H.M.S. Bellona (1909)

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H.M.S. Bellona (1909)
Pendant Number: 1C (1914)
12 (Jan 1918)
87 (Apr 1918)[1]
Builder: Pembroke Royal Dockyard[2]
Ordered: 1907 Programme[3]
Laid down: 5 Jun, 1908[4]
Launched: 20 Mar, 1909[5]
Commissioned: Feb, 1910[6]
Sold: 9 May, 1921[7]
Fate: to Ward, Lelant[8]

H.M.S. Bellona was one of seven scout cruisers of the Boadicea class.

Service

On 1 July 1913, Bellona was ordered to transfer to the First Battle Squadron from her present role as flagship of the Second Destroyer Flotilla.[9]

On 17 December, 1914, Bellona and the flotilla leader Broke collided; Commander Roper of Broke "[i]ncurred TL displeasure" in the incident.[10]

She served much of the war attached to the First Battle Squadron, and was one of four scout cruisers attached to the Grand Fleet at the Battle of Jutland, under the command of Captain Dutton.[11]

But in April 1917, her steadfast service to 1BS ended, as she was detached.[12] In June when she was listed as being in "Home Water or on detached service,"[13] as she completed a refit to be a minelayer, capable of carrying 66 mines.[14] She laid 306 mines in four operations.[15]

From this point on, she was to resume her old job, but with a variety of Battle Squadrons. In July, she was back with the Grand Fleet, but with the Fourth Battle Squadron for a month.[16] In August, she was back with the First Battle Squadron.[17] In October, she moved to a longstanding stint with the Second Battle Squadron, staying with them through January 1919.

In February, 1919, she was based with other light cruisers out of Devonport, being relegated to reserve status the following month.[18][19] In July, she was still there with a reserve complement, and designated as part of Group I of the Devonport Reserve under flagship Colossus.[20]

Alterations

In 1913, it was approved, as part of a general reallocation of 18-in torpedoes, to replace the torpedoes on Bellona with Mark VII** torpedoes. It seems this did not extend to Boadicea.[21]

In August of that 1913, Portsmouth Royal Dockyard was to supply head rests for this ship's 4-in guns, to be fitted in the dockyard when the opportunity arose. Boadicea seems to have been skipped in this regard.[22]

Captains

Dates of appointment are provided when known.

See Also

Footnotes

  1. Dittmar; Colledge. British Warships 1914–1919. p. 45.
  2. Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. p. 50.
  3. Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. p. 50.
  4. Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. p. 50.
  5. Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. p. 50.
  6. Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. p. 50.
  7. Dittmar; Colledge. British Warships 1914–1919. p. 45.
  8. Dittmar; Colledge. British Warships 1914–1919. p. 45.
  9. The Navy List. (July, 1913). p. 283.
  10. Roper Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/151. f. 169.
  11. Battle of Jutland Official Despatches. pp. 33, 43.
  12. Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (April, 1917). p. 10.
  13. Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (June, 1917). p. 14.
  14. Annual Report of the Torpedo School, Mining Appendix, 1917-18. Plate 7.
  15. Dittmar; Colledge. British Warships 1914–1919. p. 117.
  16. Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (July, 1917). p. 10.
  17. Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (August, 1917). p. 10.
  18. Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (February, 1919). p. 20.
  19. Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (March, 1919). p. 20.
  20. Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (July, 1919). pp. 16-17.
  21. Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1913. p. 8.
  22. Admiralty Weekly Order No. 470 of 22 Aug, 1913.
  23. Alexander-Sinclair Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 361.
  24. Alexander-Sinclair Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 361.
  25. Brand Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 118.
  26. The Navy List. (April, 1911). p. 283.
  27. Brand Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 118.
  28. Tyrwhitt Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 125.
  29. Tyrwhitt Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 125.
  30. The Navy List. (March, 1913). p. 283.
  31. The Navy List. (October, 1915). p. 392i.
  32. Dutton Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 258.
  33. Dutton Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 258.
  34. The Navy List. (December, 1916). p. 392k.
  35. The Navy List. (November, 1917). p. 391r.
  36. Bigg Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/9. f. 10.
  37. The Navy List. (September, 1919). p. 739.
  38. Bigg Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/9. f. 10.

Bibliography


Boadicea Class Scout Cruiser
Boadicea Group
  Boadicea Bellona  
Blonde Group
  Blonde Blanche  
Active Group
  Active Amphion Fearless  
<– Sentinel Class Minor Cruisers (UK) Bristol Class –>