H.M.S. Swift (1907)
| H.M.S. Swift (1907) | |
|---|---|
| Pendant Number: | H.64 (1914) H.3A (Jan 1918) D.60 (Sep 1918)[1] |
| Builder: | Cammell Laird[2] |
| Launched: | 7 Dec, 1907[3] |
| Sold: | 9 Nov, 1921[4] |
| Fate: | to Rees, Llanelly |
An exceptionally large flotilla leader, H.M.S. Swift was the only example of her class. She was completed in 1910 and was criticised for her light construction, huge size her great expense.
She served in the War out of Dover.[5]
Service
In November, 1911, Swift was serving as a flotilla leader in the First Destroyer Flotilla.[6]
At the outset of war, she was flotilla leader in the Fourth Destroyer Flotilla. In September 1914, it was decided that Aurora replace her and that she should serve as the half-flotilla leader, but there is no sign that this occurred before she was to leave to undergo a refit in November 1914.[7]
Just after midnight on the night of 20 April, 1917, Swift and Broke intercepted six German destroyers returning from a bombardment of Dover. Swift attempted to ram the onrushing enemy but missed, but she succeeded in torpedoing Template:DE-G85. She then assisted Broke, which had been torpedoed after ramming another destroyer. Commander Peck was awarded the D.S.O. for his handling of Swift in this action.[8]
In December, 1918, Swift was made a flotilla leader in the new Twenty-first Destroyer Flotilla.[9] In March, 1919, she was placed into Reserve at Portsmouth when the young flotilla was disbanded.[10]
Swift was reduced to a C. & M. Party at Portsmouth on 17 October, 1919.[11]
Captains
Dates of appointment are provided when known.
- Commander Robert G. Corbett, 2 August, 1910[12]
- Captain John S. Dumaresq, 10 February, 1910[13] – 2 August, 1910[14]
- Commander George B. W. Young, 1 August, 1912[15][16] – 5 December, 1913[17]
- Captain Charles J. Wintour, 5 December, 1913[18][19] – January, 1915[20] (and as Captain (D), Fourth Destroyer Flotilla)
- Commander Anselan J. B. Stirling, 6 October, 1914[21] – 24 November, 1914[22]
- Captain H. Ralph Crooke, January, 1915[23] – February, 1915[24] (during period in Dockyard hands)
- Captain Charles J. Wintour, February, 1915[25][26] – c. 5 August, 1915[27][28] (and as Captain (D), Fourth Destroyer Flotilla)
- Lieutenant-Commander Gerald C. Harrison, 5 August, 1915[29] – 26 August, 1915[30] (temporary, to bring ship to Dover)
- Commander Robert H. Coppinger, 5 August, 1915[31] – 3 July, 1916[32]
- Commander Ambrose M. Peck, 29 September, 1916[33][34] – 1 October, 1917[35]
- Commander Reginald T. Amedroz, 1 October, 1917[36][37] – 26 March, 1919[38]
- Commander Hugh U. Fletcher, 24 March, 1919[39] – November, 1919[40] (and for charge of a group of T.B.Ds. from 3 April)
Performance
March offers the following appraisal of the ship's performance.[41]
Though the ship is rumoured to have once achieved 39 knots, her best time on a measured mile was less than 35.5 knots with a water loss of 10 tons. At 33.25 knots, she advanced 680 yards on a tactical diameter of 766 yards to starboard and 660 yards on a tactical diameter of 677 yards to port. Her turbines could go from full ahead to full astern in 30 seconds, her helm could be put hard over in 7 seconds and hand steering required 8 men at the wheels.
Captain Dumaresq said, "If all (12) boilers are alight can jump from cruising at 10 to 12 knots to twenty-five in 7 or 8 minutes, to thirty in 12 minutes, 34 in 20 minutes, invaluable for scouting."
Armament
4-in and 6-in Guns
As completed, four 4-in B.L. Mark VIII on P. III mounting, two in tandem on the forecastle, and two on centreline aft. They recoiled 38 inches and had 100 rounds per gun: 50 steel, 50 lyddite, and 14 practice.[42][43]
In 1916, the 4-in guns on the forecastle were replaced by a 6-in B.L. Mark VII on a P. III mounting to ensure she could outrange the German 4.1-in destroyer guns. This mounting recoiled 16 inches and was supplied with 102 H.E. shells, 26 common, and 20 practice rounds.[44][45]
In May 1917, the 6-in was removed in favour of a return to two 4-in B.L. Mark V guns, sided on the foredeck. At some point, a 6-pdr Q.F. gun on H.A. mounting was added near the aft torpedo tube (which was reversed to make room), as well as a 1.5-pdr H.A. gun near the aft steering position.[46]
Torpedoes
Originally she was provided two 18-in torpedo tubes with Mark VI* torpedoes.
In 1914 it was decided that she should have 21-in dual revolving Mark I tubes as replacements.[47]
Fire Control
By the end of 1915, at least, she had or was to be provided a range and order data system like that being given to the "M" class destroyers and to the Faulknor class leaders.[49]
The scheme placed the combined transmitter on the forebridge, and a combined receiver near the sightsetter position of each gun. Ranges from 0 to 9900 yards in increments of 100 yards, and orders were "Independent", "Control" and "Fire" with illuminated indicators and a red indicator on the receivers to signal loss of power from the battery pack located below decks.
