The E class served with the Royal Navy throughout World War I as the backbone of the submarine fleet.

The last surviving E class submarines were withdrawn from service by 1922.

As submarine technology improved, the E class went through several design modifications.

The class primarily served in the North Sea and the Baltic, while some served with Russian ships in Russian coastal waters before their crews scuttled the submarines to avoid them falling into the hands of the Germans after the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk ended fighting between Germany and Russia.

The British L-class submarine eventually replaced the E class.