Vertical Datum: LAT Possibly B2 - Sank following a collision with SS AMERICA sank 4m NE of Dover. 08-OCT-1937 Depth 52 ft. position 51 09 33N, 001 25 48E. 18-APR-1978 in 51 09 34N, 001 25 48E Depth 16.9 in general depth 23m, scour 25m, height 5m, lying NW/SE.

HM submarine B-2 left Dover harbour at 0430 with other units of the Home Fleet to carry out exercises, and proceeded NE. Steaming in the opposite direction was the 23,000 ton Hamburg-Amerika liner AMERIKA, Hamburg to Southampton and New York, which ran down the submarine, striking her just forward of the conning tower. Badly holed, it sank at once. As the submarine went down, Lieut. Richard Pulleyne, one of two men in the conning tower, was dragged down to a depth of 100ft where he felt the craft strike the bottom. Kicking and struggling he managed to reach the surface, to see the liner pass by only 20 yards away. Another ship and several submarines also passed, but none saw him in the water and he was too exhausted to cry out. The liner fired off distress rockets which were seen by HM submarine C-16. Lt. Pulleyne was found very close to death. It was established the the B-2 had crossed the liners bow when only 60ft ahead. Despite putting her engine to full-astern, the AMERIKA could not stop. Year Built: 1905 Builder: Vickers Ltd. Engine HP: 600 Propulsion: 2 x screw, petrol eng Boilers: 0 Armament: 2 x 18ins.TT.(bow) Owner: Royal Navy Master: Lieut P B O'Brien RN Crew: 16 Crew Lost: 15 Passengers: 0 Date of Loss Qualifier: A Additional sources cited in United Kingdom Shipwreck Index: SRN. Vol.1 60; "Submarines in Colour", Gunston, 1976 p105; "Beneath the Waves", Evans, 1986 p29-31, 123 (3)

Destroyers and submarine flotillas attached to the home fleet had, for several weeks been involved in North Sea exercises. Dover had been the base for 40 of these, including four submarine parent ships. At 4.30 on 4th October vessels began to clear Dover harbour. During this operation the 23,000 ton Hamburg-Amerika liner AMERIKA, Hamburg to Southampton and on to New York, struck the B-2 a fatal blow just forward of her conning tower. On the surface at the time, the submarine now badly holed, sank at once. On the bridge was Lieut. Pulleyne and a petty officer. Pulleyne later recalled the B-2 going down, taking him with it. At a depth of 100 ft., he felt the submarine touch bottom, yet he kicked his way to the surface, only to find himself yards away from the great liner which had not eased her speed. The AMERIKA fired distress rockets, sighted by C-16 which searched the area and found the only survivor. A funeral service was held over the spot on the following Tursday. Year Built: 1905 Builder: Vickers Ltd. Propulsion: Screw, petrol engine. Armament: 1 x 12pdr.; 2 x TT. Owner: Royal Navy Master: P B O'Brien, Lieut RN. Date of Loss Qualifier: A Additional sources cited in United Kingdom Shipwreck Index. SRN.Vol.1 p60; Submarines in Colour, Gunston. B 1976 p105-7; BTW. p29-31

<1> Hydrographic Office wreck index, Extracted 20-JAN-1993, Page Nos. N/a (Bibliographic reference). SKE6339.

<2> J J Colledge, 1989, Ships of the Royal Navy, volume 2: navy-built trawlers, drifters, tugs and requisitioned ships from , Page Nos. N/a (Bibliographic reference). SKE6344.

<3> United Kingdom shipwreck index (Bibliographic reference). SKE6340.