The ship did not receive a director.[50]
Torpedo Control
Likely in 1915-1916, she had Line of Sight Indicators added port and starboard on her bridge.[51]
In 1907, like Boadicea and River class destroyers, she was to be equipped with Fore Bridge Firing Gear.[52]
Rangefinders
By 1921, all R.N. destroyer leaders mounted a 9ft F.Q. 2 on an M.Q. 1, M.Q. 9 or M.Q. 12 mount on their fore bridge. It is not clear whether Swift would have been included in such updates.[53]
Radio
In 1907 it was decided that she along with 42 destroyers (primarily Tribals and Rivers) should receive radio equipment fixed to the "D" tune of 700 feet wavelength for transmission and with a Mark II receiver tunable to 8,300 feet, installed between mast and fore funnel to minimise smoke issues on the aerials and feeders. Her size permitted the installation of a Service Mark I set[54], which may have later been updated to a Mark I* W/T set.[55]
See Also
Footnotes
- ↑ Dittmar; Colledge. British Warships 1914–1919. p. 60.
- ↑ Dittmar; Colledge. British Warships 1914–1919. p. 60.
- ↑ Dittmar; Colledge. British Warships 1914–1919. p. 60.
- ↑ Dittmar; Colledge. British Warships 1914–1919. p. 60.
- ↑ The Technical History and Index, Vol. 4, Part 34. p. 10.
- ↑ March. British Destroyers. p. 160.
- ↑ Grand Fleet Conferences, 1914. pp. 104, 218.
- ↑ Smith. Hard Lying. pp. 104-5.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (December, 1918). p. 11.
- ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (March, 1919). pp. 11, 17, 18.
- ↑ The Navy List. (January, 1921). p. 869.
- ↑ The Navy List. (April, 1911). p. 380.
- ↑ Dumaresq Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 340.
- ↑ Dumaresq Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 340.
- ↑ Young Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/320. f. 352.
- ↑ The Navy List. (July, 1913). p. 380.
- ↑ Young Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/320. f. 352.
- ↑ Wintour Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/224. f. 245.
- ↑ The Navy List. (January, 1915). p. 383.
- ↑ Wintour Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/224. f. 245.
- ↑ Stirling Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/157. f. 175.
- ↑ Stirling Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/157. f. 175.
- ↑ Crooke Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 36.
- ↑ Crooke Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 36.
- ↑ Wintour Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/224. f. 245.
- ↑ The Navy List. (April, 1915). p. 398m.
- ↑ Wintour Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/224. f. 245.
- ↑ Harrison Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/164. f. 568.
- ↑ Harrison Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/164. f. 568.
- ↑ Harrison Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/164. f. 568.
- ↑ The Navy List. (October, 1915). p. 398m.
- ↑ Coppinger Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 313.
- ↑ Peck Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/324. f. 364.
- ↑ The Navy List. (December, 1916). p. 398m.
- ↑ Peck Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/324. f. 364.
- ↑ Amedroz Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47/105. f. 310.
- ↑ The Navy List. (February, 1919). p. 912a.
- ↑ Amedroz Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/47/105. f. 310.
- ↑ Fletcher Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/46/120. f. 120.
- ↑ Fletcher Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/46/120. f. 120.
- ↑ March. British Destroyers. p. 98.
- ↑ March. British Destroyers. p. 96.
- ↑ The Technical History and Index, Vol. 4, Part 34. p. 17.
- ↑ The Technical History and Index, Vol. 4, Part 34. pp. 10, 17.
- ↑ March. British Destroyers. pp. 96, 100.
- ↑ March. British Destroyers. pp. 96-100.
- ↑ Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1914. p. 45. (A.L. 17.1.14, G. 8326/13).
- ↑ Admiralty. Handbook of Fire Control in Torpedo Boat Destroyers of "M" Class and Later and Flotilla Leaders, 1915, Plate XV.
- ↑ Admiralty. Handbook of Fire Control in Torpedo Boat Destroyers of "M" Class and Later, and Flotilla Leaders, 1915, p. 3, Plate XV.
- ↑ The Technical History and Index, Vol. 4, Part 34. p. 17.
- ↑ March. British Destroyers. p. 100.
- ↑ Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1907. p. 31. Its design was detailed in ARTS 1906, p. 28.
- ↑ Handbook for Naval Range-Finders and Mountings, Book I. p. 168.
- ↑ Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1907. Wireless Appendix pp. 32-33.
- ↑ March. British Destroyers. p. 99.
Bibliography
- Admiralty, Technical History Section (1920). The Technical History and Index: Alteration in Armaments of H.M. Ships during the War. Vol. 4, Part 34. C.B. 1515 (34) now O.U. 6171/20. At The National Archives, Kew, United Kingdom.
- March, Edgar J. (1966). British Destroyers: A History of Development, 1892-1953. London: Seeley Service & Co. Limited. (on Bookfinder.com).
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