H.M.S. Exmouth (1901)
| H.M.S. Exmouth (1901) | |
|---|---|
| Pendant Number: | 12 (1914) 63 (Jan 1918) N.44 (Apr 1918)[1] |
| Builder: | Laird[2] |
| Ordered: | 1898 Supplemental Programme[3] |
| Laid down: | 10 Aug, 1899[4] |
| Launched: | 31 Aug, 1901[5] |
| Completed: | May, 1903[6] |
| Commissioned: | Jun, 1903[7] |
| Sold: | 15 Jan, 1920[8] |
| Fate: | Scrapped |
H.M.S. Exmouth was one of six Duncan class pre-dreadnought battleships completed for the Royal Navy in 1903 and 1904.
Service
Exmouth commissioned with a Portsmouth crew at Chatham on 2 June, 1903, by Captain Michael P. O'Callaghan, to replace the Victorious in the Mediterranean.[9] Her Commander was Mortimer L'E. Silver, and her Gunnery Lieutenant was Frederic Dreyer, whose comments on the ship's then-current state of fire control equipment is found in the notes for the Duncan class.[10]
In November, 1905, she was in the Channel Fleet. She remained there until at least June, 1906.
In Battle Practice on 1 October, 1906, Exmouth recorded sixty hits at Weymouth.
By 1907, Exmouth moved to the Atlantic Fleet, being flagship for some portion of that year.
In 1910, Exmouth was the best gunnery ship of the thirteen tested from the Mediterranean Fleet and Sixth Cruiser Squadron, scoring 51.57 versus the average 37.641.[11]
In May, 1912, she was flagship in the Fourth Battle Squadron. She was replaced as flagship on 17 December, 1912 by Albemarle.
In mid-1913, she was serving as a gunnery training ship in Devonport, and was to be recommissioned on 1 July.[12]
Two misfortunes soon befell her. On 10 July, she was grounded at Sheerness when attempting to enter the harbour under unsuitable conditions. Then, on 18 July, she suffered a fire in an electrical switchboard so severe that it was decided to flood her after magazines. It was thought the fire was attributable to a short circuit, but the switchboard was entirely destroyed and much damage to the electrical system done by water used in fighting the blaze.[13] Captain Hugh Heard was castigated for ceasing fire fighting efforts prematurely, before the fire had been completely extinguished.[14] By December, 1913, Exmouth was a unit in the Sixth Battle Squadron.
Henry Rawdon Veale was appointed in command on 6 February, 1914 and served as captain until 1 November, 1916.[15] Exmouth remained with 6 B.S., serving as flagship from 4 June, 1915 until some time later in the year, until it was disbanded in late 1917.
Radio
In 1908, the ship was one of just nine equipped with the "C" Tune Gear, capable of transmitting (only?) on "S", "U" and "W" tunes. It was to receive a Service Mark II set in 1909.[16]
Captains
Dates of appointment are provided when known.
- Captain Michael P. O'Callaghan, 2 June, 1903[17] – 17 May, 1904[18]
- Captain Edward E. Bradford, 18 May, 1904[19][20] – 4 March, 1907[21] (and as Chief of Staff)
- Captain Sir Arthur J. Henniker-Hughan, Bart., 5 March, 1907[22][23] – 7 October, 1908[24] (becoming Flag Captain on 25 May, 1907)
- Captain John S. Luard, 7 October, 1908[25] – March, 1909[26] (and as Flag Captain)
- Captain John de M. Hutchison, 16 March, 1909[27] – 30 April, 1910[28] (and as Flag Captain)
- Captain Bernard Currey, 30 April, 1910[29] – 27 March, 1911[30]
- Captain Stuart Nicholson, 27 March, 1911[31][32] – 1 July, 1912[33] (and as Chief of Staff)
- Captain Wilmot S. Nicholson, 1 July, 1912[34] – late 1912
- Captain Hughes C. Lockyer, December, 1912
- Captain Thomas W. Kemp, 1 June, 1913[35] – 10 June, 1913[36] (for voyage home)
- Captain Hugh L. P. Heard, 1 July, 1913[37] – 9 February, 1914[38]
- Captain Henry R. Veale, 6 February, 1914[39][40] – 1 November, 1916[41]
- Captain Francis H. Mitchell, 1 November, 1916[42][43] – 31 August, 1917[44]
- Commander (retired) George W. Gubbins, 4 January, 1917 – 1 July, 1917
- Captain (retired) William P. Lodder, 1 July, 1918 – 15 November, 1918 (and in command of Jupiter)
- Captain (retired) H. Neville Rolfe, 15 November, 1918[45] – 6 June, 1919 (and for command of Albion)
The conflict between Mitchell and Gubbins should be explored.
