HMS Electra (1896)

For other ships of the same name, see HMS Electra.
Career
Ordered: 1895 – 1896 Naval Estimates
Builder: J & G Thompson, Clydebank
Laid down: 18 October 1895
Launched: 14 July 1896
Commissioned: July 1900
Out of service: Laid up in reserve 1919
Fate: 29 April 1920 sold to Barking Ship Breaking Company for breaking
General characteristics
Class and type:Clydebank three funnel - 30 knot destroyer[1][2]
Displacement:345 t (340 long tons) standard
485 t (477 long tons) full load

214 ft (65 m) o/a
20 ft (6.1 m) Beam

8 ft 6 in (2.59 m) Draught
Propulsion:4 × Thornycroft water tube boiler
2 × Vertical Triple Expansion (VTE) steam engines driving 2 shafts producing 5,800 shp (4,300 kW)
Speed:30 kn (56 km/h)
Range:80 tons coal
1,465 nmi (2,713 km) at 11 kn (20 km/h)
Complement:63 officers and men
Armament:
  • 1 × QF 12-pounder 12 cwt Mark I L/40 naval gun on a P Mark I Low angle mount
  • 5 × QF 6-pdr 8 cwt naval gun L/40 Naval gun on a Mark I* low angle mount
  • 2 × single tubes for 18-inch (450mm) torpedoes
Service record
Operations: World War I 1914 - 1918

HMS Electra was a Clydebank-built three funnelled 30-knot destroyer ordered by the Royal Navy under the 1895 – 1896 Naval Estimates. She was the fourth ship to carry this name since it was introduced in 1806 for a 16-gun brig-sloop.[3][4]

In 1913 she was grouped along with similar vessels as a C-class destroyer

Construction

She was laid down as Yard Number 289 on 18 October 1895 at J & G Thompson shipyard in Clydebank and launched on 14 July 1896. During her builder’s trials she had problems attaining her contract speed. Her hull was lengthened by 4 feet then she made her contract speed of 30 knots; she was completed and accepted by the Royal Navy in July 1900.[3][4]

Service

After commissioning she was assigned to the Chatham Division of the Harwich Flotilla. She was deployed in home waters for her entire service life.

On 30 August 1912 the Admiralty directed all destroyer classes were to be designated by letters. Since her design speed was 30-knots and she had three funnels she was assigned with vessels built to the same specification as the C Class. After 30 September 1913, she was known as an C Class destroyer and had the letter ‘C’ painted on the hull below the bridge area and on either the fore or aft funnel.[5]

In 1914 she was in active commission at the Nore based at Shearness tendered to HMS Actaeon a Royal Navy training establishment. With the outbreak of hostilities in August 1914 she was assigned to the Nore Local Flotilla. Her duties included anti-submarine and counter-mining patrols in the Thames Estuary.

In 1919 she was paid off and laid-up in reserve awaiting disposal. She was sold on 29 April 1920 to Barking Ship Breaking Company for breaking.[6]

Pennant numbers

Pennant Number[6] FromTo
N556 Dec 19141 Sep 1915
D521 Sep 19151 Jan 1918
D311 Jan 191829 Apr 1920

Ship Captains

(from the Dreadnought Project website)

References

  1. ↑ Jane, Fred T. (1969) [1905]. Jane’s Fighting Ships 1905. New York: first published by Sampson Low Marston, London 1905, Reprinted ARCO Publishing Company. p. 77.
  2. ↑ Jane, Fred T. (reprinted © 1990). Jane’s Fighting Ships of World War I. Jane’s Publishing © 1919. p. 77. ISBN 1 85170 378 0. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Jane, Fred T. (19691898,) [1898, sampson Low Marston, London]. Jane’s All The Worlds Fighting Ships 1898. New York: ARCO Publishing Company. p. 84 to 85. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Jane, Fred T. (1990) [1919]. Jane’s Fighting Ships of World War I. Jane’s Publishing. p. 76. ISBN 1 85170 378 0.
  5. ↑ Conway’s All the World’s Fighting Ships 1906 to 1922. Conway Maritime Press. 1985, Reprinted 1986, 1997, 2002, 2006. pp. 17–19. ISBN 0 85177 245 5. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 ""Arrowsmith" List – Part 1 Destroyer Prototypes through "River" Class". Retrieved 1 Jun 2013.

External links