# Aberlady midget subs



## the_historian (Jul 26, 2009)

This is for all the impatient bods! 
These two XT (Training) Craft were used to train RN personnel in the use of midget subs in WW2, such as the attack on the Tirpitz.
Built in 1943-4 they were 51 feet long, 5.5 feet wide, and displaced 35 tons. They had a max surface speed of 6.5 knots and could make 5 knots submerged. They could reach a depth of 300 feet, and carry 4 tons of Amatol explosive.
They originally had a 3-man crew, but this was increased to 4 when the airlock was replaced by an escape hatch and a diver added to the crew.
They were towed to the extreme north end of Aberlady Bay in East Lothian in 1946, where the RAF used them to test the effects of 20mm cannon fire on submarine hulls.
The late Scottish author Nigel Tranter described almost being trapped in one at the rising tide around 1960, because the hatch slammed shut when he was inside. The local authorities later welded all hatches shut.
Here's the NMR data-
Aberlady X-Craft
These markers denote the start of the range. They're made from the less common 5 foot x 3.5 foot x 3.5 foot a/t blocks (but which are almost standard in this particular area), so you can gauge how deep that pool is.












The sub on the eastern side of this is _very_ badly damaged.


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## the_historian (Jul 26, 2009)

And some more....


























And the remains of the anchor-






By the contrast, there's more of the western sub to see-


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## the_historian (Jul 26, 2009)

If you're planning to visit these, make sure you check the tides first; they're a _bloody_ long way out.


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## mexico75 (Jul 26, 2009)

Great stuff, not seen these before. Shame they can't be dug out and preserved


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## jonney (Jul 26, 2009)

I wouldn't have like to have been cooped up in there for long, must have been like sardines in a tin. Nice photo's Gordon looks like you had a nice day for it. I'm supprised they have just been left to rust on the beach, If they had been round here the council would have removed them long ago (ba*****ds) either that or the pikey's would have


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## the_historian (Jul 26, 2009)

Cheers guys.
It was a beautiful day, Jonney. Went looking for some slit trenches on the shore at Gullane, a mile or so away, after that. Got blisters all over me heels...............


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## jonney (Jul 26, 2009)

the_historian said:


> Cheers guys.
> It was a beautiful day, Jonney. Went looking for some slit trenches on the shore at Gullane, a mile or so away, after that. Got blisters all over me heels...............



Any look in finding them


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## the_historian (Jul 26, 2009)

I got them eventually, but because they were dug in sand dunes they were only just discernible from the natural dunes. One was half-hexagonal shaped, like a horsehoe with the ends facing the sea. Didn't get a pic though.


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## jonney (Jul 26, 2009)

the_historian said:


> I got them eventually, but because they were dug in sand dunes they were only just discernible from the natural dunes. One was half-hexagonal shaped, like a horsehoe with the ends facing the sea. Didn't get a pic though.



Yeah I know what you mean mate, sand is a right bugger sometimes.


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## chizyramone (Jul 26, 2009)

Nice one Gordon.

Awesome set of pics,cheers fella


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## JEP27 (Jul 27, 2009)

They are great. Well done.

Jane


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## night crawler (Jul 27, 2009)

Don't think there is much worry about getting trapped in them any more sand and sea have een to that. nice one.


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## Neosea (Jul 27, 2009)

Think I preferred the concrete blocks....













....naw only joking, great find, cool photos


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## Misstee (Jul 27, 2009)

Great photographs. We were down by Aberlady last year looking at the birdies but wasn't aware of these being there or I'd have been focussing a bit further out.

One of them looks like a great whale carcass - I wonder how many people have mistaken it for that not knowing the real story.

Thank you so much for sharing - something else for me to spot next time we're down that way.

Just as a note for anyone interested, the tide tables on the BBC are very reliable:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/coast/tides/scotland_01.shtml


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## swanseamale47 (Jul 27, 2009)

Thanks for sharing, interesting bit of history there.


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## theterrorwheel (Jul 27, 2009)

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wow was big brother watching!


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## Badoosh (Jul 28, 2009)

Excellent find & pics Gordon. Unusual to say the least, very cool


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## the_historian (Jul 28, 2009)

This is a Google Earth shot of the dozens of anti-tank blocks about a mile or so east of the subs, and a few hundred yards north of the trench I described to Jonney.


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## sqwasher (Jul 29, 2009)

Great to see these-shame they've just been left to the elements though!


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## oldscrote (Jul 31, 2009)

I've managed to turf out some info on the X class mini subs that might interest a few of you.It seems that X 1_4 were built for trial and later destroyed in target practice which I guess must be these.X5_10 were built by Vickers of Barrow and were involved in the Tirpitz raid on 22nd September 1943.Altogether 4 firms built X class subs Markhams of Chesterfild, Marshalls of Gainsborough,and Broadbents of Huddersfield. Plus Vickers A number were built for use in the far east and coded XE XE1-6 by Vickers XE7-8 by Broadbent XE9-10 by Marshalls although only XE9 actually built as the war ended before 10 started XE11-12 by Markhams. Only 2 now seem to survive intact XE 8 is at the Imperial War Museum at Duxford whilst X 24 is at the Royal Navy Submarine Museum at Gosport . As a sad postscript X24 was rammed and sunk by HMS Syrtis on 7 feb 1944.Altogether some 36 of this class seem to have been built but if any body has a more accurate number I would be interested to know


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