Wartime Additions

16. M class, 13 ships - 900-1,055t, c 34 knots, 3-4in/4-21in tt, 80 crew, 1914

Served with Harwich Force 1914-17, with four on loan to Dover Patrol 1916-17. Then mostly in Mediterranean 1917-18

Moorsoom, damaged 31st May/1st June 1916, North Sea - German secondary gunfire from dreadnought "Grosser Kürfurst" or "Koenig". Battle of Jutland as part of 9th/10th Flotilla, Battlecruiser Fleet. Hit by 1-5.9in shell; 1 man wounded

Morris also took part in the 1916 Battle of Jutland as part of 9th/10th Flotilla, Battlecruiser Fleet

17. LIGHTFOOT class flotilla leaders, KEMPENFELT, LIGHTFOOT, MARKSMAN, NIMROD, ABDIEL, GABRIEL, ITHURIEL, 7 ships - 1,440t, 34 knots, 4-4in/4-21in tt, 105 crew, 1915-16

18. FAULKNOR class flotilla leaders, BOTHA, BROKE, FAULNOR, TIPPERARY, 4 ships, 1 lost - 1,610t, 31 knots, 6-4in/4-21in tt, 195 crew, 1915-16

Botha, damaged 21st March 1918, English Channel in Strait of Dover, off the Flanders coast (c 51°15N, 02°40E) - damaged by ramming, then torpedoed in error by French destroyer "Capitaine Mehl". Light forces action off Flanders. Nine German destroyers, six large torpedo boats, and four small "A-class" TB's of the Flanders Flotilla sailed to attack the coast between Dunkirk and Nieuport on the night of the 20th/21st. British monitor "Terror" opened fire, and destroyers "Botha" and "Morris", and the French "Capitaine Mehl", "Bouclier" and "Magon" sortied from Dunkirk. Other Allied ships taking part included British monitors "General Crauford" and "M-25", destroyers "Matchless", "Myngs", "North Star", and "Swift", and the French "Oriflamme". In the confused night action that followed, "Botha" opened fire, rammed and sank German torpedo boat "A-19", but was then mistaken for a German ship and torpedoed by "Capitaine Mehl". The Frenchman then in company with sister ship "Bouclier" sank the German "A-7" with gunfire and torpedoes.

TIPPERARY, 1st June 1916, North Sea - German dreadnought secondary armament gunfire. Taking part in Battle of Jutland, leader, 4th DF, Battle Fleet, British Grand Fleet. Hit by 5.9in (15cm) gunfire from dreadnought "Westfalen" of the the German 1st BS, 1st Division and other battleships; 185 men killed out of a normal complement of 197. (see Battle of Jutland destroyer summary)

19. Medea class, MEDEA, MEDUSA, MELAMPUS, MELPOMENE, 4 ships, 1 lost - c 1,020t, 32 knots, 3-4in/4-21in tt, 80 crew, 1915

MEDUSA , 25th March 1916, off Danish North Sea coast - rammed by British destroyer "Laverock" and foundered. Medusa" (Lt Cdr Hemans) sailed with the Harwich Force from Harwich on the 24th March to screen seaplane carrier "Vindex" for an attack on the Zeppelin base at Hower on the Schleswig coast. Next day at around 09.00hrs, and close to the enemy coast, the destroyers on a sweep sank two German armed trawlers. Aircraft appeared and attacked the flotilla and while avoiding action was being taken, "Laforey" class "Laverock" rammed "Medusa", reducing her speed to 6 knots. Taken in tow by "Lightfoot", the weather worsened and with the possibility of the German High Seas Fleet coming out, "Medusa" was abandoned. It was hoped to get her under tow again next day, but she foundered during the night. Most of "Medusa's" ship's company including my grandfather, Yeomen of Signals George Smith were saved by destroyer "Lasso".

