H.M.S. Bedford (1901)

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H.M.S. Bedford (1901)
Builder: Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company, Govan[1]
Ordered: 1899-1900 Programme[2]
Laid down: 19 Feb, 1900[3]
Launched: 31 Aug, 1901[4]
Commissioned: 11 Nov, 1903[5]
Wrecked: 21 Aug, 1910[6]

H.M.S. Bedford was one of ten armoured cruisers of the Monmouth Class completed between 1903 and 1904.

Construction & Service

In 1904, in a competition to investigate how rapidly submerged tubes could be fired four times sequentially, starting with the tube loaded and the bar out, the ship's crew was able to do this in 7 minutes, 40 seconds.  The best time was achieved by Cressy at 50.75 seconds, though times of 3-5 minutes were more typical.[7]

Bedford participated in the Annual Manoeuvres of 1906. Her three funnels were painted red for the exercises. "present[ing] a vivid contrast to her grey hull."[8]

In 1910, Bedford was the best gunnery ship of the six on the China Station, scoring 67.81 – well ahead of the average 56.628.[9]

Loss

On 20 August, 1910, Bedford sailed from Weihai with three other ships from the squadron for Nagasaki. Bedford took the opportunity on the passage to conduct a full-power test and drew ahead of her small formation. At about 4.50am on the 21st she ran hard aground on the Samarang Reef and flooded the forward boiler room, killing all but one within. The ship had been 25 and a half miles off her estimated position at the time of the wreck, owing largely to strong currents.[10]

On 23 August the Lord Lieutenant of Bedfordshire sent a telegram to the Admiralty:

County of Bedford desires to express its deep regret at the accident to H.M.S. Bedford and also its sympathy with the relatives and friends of those whose lives have been lost. The Lord Lieutenant is anxious for further information.

Captain Fitzherbert and Lieutenant (D) Dixie were found to have hazarded the ship by default and were severely reprimanded and dismissed the ship.[11]

List of Men Killed

  • Allen Jones, Artificer Engineer, F.36221.
  • Colin Ferguson, Leading Stoker First Class, 277961.
  • William Horner Taylor, Stoker Petty Officer, ON.277442.
  • John Hart, Chief Stoker, ON.285975.
  • John Wilson, Leading Stoker, ON.396497.
  • Arthur Richard Austin Eastwood, Stoker First Class, ON.298172.
  • Walter Lill, Stoker First Class, K.124.
  • George Fovargue, Stoker First Class, K.205.
  • John Thomas Fogarty, Stoker First Class, K.260.
  • Alfred Percy Andrews, Stoker First Class, K.146.
  • James Henry Calam, Stoker First Class, S.S.106528.
  • John McKittrick, Stoker First Class, ON.104751.
  • Andrew McDowell, Stoker First Class, ON.106672.
  • George William Goodall, Stoker First Class, ON.311424.
  • William George McElligott, Stoker First Class, ON.304020.
  • William Cook, Stoker, ON.296491.
  • Thomas White, Able Seaman, ON.238666.
  • Henry James Crust, Able Seaman, ON.238394.

Captains

Dates of appointment are provided when known.

See Also

Footnotes

  1. Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905. p. 70.
  2. Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905. p. 70.
  3. Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905. p. 70.
  4. Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905. p. 70.
  5. Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905. p. 70.
  6. Dittmar; Colledge. British Warships 1914–1919. p. 42.
  7. Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1904. pp. 45-7.
  8. "Naval & Military Intelligence." The Times (London, England), Monday, Jun 11, 1906; pg. 7; Issue 38043.
  9. The National Archives. ADM 1/8328. p. 4.
  10. Hepper. British Warship Losses in the Ironclad Era: 1860-1919. p. 22.
  11. Hepper. British Warship Losses in the Ironclad Era: 1860-1919. p. 22.
  12. Sturdee Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/20. f. 40.
  13. Sturdee Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/20. f. 40.
  14. The Navy List. (November, 1905). p. 283.
  15. Peirse Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/39. f. 1026.
  16. Peirse Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/39. f. 1026.
  17. Lyon Service Record at The National Archives. ADM 196/19. f. 446.
  18. Lyon Service Record at The National Archives. ADM 196/19. f. 446.
  19. Robertson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/19. f. 447.
  20. Robertson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/19. f. 447.
  21. Torlesse Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/39. f. 1314.
  22. Torlesse Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/39. f. 1314.
  23. Wake Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/20. f. 638.
  24. Wake Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/20. f. 638.
  25. The Navy List. (October, 1908). p. 282.
  26. Stafford Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/20. f. 524.
  27. Stafford Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/20. f. 524.

Bibliography

  • Dittmar, F.J.; Colledge, J.J. (1972). British Warships 1914–1919. London: Ian Allan.
  • Chesneau, Robert; Kolesnik, Eugene (editors) (1979). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905. London: Conway Maritime Press. (on Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk).


Monmouth Class Armoured Cruiser
Bedford Berwick Cornwall Cumberland Donegal
Essex Kent Lancaster Monmouth Suffolk
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