In 1912, four submarines were lost, including the first USN sub.

2 February 1912, the 204 ton British submarine A-3 was lost off the Princess Shoal off the Isle of Wight. She was running partially submerged when struck by the gunboat HMS HAZARD and sunk in 66 feet of water. The boat was salvaged, but the entire crew, all 14 men were lost.

8 June 1912, the 550 ton French submarine VENDEMIARIE was sunk off Cape de la Hague between Aurigny Island and Cape Hague. She was cut in half by the French battleship ST. LOUIS during maneuvers and sank in 350 feet of water. The entire crew of 24 men was lost and the boat was not salvaged.

4 October 1912, the 313 ton British submarine B-2 was lost four miles from the Dover breakwater. She was running surfaced at night but rammed and cut in half by the Hamburg-American liner AMERIKA. She went down in 120 feet of water….one man was able to get off the sinking boat – 15 were not so fortunate. The boat was not salvaged.

11 October 1912, the 330 ton American submarine F-1 (SS 20) was lost off Port Watsonville in Monterey Bay, California when she broke her moorings during a storm during a heavy sea. She went down in 330 feet of water and two men were lost. The boat was later salvaged.

Below is the running tally of submarines lost in peacetime, which is updated monthly as we look into other submarine disasters.

France – 10
England – 6
Russia – 3
Germany – 1
Italy – 1
Japan – 1
USA – 1

If anyone has the information of submarines lost in peacetime after 1971, please let us know. Thanks.