20. Talisman class, TALISMAN, TERMAGANT, TRIDENT, TURBULENT, 4 ships, 1 lost - 1,100t, 32 knots, 5-4in/4-21in tt, 100 crew, 1915/16

Termagant also took part in the 1916 Battle of Jutland as part of 9th/10th Flotilla, Battlecruiser Fleet

TURBULENT, 1st June 1916, North Sea - German naval forces. Battle of Jutland. Serving with 10th DF, Harwich Force as part of Battlecruiser Fleet. Completed on the 12th May and less than 3 weeks later went down. Two versions - hit by 5.9in gunfire of dreadnought "Westfalen" and other battleships and then possibly finished off by a torpedo from German destroyer "V.71" with 96 men killed, or cut in two by a German battlecruiser with 90 men lost. (see Battle of Jutland destroyer summary)

Turbulent or 13th DF "Petard" hit German battlecruiser "Seydlitz" with a torpedo at the Battle of Jutland, which together with the heavy damage and flooding caused by numerous heavy shell hits, nearly led to her loss

21. ARNO, 600t, 29 knots, 4-12pdr (7.6cm), 3-18in (45.7cm) tt, 1915

ARNO, 23rd March 1918, Turkish waters off the Dardanelles - collision with British 770t destroyer "Hope". Italian-built for the Portugese Navy and purchased in March 1915, probably the only foreign ship bought for the Royal Navy in 1914-18. In the Aegean in August 1915 for the Suvla Bay landings at Gallipoli, but used mainly for Mediterranean escort duties

21. Repeat "M" class ("M", "N", "O", "P" groups), 90 ships, 11 lost - 895-1,025t, 34 knots, 3-4in/4-21in tt, 80 crew, 1915/16

MARMION, 21st October 1917, northern North Sea off Lerwick, Shetland Islands - collision with British destroyer "Tirade". Serving with Grand Fleet flotillas

MARY ROSE, 17th October 1917, northern North Sea, off Norway in the Norwegian Sea (60°06’N, 1°06’E) - gunfire of German cruiser minelayers "Bremse" and "Brummer". Serving with Grand Fleet flotillas. Escorting a British Scandinavian convoy when the attacking German cruisers sank both "Mary Rose" and "Strongbow" (below). Battle Honour Scandinavian Convoys, 17th October 1917 & 12th December 1917 later awarded

Moresby, Narbrough, Nerissa, Nicator, Pelican all took part in the 1916 Battle of Jutland with the 13th Flotilla, Battlecruiser Fleet as well as NESTOR and NOMAD sunk, Nessus, Obdurate, Onslow and Petard damaged. Flotilla leader was light cruiser "Champion"

NARBROUGH, 12th January 1918, northern Scottish waters, E side of South Ronaldsay island, Orkney Islands (c 58-45’N, 02.50’W) - ran aground and wrecked. "Narbrough" (sometimes spelt "Narborough") and sister ship "Opal" (below), serving with the Grand Fleet flotillas, were returning to Scapa Flow from patrol off the east coast of the Orkneys on a pitch black night and in a blizzard, when they both ploughed into the rocks at Clett of Crura, half way down the east coast of South Ronaldsay. In the terrible conditions, just one man survived out of a total of 180 men, an able seaman found 36 hours later stranded on a cliff ledge. The Court of Enquiry decided lead destroyer "Opal" had not made sufficient allowance for sea conditions during course changes.

NEGRO, 21st December 1916, northern North Sea off Fair Isle/Shetland Islands - collision with British flotilla leader "Hoste" and detonated depth charges. Serving with 13th DF and sailed on 19th December to screen the Grand Fleet on a sweep between Norway and Shetlands. As the force returned to Scapa Flow in very bad weather and heavy seas, flotilla leader "Hoste" suffered a steering failure and collided with "Negro". Two of "Hoste's" depth charges came loose and exploded, damaging both ships severely. "Negro" foundered with heavy loss of life. "Hoste" was taken in tow by "Marmion" and "Marvel", but had to be abandoned. She too foundered

Nessus, damaged 31st May/1st June 1916, North Sea - German secondary gunfire from dreadnought "Grosser Kürfurst". Battle of Jutland as part of 12th Flotilla, Main Battlefleet. Hit by 1-5.9in shell; 7 men killed

