Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 59:23-1:00:18

Did the M-class submarines predate X1?

The M class entered service before X1, but later modifications and continued service meant Britain's heavy-gun submarine experiments overlapped.

Cruiser SubmarinesHMS X1Interwar PeriodM Class SubmarinesNaval ExperimentationRoyal Navy
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Question

Did the Royal Navy's M-class submarines predate X1?

Short answer

Yes, but their continued service and modifications overlapped X1's 1926 appearance.

Notes

The M-class submarines entered service from 1919, while X1 appeared in 1926. The M boats remained in service into the early 1930s and changed through successive modifications. The sequence is therefore more complicated than a simple handoff from one completed experiment to another. The Royal Navy tested several heavy-gun submarine ideas at the same time and learned from their overlapping service problems.