HMS E47

HMS E47 was an E-class submarine launched by Fairfield, Govan for the Royal Navy and completed by William Beardmore, Dalmuir. She was laid down on 29 May 1916 and was commissioned in October 1916.

Service history
E47 was based at Harwich with the 9th Flotilla - depot ships HMS Maidstone (1912) and HMS Forth (1886). She was engaged in North Sea patrols off the German and Dutch coasts. Following the resumption of German coastal shipping between Heligoland Bight and Rotterdam, four E-class submarines were sent to intercept. E47 was lost in the North Sea on 20 August 1917. There were no survivors.

Wreck of E47
The wreck of E47, found in 2002 by Divingteam Noordkaap from Vlieland, lies about 6 nmi northwest of Texel. The deck gun, which was torn off its mounting, probably by a trawler, and was lying beside the wreck, has been salvaged and identifies the wreck.

The wreck bears the Dutch Hydrographic Department wreck number 927, and lies in position 53.10225°N, 4.55778°W.