NESSUS, 8th September 1918, North Sea - collision with 11,000 ton large cruiser "Amphitrite". Serving with Grand Fleet flotillas. At the time on North Sea patrol when she collided

NESTOR, 31st May 1916, North Sea - German naval gunfire. Battle of Jutland with 13th DF, Battlecruiser Fleet. "Nestor" (Cdr Bingham) was hit by two 4.1in shells, but sunk by 5.9in from battleships; LOST with 6 killed (see Battle of Jutland destroyer summary)

NOMAD, 31st May 1916, North Sea - German naval gunfire. Serving with Grand Fleet flotillas at Battle of Jutland. Hit by 10.5cm shellfire but sunk by 5.9in battleship guns; 8 men killed (see Battle of Jutland destroyer summary)

NORTH STAR, 23rd April 1918, Belgian North Sea coast, c 1 mile off Zeebrugge harbour - German shore batteries. "North Star" (Lt Cdr Kenneth Helyar) was previously with the Grand Fleet flotillas, but now one of three destroyers of the Inshore Division providing close support for the ex-cruiser blockships during the Zeebrugge Raid. She sank at around 02.00hrs with the loss of 21 crew; survivors were rescued by sister-ship "Phoebe"

Obdurate, damaged 31st May/1st June 1916, North Sea - German secondary gunfire from dreadnought "Grosser Kürfurst" or "Koenig", Battle of Jutland as part of 9th/10th Flotilla, Battlecruiser Fleet. Hit by 1-5.9in shell; 1 man wounded

Onslow, damaged 31st May/1st June 1916, North Sea - German secondary gunfire from dreadnought "Grosser Kürfurst" or "Koenig". Battle of Jutland as part of 9th/10th Flotilla, Battlecruiser Fleet. Hit by 1-5.9in shell; 1 man wounded

OPAL, 12th January 1918, northern Scottish waters, E side of South Ronaldsay island, Orkney Islands (c 58-45’N, 02.50’W) - ran aground and wrecked. Wrecked with sister-ship "Narbrough" - see above. Some sources date her loss on the 21st January 1918

PARTRIDGE, 12th December 1917, northern North Sea off Norwegian coast (59°48’N, 03°53’E) - German destroyer gunfire. Serving with Grand Fleet flotillas, but escorting a Scandinavian convoy with sister ship "Pellew" when attacked by German destroyers "G.101", "G.103", "G.104" and "V.100 ". "Partridge" was sunk in the action but the damaged "Pellew" escaped. Battle Honour Scandinavian Convoys, 17th October 1917 & 12th December 1917 was awarded

Petard, damaged 31st May/1st June 1916, North Sea - German secondary gunfire from dreadnought "Grosser Kürfurst" or "Koenig". Battle of Jutland as part of 9th/10th Flotilla, Battlecruiser Fleet. Hit by 1-5.9in shell; 1 man wounded

PHEASANT, 1st March 1917, NW Scottish waters, 1 mile west of the Old Man of Hoy, Orkney Island - mined. Serving with Grand Fleet flotillas. Apparently detonated a floating mine

22. Parker class flotilla leaders, ANZAC, GRENVILLE, HOSTE, PARKER, SAUMAREZ, SEYMOUR, 6 ships, 1 lost - 1,660t, 34 knots, 4-4in/4-21in tt, 115 crew, 1916/17

HOSTE, 21st December 1916, northern North Sea off Fair/Shetland Islands - collision with British destroyer "Negro" and detonated depth charges. Serving with 12th DF, Grand Fleet. Lost after a career lasting only 38 days. "Hoste" was taken in tow by "Marmion" and "Marvel", but had to be abandoned. See "Negro" above

23. R class, 51 ships, 8 lost - 975-1,035t, 36 knots, 3-4in/4-21in tt, 80 crew, 1916/17

HMS Skate in 1919, served in WW2, broken up 1947

RECRUIT, 9th August 1917, North Sea - mined. According to most sources, she was mined in the North Sea. One source shows her going down to submarine attack off the Thames Estuary, near the Galloper Light.

