H.M.S. Charybdis (1893)

H.M.S. Charybdis (1893)
Pendant Number:	D.56 (1914) P.56 (Sep 1915) N.21 (Jan 1918)
Builder:	Sheerness Royal Dockyard
Ordered:	Naval Defence Act of 1889
Laid down:	1891
Launched:	15 Jun, 1893
Commissioned:	14 Jan, 1896
Sold:	27 Jan, 1922
Fate:	Scrapped

H.M.S. Charybdis was one of eight Astræa class cruisers completed for the Royal Navy between 1894 and 1896.

Service

In mid-August 1912, Charybdis, Astræa and Juno were contributing to congestion in Chatham Dockyard, and were to be moved out to the Medway.

Charybdis re-commissioned at Chatham on 25 April 1913 and was serving in the Third Fleet out of Devonport by mid-year.

As the United Kingdom moved towards war, several rapid changes were made to her command: On 20 June, 1914, Lieutenant-Commander Scobell was superseded by Commander Lyne, "for the naval manoeuvres" (although Scobell remained in the ship as First Lieutenant for the time being). On 1 August, 1914 Commander Ernest Foster Gregory was appointed in command, but it is doubtful whether he spent much time in the ship, for on the same day further changes and appointments were made at the Admiralty: Rear-Admiral Rosslyn Wemyss was appointed to take command of Cruiser Force G, flying his flag in Charybdis, while command of the ship itself was given to a more senior officer, Captain Rudolf M. Burmester. (Commander Gregory was given a fresh appointment, to the War Staff, to date 3 August 1914.)

On outbreak of war, Charybdis, as Admiral Wemyss's flagship, patrolled the mouth of the English Channel with Cruiser Force G, until September 1914, when they left for Canada, to escort the first Canadian contingent to England.

Following a collision she was laid up at Bermuda in 1914. She was repaired as a cargo carrier and until February, 1919, she was on loan. She was sold at Bermuda on 27 January, 1922, and resold in October, 1923, for breaking up in the Netherlands.

Captains

Dates of appointment are provided when known.

• Captain Henry Hart Dyke, 24 July, 1895  (for Annual Manoeuvres of 1895)
• Captain John M. McQuhae, 14 January, 1896 – 19 December, 1896  (invalided out)
• Captain Daniel McN. Riddel, 1 January, 1897 – 3 August, 1897  (including the Annual Manoeuvres of 1897)
• Captain Lewis E. Wintz, 3 August, 1897 – 1 July, 1898  (transferred out to H.M.S. Furious)
• Captain George A. Giffard, February, 1899 – 22 November, 1901  (as Commodore, Second Class during fishing season)
• Captain Frederick St. G. Rich, 11 July, 1899  (temporary, for Annual Manoeuvres of 1899)
• Captain Robert A. J. Montgomerie, 23 November, 1901 – 20 April, 1904
• Captain Alfred W. Paget, 4 March, 1904 – 24 March, 1905

• Commander Lawrence de W. Satow, 25 March, 1905 – 25 March, 1907  (temporary)
• Captain The Hon. Stanhope Hawke, 25 March, 1907 – 7 December, 1908
• Captain Edward C. Villiers, 8 December, 1908 – 1910
• Lieutenant & Commander George B. Eldridge, 4 November, 1910 – 7 September, 1912
• Lieutenant-Commander Eric W. Harbord, 10 September, 1912 – 19 August, 1913
• Lieutenant-Commander Claude W. B. Scobell, 19 August, 1913 – 20 June, 1914  (reverted to first officer at end)
• Captain Rudolf M. Burmester, 1 August, 1914 – 21 October, 1914
• Captain Robert W. Glennie, 20 October, 1914 – January, 1915

See Also

• Wikipedia

Bibliography

• Dittmar, F.J.; Colledge, J.J. (1972). British Warships 1914–1919. London: Ian Allan.