HMS Thorn (1900)

For other ships of the same name, see HMS Thorn.
Career
Name: HMS Thorn
Builder: John Brown and Company, Clydebank
Laid down: Speculative Build
Launched: 17 March 1900
Acquired: 1899 – 1900 Naval Estimates
Commissioned: June 1901
Out of service: December 1918 she was paid off and laid-up in reserve awaiting disposal
Fate: broken at Portsmouth Dockyard in 1919
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 Thorn was a Clydebank three funnel - 30 knot destroyer purchased by the Royal Navy under the 1899–1900 Naval Estimates. She was the second ship to carry this name since it was introduced in 1779 for a 16-gun sloop sold in 1816.[3][4]

Construction

She was laid down as a speculative build Yard No 334 at the John Brown and Company shipyard in Clydebank and was launched on 17 March 1900. She was purchased by the Royal Navy on 31 March 1900. During her trials she made her contract speed of 30 knots. She was completed and accepted by the Royal Navy in June 1901.[3][4]

Pre-War

After commissioning she was assigned to the Channel Fleet in the Devonport Flotilla. She spent her operational career mainly in Home Waters. She was paid off on 4 January 1902, when her crew was turned over to the HMS Opossum, which took her place in the Flotilla.[5]

On 30 August 1912 the Admiralty directed all destroyer classes were to be designated by alpha characters starting with the letter 'A'. 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.[6]

World War I

July 1914 found her in active commission with the 7th Flotilla based at Devonport. In August 1914 the 7th Flotilla was deployed to the Humber River. Her employment with the 7th Flotilla included participating in anti-submarine and counter mining patrols.

In November 1916 she was deployed to Londonderry, Ireland. Here her duties included anti-submarine and counter mining patrols and escorting merchant vessels.

Disposition

By December 1918 she was paid off and laid-up in reserve awaiting disposal. She was broken at Portsmouth Dockyard in 1919.[7]

She was not awarded a Battle Honour for her service.

Pennant Numbers

Pennant Number[7] FromTo
D576 Dec 19141 Sep 1915
D701 Sep 19151 Jan 1918
D891 Jan 1918Dec 1918

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. (1969) [1898]. Jane’s All The Worlds Fighting Ships 1898. New York: first published by Sampson Low Marston, London 1898, Reprinted ARCO Publishing Company. p. 84 to 85.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Jane, Fred T. (reprinted © 1990). Jane’s Fighting Ships of World War I. Jane’s Publishing © 1919. p. 76. ISBN 1 85170 378 0. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  5. ↑ "Naval & Military intelligence" The Times (London). Thursday, 2 January 1902. (36654), p. 8.
  6. ↑ Conway’s All the World’s Fighting Ships 1906 to 1922. Conway Maritime Press. 1985, Reprinted 1986, 1997, 2002, 2006. p. Page 17 to 19. ISBN 0 85177 245 5. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 ""Arrowsmith" List – Part 1 Destroyer Prototypes through "River" Class". Retrieved 1 Jun 2013.

External links