Redoubt - Taking part in a raid by Harwich Force on German shipping in the Heligoland Bight on the 11th August 1918, "Redoubt" towed a lighter carrying a Sopwith Camel fighter. Patrolling Zeppelin "L-53" was sighted, the Camel (Lt S D Culley) took off, eventually reached height and shot her down using incendiary ammunition

SETTER , 17th May 1917, southern North Sea, off Harwich - collision with British destroyer "Sylph". The collision with sister ship "Sylph" took place in fog; casualties not are known

SIMOOM, 23rd January 1917, North Sea, off Schouwen Bank - torpedoed by German destroyer "S.50". The Harwich Force including light cruisers "Centaur", "Conquest", "Aurora", "Penelope", "Cleopatra", "Undaunted" and 18 destroyers, was in action with the German 6th TBF off the Schouwen light vessel. After "Simoom" was hit, she was scuttled by destroyer "Matchless"

STRONGBOW, 17th October 1917, northern North Sea, off Norway in the Norwegian Sea (60°06’N, 1°06’E) - gunfire of German cruiser minelayers "Bremse" and "Brummer". Serving with Grand Fleet flotillas. Escorting a British Scandinavian convoy when the attacking German cruisers sank both "Strongbow" and "Mary Rose". See "Mary Rose" above. Battle Honour Scandinavian Convoys, 17th October 1917 & 12th December 1917 later awarded

SURPRISE, 23rd December 1917, Dutch North Sea coast, near Maas light bouy - mined. See "Torrent" below

TORNADO, 23rd December 1917, Dutch North Sea coast, near Maas light bouy - mined. See "Torrent" below

TORRENT, 23rd December 1917, Dutch North Sea coast, near Maas light bouy - mined. "Torrent" and her three destroyer division ran into a minefield. "Torrent" hit first, "Surprise" went to assist and was mined, and as "Tornado" tried to get clear, she detonated two mines and sank with only one survivor. Only "Radiant" got home. A total of 252 men were lost

ULLESWATER, 15th August 1918, southern North Sea off Dutch coast - torpedoed by German "UC.17". Flotilla leader "Scott" (below) torpedoed by German U-boat on same day in the same area of the North Sea, possibly in company with "Ulleswater"

24. Modified R class, 11 ships, 1 lost - 975-1,035t, 36 knots, 3-4in/4-21in tt, 80 crew, 1917

ULYSSES, 29th October 1918, Scottish waters, off SE coast in the Firth of Clyde - collision with steamship "Ellerie". There was reportedly no loss of life

25. V class flotilla leaders, VAMPIRE, VALENTINE, VALHALLA, VALOROUS, VALKYRIE, 5 ships (2 lost in World War 2) - 1,190t, 34 knots, 4-4in/4-21in tt, 115 crew, 1917

26. Shakespeare class flotilla leaders, KEPPEL, ROOKE, SHAKESPEARE, SPENSER, WALLACE, (1 lost in World War 2) - 1,550t, 36 knots, 5-4.7in/1-3in/6-21in tt, 185 crew, 1917/18

27. Scott class flotilla leaders, BRUCE, CAMPBELL, MACKAY, MALCOLM, MONTROSE, SCOTT, STUART, 3 or 4 ships completed before Armistice ships, 1 lost - 1,580t, 36 knots,5-4.7in/1-3in/6-21in tt, 185 crew, 1918

HMS Stuart - to RAN in 1933

SCOTT, 15th August 1918, off Dutch North Sea coast - torpedoed by German U-boat. "Scott" was on patrol off the Dutch coast. Destroyer "Ulleswater" (above) was torpedoed by German "UC.17" on same day in the same area of the North Sea, possibly in company with "Scott"

28. V class, 25 ships, 1 lost (also 2 against Bolsheviks, 3 in World War 2) - 1,100t, 34 knots, 4-4in/1-3in/4-21in tt, 135 crew, 1917/18

VEHEMENT, 2nd August 1918, southern North Sea in Heligoland Bight - mined. Completed as a minelayer with 60 mines and serving with the 20th Flotilla, "Vehement" operated out of Immingham, NE England. Minelayer "Ariel" went down with her at the same time. One sources dates her loss on the 1st August

