HMS Seal was a Grampas-class minelaying submarine of the British Royal Navy. Launched on 28 September 1938, she was commissioned on 28 January 1939.
On 4 May 1940 after laying a minefield in the Skagerrak, Seal was hunted by German trawlers after being spotted by aircraft. Successfully avoiding the trawlers, she ran into an uncharted minefield. Suffering considerable damage she sank to the bottom and waited until nightfall before attempting to surface.
After considerable difficulty, the crew managed to raise her, but she could no longer submerge and damage to her rudder meant she could only steer in reverse. After destroying all confidential papers and equipment Seal made for Sweden and internment. Unfortunately she was spotted by two Arado Ar 196 floatplanes, which were soon joined by a Henkel He 115. With his guns out of action, wounded crew members and unable to dive, Captain Lonsdale surrendered.
Despite the crew’s expectation that the submarine would sink by herself as she was listing and holed, the Germans managed to salvage her. She was repaired at huge cost, renamed UB and used as a training ship and for propaganda purposes. A lack of spares and high maintenance costs saw her paid off, stripped and abandoned in 1943. KMS UB was never used operationally against British forces.
HMS SealHMS SealHMS Seal after being capturedFlags after the surrender of HMS SealKMS UJ 128 towing HMS Seal toward Frederikshavn, Denmark. Note the white surrender flag on Seal’s periscopeHMS Seal after being capturedGermans examining HMS Seal20mm cannon damage to HMS SealHMS Seal riddled with gunfire at Frederikshavn after she was captured on May 5th 1940HMS Seal after being capturedHMS Seal in Kiel after her captureHMS Seal at the Krupp Shipyard ready to be refurbished as a German U-boat. Note the unidentified German light cruiserHMS Seal undergoing repairs at Frederikshavn, Denmark, May 1940The first German crew to man UB (ex-HMS Seal). The photo was probably taken at the commissioning ceremonyKMS UB (ex-HMS Seal) being taken by its German crew for a trial run. UB was never used as a warships against the British
Providing an excellent opportunity to see some of the Royal Australian Navy’s ships up close, Fleet Base East Open Day 2024 was held on 25 February 2024.
Although ticketed so as to control numbers, entry was free and commenced at 10:00am. After a quick ticket and bag check at security we were allowed onto the base. Three ships were open to visitors, HMAS Arunta, Hobart and Canberra, although others were present and viewable from the dock. The RAN also had displays along the dock, showing their capabilities, career options and roles available.
1. HMAS Arunta (FFH 151)2. HMAS Arunta (FFH 151)The 127mm Gun of HMAS Arunta (FFH 151)Sikorsky MH-60R Seahawk based on HMAS Arunta (FFH 151)Crest of HMAS Arunta (FFH 151)Motto of HMAS Arunta (FFH 151
HMAS Canberra (L02)
The Well Deck of HMAS Canberra L02 from OutsideHMAS Canberra L02 Looking Through the Well Deck to HMAS Sydney DDG 42Looking Through the Well Deck of HMAS Canberra L02 to HMAS Sydney DDG 42HMAS Canberra L02 With a Landing Craft in the Well DeckAustralian Army Truck on the Cargo Deck of HMAS Canberra L02 HMAS Canberra L02 BridgeThe Ski Jump of HMAS Canberra L02
HMAS Sydney (DDG 42)
1. HMAS Sydney (DDG 42)2. HMAS Sydney (DDG 42)3. HMAS Sydney (DDG 42) Stern4. HMAS Canberra L02 Looking Through the Well Deck to HMAS Sydney DDG 42
USS Florida (BB-30) was the lead ship of her class of dreadnought battleships for the US Navy. Launched on 12 May 1910, she was commissioned on 15 September 1911.
During World War One, she was sent to reinforce the British Grand Fleet, where she undertook patrols of the North Sea and escorted convoys to Norway. She did not engage ships of the German High Seas Fleet.
Post-war she was heavily modernised from 1924 to 1926. This included strengthening her deck armour, adding torpedo bulges, the removal of her submerged torpedo tubes and rear lattice mast and trunking her two funnels into one. Four 5″ guns on sponsons were also removed. Her machinery was significantly upgraded by utilising the oil fired boilers removed from battleships and battlecruisers that were scrapped under the Washington Treaty.
The terms of the 1930 London Treaty required the reduction in size of the signatories’ battle fleets. USS Florida was decommissioned on 16 February 1931 and sold for scrap.
