On the morning of the 16th January 1914, the submarine A7 was exercising in Whitsands Bay. She dived to carry out a mock attack on her escorts and failed to resurface. Her crew of eleven officers and men were never seen again.
The A7’s sinking was the latest in a long lie of accidents to afflict this class of submarine, and there had been at least fifty eight deaths in the run up to the outbreak of the First World War.
The loss of the A7 caused a storm of protest, not only from the general public, but in Parliament as well. Many MPs asked why these ‘Coffin Ships’ were still allowed to operate when they were so obviously obsolete and unfit for duty.
The submarine, once seen as an unwanted oddity, was now seen as a threat to the established order, and the Royal Navy made many mistakes as it tried to embrace the huge changes in tactics that were being forced upon it by the looming reality of global warfare.
The A7 was one of those mistakes.
You can watch the full version of the Missing documentary below
Watch “Missing”, the full length Submarine A7 documentary
Dominic Russell says
Hi,
I am a the great grandson of Charles Russell who was a petty officer on HMS A7 It was really good to watch the video of the burial service. My Grandfather had vivid memories of it.
Cassidy says
We are the great nieces of Petty Officer John Francis Crowley and only today found the memorial card for crew of the A7 in our mothers old house. We were aware of the sinking but never knew any details so very interested learn more.
lis tarvin says
My great uncle, Gilbert Molesworth Welman was the captain of the A7 submarine. My family were touched to see the memorial video. It was beautifully done and a fitting tribute to eleven very brave men.
Ken Kinsella says
Dear Peter,
I am an amateur historian researching the military and family lives of officers and men from South County Dublin, who fell in the Great War. My work will be published in Dublin by Irish Academic Press in May 2014, in a book, titled, Out of the Dark 1914-1918.
I would be most grateful if you would you please consider allowing me permission to use information from your website on the tragic loss of the A7 when exercising in Whitsands Bay on 16 January 1914, with full acknowledgment to you, and your website?
This information will my own research on Sub-Lieutenant Robert H. G. Morrison, of Cabinteely, Co. Dublin, who was among the crew lost on that day.
Yours sincerely,
Ken Kinsella.
Beryl Johansen. says
Jan.16th 2014, Now 100 years today since H.M.S.A7 was lost at sea with all of her crew off the coast of Cornwall. My only connection is, I had The Captain, Lieut. Gilbert Welman’s sword for 50 years. I found the family and gave it back where it belonged, about 3 years ago. My late husband and I bought it in an antique shop in Polperro and always wondered who was G.M.Welman R.N. printed on the hasp as I cleaned it and oiled the scabbard regularly. Now I look at the photo of those brave young men so sadly lost.And all the heartache that went with their loss that January 1914.
Alan Jamieson says
I am a great nephew of Robert Nagle, artificer on the A7. Robert is something of a legend in our family, the facts of his loss having become confused with time and possibly entirely unknown to the next generation. It’s good to have some details now on the public record. We don’t have a photo of Robert so I’d love to hear from anyone who has an identified picture of the crew.
Nautical-Lights says
Very informative post
Thanks for sharing with us….
Peter Jeanneret says
An Online Book of Remembrance has recently been launched, listing over 5,900 men who lost their lives in the Royal Navy’s submarine service, and offering the opportunity for anyone to leave tributes and remembrances. I am one of a small team who are now working to populate it with stories about the men and the boats, and I came across this excellent article and video while researching for it.
Frank Seville says
Interesting to read these comments from descendants of the crew of the A7. My grandfather, George Waldron from Torpoint, was an engine room artificer on board the A7. By chance he was on leave on the day of the tragic sinking.