Allied Intervention against Russian Bolsheviks 1918-19

VERULAM, 4th September 1919, northern Baltic, Gulf of Finland off Seiskari (or Seskaer) Island - Russian mines. One source dates her loss on the night of the 3rd

VITTORIA, night of 1st September 1919, northern Baltic, Gulf of Finland to the west of Kronstadt off Seiskari (or Seskaer) Island - torpedoed by Russian Bolshevik submarine "Pantera"

29. W class, 21 ships (8 lost in World War 2) - 1,100t, 34 knots, 4-4in/1-3in/6-21in tt, 135 crew, 1917/18

30. S class, 19 out of 67 ships completed by Armistice (4 lost in World War 2) - 1,100t, 34 knots, 4-4in/1-3in/6-21in tt, 135 crew, 1917/18

ADDENDUM

BATTLE OF JUTLAND - ROYAL NAVY DESTROYER SUMMARY

Battle Fleet Destroyer Force

4th DF (2 "Faulknor" class leaders, 1 "M" and 16 "K" class) - Tipperary (DF leader), Broke (leader), Acasta, Achates, Ambuscade, Ardent, Christopher, Contest, Fortune, Garland, Hardy, Midge, Ophelia ("M" class), Owl, Porpoise, Shark, Sparrowhawk, Spitfire, Unity

TIPPERARY hit by 5.9in from 1st BS "Westfalen" and other battleships; LOST with 185 killed

Broke hit by at least 9 shells (mostly 4.1in from light cruiser "Rostock", 1 or 2-5.9in from 1st BS "Westfalen" and 2-3.5in from destroyers "S-53" and "G-88"). Bows also destroyed by collision with "Sparrowhawk; 47 men killed

Porpoise hit by at least 2 shells - 5.9in or 3.5in - from 1st BS battleships "Posen" or "Oldenburg"; 2 killed

Spitfire collided with 1st BS battleship "Nassau", hit by 1-11in and one smaller shell; 6 killed

ARDENT hit by 5.9in from 1st BS "Westfalen" and other battleships; LOST with 78 killed

FORTUNE hit by 5.9in from 1st BS "Westfalen" and other battleships; LOST with 67 killed

SPARROWHAWK - disabled by collisions with flotilla mates "Broke" and "Contest" and later scuttled; LOST with 6 killed

SHARK (Cdr Loftus Jones RN, awarded posthumous Victoria Cross) hit by 4.1in shells from light cruiser "Regensburg" and 2nd TBF, 3.5in from other destroyers. Finished by a torpedo from "S-54"; LOST with 86 killed. A division of 4th DF led by "Shark" counter-attacked German destroyers. Her forecastle was wrecked, forward 4in blown away and the guncrew lost. Then hit on the bridge and steering put out of action. Cdr Jones started moving towards the after steering position to find the main engines damaged. Under cruiser fire and wounded, he ordered the boats turned out but these were blown away. Now lying helpless between the two fleets, he joined the the midships guncrew in re-opening fire and damaged German destroyer "V.48". More destroyers closed in to 600 yards, firing heavily. With his leg shot away, Cdr Jones ordered the shot-away ensign rehoisted. "Shark" was now settling and abandon ship ordered as a German destroyer finished her with a torpedo. He was later seen in the sea encouraging survivors, but soon died and was not picked up. Cdr Jones body was later washed ashore in Sweden were he was buried.