USS Florida BB-30 Under ConstructionUSS Florida BB-30 Under Construction May 1910 https://www.loc.gov/resource/ggbain.07963/USS Florida BB-30 Being LaunchedUSS Florida BB-30 Immediately Before Being LaunchedUSS Florida BB-30 Being LaunchedUSS Florida BB-30 Being LaunchedUSS Florida BB-30 Just After Being LaunchedUSS Florida BB-30 Fitting Out 18 January 1911USS Florida BB-30 Fitting OutUSS Florida BB-30 Fitting OutUSS Florida BB-30 Fitting OutUSS Florida BB-30 Fitting Out 31 December 1910USS Florida BB-30 Fitting Out
In Service 1911 to 1924
USS Florida BB-30 Passing Under Brooklyn Bridge 1911USS Florida (BB-30) passing under the Brooklyn Bridge – New YorkUSS Florida (BB-30) New YorkUSS Florida (BB-30) at anchor at Hampton Roads on 2 June 1912Members of the German battle squadron visit the Florida (BB-30) at anchor at Hampton Roads on 2 June 1912USS Florida BB-30 at the Naval Review off New York.Left to right USS Delaware (BB-28) and Florida (BB-30) 20 December 1913 New YorkUSS Florida (BB-30) is on the left and USS Utah (BB-31) on the right 18 December 1913 New YorkFrom Left to right USS Wyoming (BB-32) or Arkansas (BB-33) with Florida (BB-30) and Utah (BB-31) 18 December 1913 New YorkUSS Florida (BB-30) in dry dock, 9 October 1916USS Florida (BB-30) c 1918April 23, 1919 USS Florida BB-30 (closest) and USS Wyoming BB-32USS Florida BB-30 At Guantanamo Bay January 1920USS Florida BB-30 seen in 1921USS Florida (BB-30) Atlantic Fleet, during an exercise in about 1921 with USS Delaware (BB-28) and USS North Dakota (BB-29)USS Florida BB-30, USS Delaware BB-28 and North Dakota BB-29 on a training cruise in the early 1920sUSS Florida with the Oil tanker USS Northwestern along sideUSS Olympia (C-6) & Florida (BB-30) in middle chambers of the Gatun Locks, 13 June 1922USS Florida (BB-30) Entering Halifax Harbor, Nova Scotia, 1923USS Florida BB-30 sometime prior to the 1925-27 modernizationUSS Florida (BB-30)USS Florida (BB-30)USS Florida (BB-30)USS Florida (BB-30)
In Service Post Refit 1927 to 1931
The Florida (BB-30) in 1927USS Florida (BB-30). at the 1927 naval reviewFlorida (BB-30) showing new anti-torpedo blisters on the side, November 1927Tons of chain being loaded onto Florida (BB-30) at Charlestown Navy Yard, 29 April 1928Bow view of Florida (BB-30) at Navy Yard, 7 May 1928USS Florida (BB-30) late 1920sPort side view of USS Florida (BB-30) looking forward when the ship was moored in Boston Navy Yard in January 1929USS Florida (BB-30). In Hampton Roads, Virginia, 25 October 1929USS Florida (BB-30) in February of 1930 in the Canal ZoneUSS Florida (BB-30) At Kiel, Germany, 7 July 1930, during a Midshipman’s training cruiseFlorida (BB-30)The Florida (BB-30)
Armament
Main 12 inch forward battery of USS Florida (BB-30), circa 1917-18 at Scapa Flow, ScotlandUSS Florida BB-30 looking forward from top of aft turret no. 4.View of the aft 12″ gun turrets No. 4 and 5 on USS Florida BB-30The three rear main 12 inch turrets of USS Florida (BB-30), in the Firth of Forth, Scotland, 1918USS Florida BB-30 taken from near the ensign staff on the stern looking forward at 12″ gun turrets no. 5, 4 and 3 in 1912. turret 4 is hidden behind 5 in the foreground and 3 is a level higherRecoil and blast of flame from rear turrets aboard USS Florida (BB-30) during target practiceUSS Florida (BB-30) during WW ILoading 12 inch shells aboard USS Florida (BB-30), most likely in November 1917Rangefinders for the rear turrets of USS Florida (BB-30)USS Florida Loading drill on one of the ship’s 5 inch secondary battery guns, 1915USS Florida casement crew at quarters November 10 1911
Aircraft
One of USS Florida’s (BB-30) seaplanes, a Loening OL Amphibian, is launched from her catapult
Internal
USS Florida (BB-30), Crews compartment, ready for a meal, 19 May 1920
Being Scrapped
The beginning of USS Delaware (BB-28) being scrapped. Florida (BB-30) is to the leftex-Florida (BB-30) being scrapped at the Philadelphia Navy Yard in April, 1932
