L.55 1918 HMS - Submarine

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HMS L.55
Submarine, L Class, Group 3
Laid down in May 1917 and launched by Fairfield Govan, Yard No 539, on 21/9/1918. Scrapped in Russia 1960. (1953 has also been recorded)
960t surfaced; 1150t submerged
235ft oa x 23ft 6in x 13ft
2 shaft, diesels and 2 electric motors, 2400hp and 1600hp giving 17knots and 10.5 knots.
6 x 21in TT bow with 12 torpedoes, 2 x 4in QF
Crew 44

Completed 19/12/1918
1919 she was attached to the Baltic Flotilla with HMS Lucia based at Revel, Estonia.
5/6/1919 It is believed that after firing her torpedoes at two Soviet destroyers she had broken surface. She was then forced into an Allied minefield near Kroonstad in the Baltic,
and sunk. The Russians claimed it was by heavy gunfire from the two Bolshevik destroyers Gavril and Azard.
1927 wreck found by Soviet Minesweepers
11/8/1928 the Soviets announced that L.55 had been raised
The Admiralty requested that the remains of her crew be returned. 42 bodies were collected by the merchant ship Truro before being transferred to HMS Champion, at Tallinn. (The Russians would not allow a British Warship to enter their waters). The crew were buried in a single grave at the Royal Naval Cemetery, Haslar on 7th September 1928.
L.55 was rebuilt at the Baltic Works, Leningrad
7/8/1931 re-commissioned into the Baltic Fleet of the Soviet Navy under her original number and used for training. Her design was also used for the development of Russian subs.
1941 damaged in an accident and then used as a hulk

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