X-Craft
X Craft Midget Submarines
Production Years:- 1943-5
- Two of the twelve class X.5 midget submarines were built at Gainsborough numbers X-24 & X-25.
- Two of the twelve class XE midget submarines were built at Gainsborough numbers XE-9 & XE-10.
A Marshall employee working on the submarines quoted “You had to queue with your part to get inside due to the limited space. Once inside you hoped nobody had to rivet the outside, as you were in a bell”
X Craft Midget Submarines
Operational Years:- 1943-5
- X-24 “EXPEDITIOUS” twice entered Bergen Harbour in Norway and attacked the Naval Dockyard which was under German Control. It was heavily protected by coastal defences and minefields and was 30 miles from the open sea.
- On the first occasion in April 1944 the German ship Barenfels was sunk.
- On the second occasion in September 1944 the floating dock, used by the Germans for overhauling and repairing their U-Boats, was destroyed.
X-24 made history, as it was the first of the X craft to actually sink any enemy vessels.