Acasta hit by 2-5.9in from 1st SG battlecruisers "Lutzow" or "Derfflinger"; 6 killed

German light cruiser/TBF leader ROSTOCK hit by 3-4in from "Broke" and others of 4th Flotilla, then by one torpedo from "Contest" or "Ambuscade". Taken in tow by destroyer "S-54" but scuttled on sight of light cruiser "Dublin"; LOST with 14 killed

German destroyer V-48 hit by 1 or 2-4in from "Shark" of 4th DF, then 6in from 2nd Light Cruiser Squadron and 5th BS battleship "Valiant". Sunk by 4in from 12th DF; LOST with 90 killed

11th DF ("Lightfoot" class flotilla leader, 14 "M" class) - Light cruiser Castor plus Kempenfelt, Magic, Mandate, Manners, Marne, Martial, Michael, Milbrook, Minion, Mons, Moon, Morning Star, Mounsey, Mystic, Ossory

12th DF (2 "Faulknor" class flotilla leaders, 14 "M" class) - Faulknor (DF leader), Marksman (leader), Maenad, Marvel, Mary Rose, Menace, Mindful, Mischief, Munster, Narwhal, Nessus, Noble, Nonsuch, Obedient, Onslaught, Opal

Marvel hit by 1-12in unexploded shell from 3rd BS

Nessus hit by 1-5.9in from 3rd BS battleship "Grosser Kurfurst"; 7 killed

Onslaught hit by 1-6.7in from 2nd BS pre-dreadnought "Schleswig-Holstein"; 5 killed

German 2nd BS pre-dreadnought POMMERN sunk on 1st June by a torpedo from 12th DF

German destroyer V-48 hit by 1 or 2-4in from "Shark" of 4th DF, then 6in from 2nd Light Cruiser Squadron and 5th BS battleship "Valiant". Sunk by 4in from 12th DF; LOST with 90 killed

Battlecruiser Force Destroyers

1st DF (part, "I" class) - Light cruiser Fearless plus Acheron, Ariel, Attack, Badger, Defender, Goshawk, Hydra, Lapwing, Lizard

Defender hit by 1-12in shell from German 3rd BS; 1 killed

9th/10th DF - 9th DF (part, 4 "L" class) - Lydiard (DF leader), Landrail, Laurel, Liberty, 10th DF (part, 2 "M" and 2 "Talisman" class) - Moorsom, Morris, Termagant, Turbulent

Moorsom hit by 1-5.9in from 3rd BS battleships "Koenig" or "Grosser Kurfurst"; no one killed but 1 man wounded

TURBULENT hit by 5.9in from 1st BS "Westfalen" and other battleships, and possibly finished by torpedo from destroyer "V-71"; LOST with 96 killed

Either "Turbulent" or 13th DF "Petard" hit battlecruiser Seydlitz with one torpedo contributing to her heavy damage and flooding

13th DF (10 "M" class) - Light cruiser Champion plus Moresby, Narbrough, Nerissa, Nestor, Nicator, Nomad, Obdurate, Onslow, Pelican, Petard

NESTOR (Cdr The Hon Edward Bingham RN, awarded Victoria Cross) hit by 2-4.1in, but sunk by 5.9in from battleships; LOST with 6 killed. At 16.15hrs on the 31st May destroyers went ahead to engage German destroyers and try to torpedo their battlecruisers. Part of 13th Flotilla - "Nestor", "Nomad" and "Nicator" closed to 3,000 yards under heavy fire from battlecruisers' secondary batteries. "Nomad" was hit and crippled and stopped, "Nestor" also hit and badly damaged, narrowly missing "Nicator" which escaped. The two stopped destroyers were soon in the path of the German Battlefleet. Both were badly hit with "Nestor" sinking. Abandoning ship, Cdr Bingham and some others were picked up as German POW's.

NOMAD hit by 4.1in or 3.5in but sunk by 5.9in from battleships; LOST with 8 killed

Obdurate hit by 2-4.1in probably from light cruiser "Regensburg"; 1 killed

Petard hit by 4 shells - 5.9in or 3.5in - from 1st BS "Westfalen"; 9 killed

Onslow hit by 3-5.9in from 1st SG "Lutzow" and 2-4.1in from light cruiser "Rostock"; 2 killed

Either "Petard" or 9th/10th DF "Turbulent" hit German battlecruiser Seydlitz with one torpedo contributing to her heavy damage and flooding.

German destroyer V-27 hit by 2-4in from 13th DF and scuttled; LOST with none killed

Destroyer V.29 torpedoed by "Petard"; LOST with 33 killed