Great War British Sub and German Torpedo Boat found side by side…in parking lot

Kaiser Willy’s Schichau-Werke-built V1-class torpedo boat SMS S24 had a very active career that included firing her steel fish (unsuccessfully) at the British destroyers HMS Garland and HMS Unity at Jutland.

Schlacht vor dem Skagerrak, Deutsche Schlachtschiffe und Torpedoboote in Aktion (German battleships and torpedo boats in action during the Battle of Jutland, May 31, 1916) by Claus Bergen

Meanwhile, HM Submarine E-52, commissioned in 1917, surprised and sank the German U-boat UC-63 near the Goodwin Sands before the year was up, with her skipper earning the DSO.

Three RN E-class boats, including E-52, circa 1917.

By 1921, with a tepid peace on the Continent (at least in Britain), both ex-E52 and ex-S24 had been disposed of and sold to Brixham Marine & Engineering Company.

Towed to Brixham’s yard on the River Dart, rather than being broken up for their value in scrap, the vessels were apparently used…