HMS A10

HMS A10 is a First World War submarine resting off the Ayrshire coast. Built in 1905 at Barrow, she was one of the first British submarines and measured just over thirty-two metres long. The vessel displaced 190 tonnes on the surface and carried a crew of eleven. She could travel eleven knots above water and six knots below, with a range of nine hundred and thirty kilometres on the surface. Two 18-inch torpedo tubes formed her main armament. The submarine saw active service in the early years of the 20th century and survived the Great War. In 1906 she collided with the battleship HMS Empress of India in Plymouth Sound, but remained in commission. After the war she was sold for scrap and towed to Ardrossan for breaking up. Today the remains lie in shallow water near the harbour entrance. Visitors can see the submarine’s outline on the seabed at low tide. The site lies close to the shore, making it easy to spot from the promenade. Interpretive panels explain the submarine’s history and design. The wreck is a reminder of the pioneering days of British submarine warfare.