O'Neill's Midget Submarine

















Produced by the O'Neill's Company of Belfast and crewed by actual midgets, the iconic Midget Submarine was perfectly designed for operations in shallow coastal waters.

Only the shortage of potential crew members limited a wide deployment of this submersible for duties throughout the Empire. Missives from the Admirality Office at the time bemoaned "the lack of available midget sailors for use in a Navy which modern sensibilities forbade the employ of children".

The only Midget Submarine to see action was the "Little Pig", captained by Jock "Stumpy" McGurk. In a daring incursion into the Vulgarian fjords, the small craft used its single Explosive Harpoon to sink the battleship "Dragon", bringing an abrupt end to Vulgarian naval ambitions in the Baltic.

More images of the Midget Submarine, many of them in full colour, may be seen here.