HMAS Psyche at Hong Kong in 1916 |
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| Career (United Kingdom) | |
|---|---|
| Builder: | HM Devonport Dockyard |
| Laid down: | 15 November 1897 |
| Launched: | 19 July 1898 |
| Commissioned: | 2 May 1899 |
| Decommissioned: | 1913 |
| Honours and awards: |
One inherited battle honour |
| Fate: | Transferred to the RAN |
| Career (Australia) | |
| Acquired: | 1 July 1915 |
| Commissioned: | 1 July 1915 |
| Decommissioned: | March 1918 |
| Fate: | Sold for scrap |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | 'Pelorus class cruiser |
| Displacement: | 2,135 tons |
| Length: | 313.5 ft (95.6 m) length overall 300 ft (91 m) between perpendiculars |
| Beam: | 36.5 ft (11.1 m) |
| Draught: | 15 ft (4.6 m) |
| Propulsion: | 2 x triple expansion steam engines, 7,000 ihp (5,200 kW), two screws |
| Speed: | 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph) |
| Complement: | Initially 220, reduced to 188 |
| Armament: | 8 × single QF 4 in (100 mm) guns 8 × single QF 3 pounder guns 2 x 4.7-inch guns 2 field guns 3 × Maxim machine guns 2 × 14 in (356 mm) torpedo tubes |
| Armour: | 50 mm (2.0 in) deck |
HMAS Psyche (formerly HMS Psyche) was a Pelorus class light cruiser built for the Royal Navy at the end of the 19th century. She was transferred to the fledgling Royal Australian Navy (RAN) in 1912.
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Psyche was a third-class protected cruiser of the nine-ship Pelorus or P class.[1] She had a displacement of 2,135 tons, was 313 feet 6 inches (95.55 m) long overall and 300 feet (91 m) long between perpendiculars, had a beam of 36 feet 6 inches (11.13 m), and a draught of 15 feet (4.6 m).[1] Propulsion was supplied by inverted three-cylinder triple expansion steam engines, providing 7,000 indicated horsepower (5,200 kW) to two propeller shafts.[2] Psyche was capable of reaching 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph), although she normally operated at the more economical speedo of 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph).[1]
The cruiser was armed with eight single QF 4 in (100 mm) guns, eight single QF 3 pounder guns, two 4.7-inch guns, two field guns, three Maxim machine guns, and two 14 in (356 mm) torpedo tubes sited above the waterline.[2] The ship's company initially stood at 220, but this was later reduced to 188; 12 officers, and 176 sailors.[2]
Psyche was laid down for the Royal Navy at HM Devonport Dockyard, Plymouth on 15 November 1897.[2] She was launched on 19 July 1988 by Miss E. Carr, sister of the dockyard's admiral superintendent.[2] The cruiser was completed on 28 April 1899, and was placed in reserve until her commissioning on 2 May 1899.[2]
Psyche originally operated on the North America and West Indies Station.[2] In December 1903, she was transferred to the Royal Navy's Australian Squadron, where she served until October 1913, when the Australia Station was handed to the control of the fledgling RAN.[2] In 1914, Psyche formed part of the escort for the New Zealand Force which occupied German Samoa (now Samoa). On her return to Sydney in late 1914, she was laid up.
Following an increase in German activity in the Persian Gulf, the Admiralty requested that the RAN reactivate and man Psyche, which would then be used to investigate.[2] The cruiser was provided with a ship's company (consisting primarily of untrained sailors), commissioned into the RAN on 1 July 1915, and sailed on 16 August.[2] En route, the threat of a German-inspired uprising in India and Burma took precedence, and Psyche was diverted to Rangoon, from where she patrolled the Bay of Bengal.[2] From late 1915 to early 1916, the cruiser patrolled as far east as Singapore, served as escort to two ships carrying Turkish prisoners of war, was responsible for the transportation of two Chinese spies (one of whom escaped), and helped capture the ringleaders of an Indian soldiers' mutiny in Singapore.[2]
While undergoing refit in Hong Kong during early 1916, personnel from Psyche were used to man the river gunboat HMS Moorhen in order to evacuate European civilians from Canton following disturbances.[2] The gunboat was halfway up the Pearl River Delta when it was learned that the civilians had been recovered by another vessel, and returned to Hong Kong.[2] In July 1916, sickness ran through Psyche; at one point, almost 60% of the ship's company were hospitalised ashore or were otherwise unfit for duty.[2] During her stay in Hong Kong, the reassignment of flag officers meant that Psyche was, for one day, Flagship of the China Squadron.[2] After further patrols ranging as far as Japan and the Nicobar Islands, the ship returned to Sydney on 28 September 1917, and was paid off on 16 October.[3]
Psyche was reactivated on 20 November 1917 for service along Australia's north-east coast, but after uneventful patrols, she was decommissioned for the final time on 26 March 1918.[3]
The ship was sold to the Moreland Metal Company on 21 July 1922, who used her as a timber lighter.[3] Psyche sank in 1940 at Salamander Bay, New South Wales.[3][4] The wreck was later broken up by RAN clearance divers during an underwater demolitions training exercise.[3]
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