HMS C16

HMS C16 was a British C class submarine built by Vickers, Barrow. She was laid down on the 14th December 1906 and was commissioned on the 5th June 1908.

HMS C16 was sunk in a collision with HMS C17 south of Cromer, Norfolk on the 14th July 1909. There was only one survivor. She was salved and recommissioned.

HMS C16 was again sunk after being rammed at periscope depth by the British destroyer Melampus off Harwich on the 16th April 1917. The boat bottomed at 60 ft. The first Lieutenant, Lieut S Anderson was fired through a torpedo tube to try and escape. He unfortunately drowned. So the skipper tried to flood the boat in an effort to escape through the fore hatch. But the fender jammed the hatch so the crew became trapped. The escape attempts were recorded by the commanding officer, Lieut H Boase and was corked in a bottle found lying near him when the hull was salavged. All the crew of HMS C16 died. HMS C16 was salved and recommissioned.

HMS C16 was finally sold on the on the 12th August 1922.

Reference

Submarines, War Beneath The Waves, From 1776 To The Present Day, By Robert Hutchinson.