Definition of Hms a8

She was a member of Group Two of the first British A-class of submarines (a second, much different A-class submarine appeared towards the end of the Second World War). Like the other members of her class, she was built at Vickers Barrow-in-Furness.

She suffered an explosion whilst running on the surface in Plymouth Sound on May 8, 1905 and sank with the loss of her crew. She was salvaged, repaired and recommisioned and used for training during the First World War. She was scrapped in October 1920 at Dartmouth.