck on a rocky shore at a speed of 9 or 10 knots, course 190 or 180 degrees. The boat ran up on shelving rock until her bows were nearly clear of the water and immediately began bumping very heavily. Soon after this the boat took a dangerous heel to port which increased as each roller broke over her. I concluded that the boat was hopelessly aground and in danger of capsizing and sinking. I therefore gave the order, "All hands on deck". A rope was put over the bows in an attempt to get the crew off onto the rocks. At this point a man was lost overboard and it was unsafe to allow anyone to go after him." Eventually, as imminent danger of sinking or capsizing lessened, survivors made their way safely onto the shore. Many were temporarily billeted in the village of Howick'

'It later transpired that the submarine's Log Distance Recorder had stopped several times during the voyage and the Navigating Officer had had to estimate loss of speed, due to the 'head' sea. Just before G11 struck, he estimated that Coquet Island bore 236 degrees true, distant 26 miles. In fact the actual bearing is [sic] 165 degrees and distrance 9 miles. The Navigating Officer had had no experience in submarines of estimating loss of speed due to 'head' seas, having spent most of his career in much bigger surface ships'He stated that after the stranding he could not see the shore though it was clear of fog to the seaward.

''The finding of the Court was that:

"We are of the opinion that the accident was primarily caused by overestimating the loss of speed due to the sea running at the time."'Apparently, although it was a dark and clear night at sea, a thick band of fog was hanging over and just screening the shore from view.

''The G11 stayed largely intact until just before the outbreak of WWII. It is thought that when the price of scrap went up following the Depression years, breaking up was started on her. Her conning tower, reputed to be of phosphor bronze, was blown off and dragged up the slope and other parts were also persuaded to come loose with explosives'friction arose when the police were called in to investigate the illegal and unauthorised use of explosives on the beach. After, or perhaps because of, these enquiries, the salvors prepared for a sacrificial blast'The result was that the G11 returned to the sea 27 [sic - for 21] years after she unexpectedly left it. (5b)

Sailed on the 19th November for a short patrol, the guns of WWI having been silent for eight days, arriving at her patrol area near the Dogger Bank the following day. That evening a radio signal ordered all Grand Fleet submarines to return to harbour, and G11 made for Coquet Island Light at 11 knots. Thick fog was then encountered and both engines stopped, just at the moment the coast riding up over shelving rocks until her bow was almost clear of the sea, where she took on a 18 degree list to port. Her keel was torn off, the port forward hydroplane shaft snapped off and was forced into the hull, and she was leaking badly in the engine room. Her crew were ordered on deck, the G11 now at an angle of 50 degrees. A Lieut. Smith was ordered to go overboard with a line and safely reached the shore, most of the crew reaching shore using the line except for Stoker Foster, who drowned. Salvage of the wreck took place in 1919 and 1938. (5c)(5e)

Wrecked on the Northumberland coast: 2 killed, 29 survivors. (5f)

'G11 grounded south of Craster coastguard station while returning to harbour from patrol in foggy weather. Bradshaw estimated that he was still some 16 miles from land but just after 1830hrs G11 ran aground on rocks at a speed of 9 knots, forcing her bow clear of the water. Tremendous damage was done to her hull by the impact: most of the keel was torn away from the pressure hull.

'Bradshaw saw that the submarine was in danger of capsizing and ordered the crew up onto the casing. First Lieutenant C A Smith RN then went over the bow with a rope and made his way ashore, using the rope to establish a landhold for the rest of the crew. While Bradshaw remained on the conning tower, the rest of G11's crew went over the bow and clambered ashore using the rope Smith had laid out. Two of the crew, Telegraphist G P Back and Stoker P Foster, were drowned, but the rest of the crew got ashore safely and were put up in local houses. Bradshaw was the last to leave the submarine at 1930hrs.' (5g)

Wrecked 22.11.18 off Hawick [sic]. (5h)

G11 ran onto rocks losing a hydroplane, all the crew got off safely apart from the stoker, Forester, who was lost and drowned. She remained high and dry until until World War Two when 2 boys were drowned playing her when the tide came in. As a result she was blown up scattering her remains in the shallows accessible from the shore. (5i)

Built: 1916 (5c)(5e)(5f)(5g)(5h)
Builder: Vickers Armstrong Ltd. (5c)(5e)(5f)(5g)
Where Built: Barrow-in-Furness (5c)(5e)(5f)
Propulsion: 2 screw driven oil engines (5c)(5e)(5f)
HP: 840 (5f)
Armament: 1 x 3in deck gun, 5 x TT (3)(5); TT specified as 1 x 21in TT, stern-mounted, carrying 2 torpedoes, & 4 x 18in, 2 at the bow, 2 at the stern, each carrying 2 torpedoes (5f)
Master: Lieut Cdr G F Bradshaw RN (5c)(5e)(5g)
Crew: 31 (5f)(5g)
Crew Lost: 2 (5c)(5e)(5f)(5g)
Owner: Royal Navy (all sources)

Date of Loss Qualifier: Actual date of loss

Additional source:
BTW p131-4. (5)