See Also
Footnotes
- ↑ Dittmar; Colledge. British Warships 1914–1919. p. 30.
- ↑ Dittmar; Colledge. British Warships 1914–1919. p. 30.
- ↑ Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905. p. 37.
- ↑ Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905. p. 37.
- ↑ Dittmar; Colledge. British Warships 1914–1919. p. 30.
- ↑ Burt. British Battleships: 1889-1904. p. 232.
- ↑ "Naval & Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Wednesday, 3 June, 1903. Issue 37097, col D, p. 5.
- ↑ Dittmar; Colledge. British Warships 1914–1919. p. 30.
- ↑ "Naval & Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Wednesday, 3 June, 1903. Issue 37097, col D, p. 5.
- ↑ Dreyer. The Sea Heritage. p. 47.
- ↑ The National Archives. ADM 1/8328, p. 4.
- ↑ The Navy List. (July, 1913). p. 311.
- ↑ Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1913. p. 50.
- ↑ Heard Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 84.
- ↑ Veale Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/305. f. 335.
- ↑ Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1908. Wireless Appendix, p. 13.
- ↑ O'Callaghan Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/39. f. 975.
- ↑ O'Callaghan Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/18. f. 104/208.
- ↑ The Navy List. (November, 1905). p. 312.
- ↑ Bradford Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/20. f. 335.
- ↑ Bradford Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/20. f. 335.
- ↑ The Navy List. (October, 1908). p. 313-15.
- ↑ Henniker-Hughan Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 383.
- ↑ Henniker-Hughan Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 383.
- ↑ Luard Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 313.
- ↑ Luard Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 313.
- ↑ Hutchison Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/20. f. 400.
- ↑ Hutchison Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/20. f. 400.
- ↑ Currey Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 36.
- ↑ Currey Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 36.
- ↑ Nicholson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 291.
- ↑ The Navy List. (April, 1911). p. 312.
- ↑ Nicholson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 291.
- ↑ The Navy List. (August, 1912). p. 311.
- ↑ Kemp Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 420.
- ↑ Kemp Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 420.
- ↑ Heard Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 84.
- ↑ Heard Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 84.
- ↑ Veale Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/305. f. 335.
- ↑ The Navy List. (October, 1916). p. 394j.
- ↑ Veale Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/305. f. 335.
- ↑ The Navy List. (August, 1917). p. 393s.
- ↑ Mitchell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 134.
- ↑ Mitchell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 134.
- ↑ The Navy List. (February, 1919). p. 792.
Bibliography
- Dreyer, Admiral Sir Frederic C. (1955). The Sea Heritage: A Study of Maritime Warfare. London: Museum Press Limited.
- Dittmar, F.J.; Colledge, J.J. (1972). British Warships 1914–1919. London: Ian Allan.
- Parkes, O.B.E., Ass.I.N.A., Dr. Oscar (1990). British Battleships 1860–1950. London: Pen & Sword Ltd. ISBN 0850526043. (on Bookfinder.com).
| Duncan Class Pre-dreadnought | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Albemarle | Cornwallis | Duncan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Exmouth | Montagu | Russell | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| <– | London Class | Battleships (UK) | Triumph Class | –> | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
