Submarine Mining Service
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Submarine Mining Service | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1871–1906 |
| Country |  United Kingdom |
| Branch |  British Army |
| Type | Harbour defence |
| Part of | Corps of Royal Engineers |
The Submarine Mining Service was a branch of the British Army's Corps of Royal Engineers between 1871 and 1906. They were responsible for defending ports and rivers by naval mines and torpedoes. Overseas detachments served in British colonies and dominions. The service disbanded after the Committee of Imperial Defence considered that harbour defence duties were better suited to the submarine fleet of the Royal Navy.
The Submarine Mining Service was established at Chatham, Kent, in 1871 as a branch of the British Army's Corps of Royal Engineers.[1] Its role was to assist in the defence of strategically important river mouths and ports by the use of naval mines and torpedoes.[2] The unit was initially equipped with former mortar boats of Crimean War vintage and 42-foot-long (13 m) former Royal Navy tugs and pinnaces, the latter of which could deploy mines but not recover them.[1] From 1875 they were issued with purpose-built vessels, the first of which were the 65-foot-long (20 m) Miner class.[2][1] By 1898 the service had 67 vessels ranging in size from 20 tons to 125 tons in displacement.[3]
The Submarine Mining Service was organised as a single battalion from 1884 but as independent companies from 1892.[4] Its members were trained initially at the Royal Engineers school, Gillingham, and later at new schools in Portsmouth and Plymouth.[5] The flag of the Submarine Mining Service was a blue ensign with the unit's badge of a hand rising from mural crown, grasping a thunderbolt.[6]
Former commander, Lieutenant-Colonel William Baker-Brown, said that "the Submarine Mining Service was remarkable for the cheapness and efficiency of its organisation and its success in enlisting the services of a body of auxiliary corps drawn from many nationalities and under many conditions of service".[7] Despite this, in the early 20th century the Committee of Imperial Defence recommended the service's abolition as they determined the defence of British ports was best achieved by submarines of the Royal Navy, such as the newly introduced Holland-class, A-class and B-class vessels. In 1906 the British branch of the Submarine Mining Service disbanded and the role of harbour defence transferred to the navy.[7][8] This led to similar disbandments of Submarine Mining Service units overseas such as in Canada, Australia and New Zealand.[9]
