HMS Kestrel (1898)

For other ships of the same name, see HMS Kestrel.
HMS Kestrel after 1 January 1918
Career
Name: HMS Kestrel
Ordered: 1896 – 1897 Naval Estimates
Builder: J & G Thompson, Clydebank
Laid down: 2 September 1896
Launched: 25 March 1897
Commissioned: April 1900
Out of service: Laid up in reserve 1919
Fate: 17 March 1921 sold to Thomas W. Ward of Sheffeild for breaking at Rainham, Kent
General characteristics
Class and type:Clydebank three funnel - 30 knot destroyer[1][2]
Displacement:350 t (344 long tons) standard
395 t (389 long tons) full load

218 ft (66 m) o/a
20 ft 8 in (6.30 m) Beam

8 ft 11 in (2.72 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 Kestrel 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 first used in 1846 for a brigantine.[3][4]

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

Construction

She was laid down as Yard Number 298 on 2 September 1896 at J & G Thompson shipyard in Clydebank and launched on 25 March 1898. During her builder’s trials she made her contract speed of 30 knots. In 1899 during the construction of these ships, steelmaker John Brown and Company of Sheffield bought J&G Thomson's Clydebank yard. She was completed and accepted by the Royal Navy in April 1900.[3][4]

Pre-War

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 to 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]

World War I

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.

Disposition

In 1919 she was paid off and laid-up in reserve awaiting disposal. She was sold on 17 March 1921 to Thomas W. Ward of Sheffield for breaking at Rainham, Kent on the Thames Estuary.[6]

She was not awarded a battle honour for her service.

Pennant Numbers

Pennant Number[6] FromTo
N476 Dec 19141 Sep 1915
D601 Sep 19151 Jan 1918
D491 Jan 191817 Mar 1921

References

NOTE: All tabular data under General Characteristics only from the listed Jane's Fighting Ships volume unless otherwise specified

  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. Jane’s All The Worlds Fighting Ships 1898. New York: ARCO Publishing Company. pp. 84–85.
  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. 2006 [1985]. pp. 17–19. ISBN 0 85177 245 5.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 ""Arrowsmith" List – Part 1 Destroyer Prototypes through "River" Class". Retrieved 1 Jun 2013.

External links