H.M.S. Apollo (1891)

H.M.S. Apollo (1891)
Pendant Number:	N.36 (1914) N.05 (Jan 1918)
Builder:	Chatham Royal Dockyard
Laid down:	27 May, 1889
Launched:	10 Feb, 1891
Commissioned:	1892
Sold:	1920

H.M.S. Apollo was one of 21 Apollo class second-class cruisers completed in the early to mid 1890s.

Service

After some delays owing to late delivery of machinery, Apollo was launched at Chatham Dockyard amidst distinguished company that included the Earl and Countess of Glasgow, the Countess of Darnley and Lady Blythe, Commander in Chief at the Nore Vice-Admiral C. T. Curme, and Superintendent of Chatham Dockyard Rear-Admiral Edward Kelly. The moment of launching was delayed slightly as a sufficiently high tide took its time, but she slid out of the slip into the Medway when the Countess of Glasgow broke a bottle of wine on her (the cruiser's) end.

She was one of three cruisers, by early 1894, whose old pattern 6-in guns had been replaced by new quick-firing models. This work would be extended, in stages, to other contemprary cruisers.

She commissioned at Chatham on 4 August 1909. In mid-1913, she was in Second Fleet in the Minelayer Squadron.

She gave up her role in the Minelayer Squadron around August/September, 1917 in order to transition to service as a parent ship for the Fourth Destroyer Flotilla, which then boasted a strength of 38 destroyers. She kept up this work until at least September, 1919.

In July 1920, Apollo was listed as one of 88 ships (most of which were destroyers) on the disposal list which were to be prepared for sale "as soonas practicable."

Captains

Dates of appointment are provided when known.

• Captain Richard Poore, 21 July, 1892 – c. 20 August, 1892^[Inference]  (for Annual Manoeuvres of 1892)
• Captain George A. Primrose, 11 July, 1893 – 26 August, 1893  (for Annual Manoeuvres of 1893)
• Captain Alvin C. Corry, 18 July, 1894  (for Annual Manoeuvres of 1894)
• Captain Horatio N. Dudding, 24 July, 1895  (for Annual Manoeuvres of 1895)
• Captain Alvin C. Corry, 8 July, 1896  (for Annual Manoeuvres of 1896)
• Captain Philip F. Tillard, 15 June, 1897 – 29 July, 1897  (for Annual Manoeuvres of 1897)
• Captain Algernon H. Anson, 11 July, 1899  (for Annual Manoeuvres of 1899)
• Captain George E. Patey, 10 July, 1900  (for Annual Manoeuvres of 1900)
• Commander Reginald P. Cochran, early 1901 – 28 April, 1903
• Commander Hubert Grant-Dalton, 28 April, 1903 – 26 February, 1904
• Commander Philip Walter, 27 February, 1904 – 12 December, 1904
• Commander Arthur de K. L. May, 4 August, 1909 – 9 August, 1911
• Commander Oscar M. Makins, 8 August, 1911 – 31 October, 1911
• Commander Harold E. Browne, 31 October, 1911 – 1 January, 1914
• Captain Forster D. Arnold-Forster, 1 January, 1914 – 22 November, 1914
• Commander Walter R. G. Petre, 22 November, 1914 – 10 May, 1915
• Captain (D) Arthur E. Wood, 1 September, 1917 – 1 March, 1919  (Captain (D) of Fourth Destroyer Flotilla)
• Commander Morshead B. Baillie-Hamilton, 17 September, 1917 – July, 1918
• Commander John A. Ingles, 29 July, 1918 – 11 April, 1919
• Captain (D) Arthur E. Wood, 11 April, 1919 – 14 June, 1920  (and as Captain (D), Devonport from 1 March, 1919)

See Also

• Wikipedia