H.M.S. Sylvia (1897)

H.M.S. Sylvia (1897)
Pendant Number:	D.23 (1914) D.69 (Sep 1915) D.84 (Jan 1918) H.03 (Apr 1918)
Builder:	William Doxford & Sons
Ordered:	1986-97 Programme
Laid down:	13 Jul, 1896
Launched:	3 Jul, 1897
Commissioned:	Jan, 1899
Broken up:	1919

H.M.S. Sylvia was one of forty "C" class destroyers built for the Royal Navy — a "30 knotter".

Service

In January, 1901, she was based in Portsmouth.

In November, 1905, she was in reserve at Devonport.

In July, 1909, she was attached to the Home Fleet, operating out of Devonport. She would remain there until at least April, 1910.

In April, 1911, she was with the Fifth Destroyer Flotilla of the Home Fleet.

In mid-1913, she was operating with Seventh Destroyer Flotilla — a patrol flotilla, having been there since at least August, 1912.

Sylvia left 7 D.F. sometime between 10 October and December, 1914 and was made one of thirty destroyers attached to the four Battle Squadrons operating in Home and Atlantic Waters. This assignment evolved into an attachment in support of the Grand Fleet, with the number of destroyers paring back to ten by mid August, 1917.

On 29 September, 1917, under the command of Lieutenant R.N.R. Peter Shaw, she and Arab raced out of Lerwick in a belated effort to assist in Tirade's destruction of UC 55. Sylvia nonetheless fired three rounds from her 12-pdr., claiming hits that other sources discounted.

In January, 1918, Sylvia was one of eleven destroyers operating out of the Firth of Forth. This force acquired the name of Methil Convoy Flotilla some time in February. In April, 1918, Sylvia left the Methil Convoy Flotilla for the Seventh Destroyer Flotilla, which was operating out of the Humber as part of East Coast Forces. She would serve with that formation through the end of the war until it was re-formed around a core of modern destroyers in February, 1919. Sylvia was sent to the Humber await disposal.

By May 1919, Sylvia was among 33 obsolete ships awaiting sale.

Captains

Dates of appointment are provided when known.

• Lieutenant & Commander William Bowden-Smith, 17 March, 1900 – 5 March, 1901
• Lieutenant & Commander John A. Ingles, 5 March, 1901 – 27 August, 1901  (including Annual Manoeuvres of 1901?)
• Lieutenant & Commander The Hon. Hubert G. Brand, 14 April, 1903 – 15 April, 1904
• Lieutenant & Commander William C. Castle, 14 July, 1904 – c. 1 September, 1904  (for Annual Manoeuvres of 1904)
• Commander Walter H. Cowan, 17 September, 1904 – 6 January, 1905
• Lieutenant Philip H. Waterer, 22 February, 1905 – 14 March, 1905
• Lieutenant & Commander John May, 6 January, 1905 – 22 February, 1905
• Commander Walter H. Cowan, 14 March, 1905 – 24 July, 1905  (and as Commodore, Second Class for command of torpedo craft in reserve at Devonport)
• Lieutenant Vaughan A. E. Hanning-Lee, 1 August, 1905 – 28 May, 1906
• Commander Rowland H. Bather, 28 May, 1906 – 17 June, 1909
• Lieutenant in Command Leonard W. Patch, 17 June, 1909 – November, 1909
• Lieutenant & Commander Cecil R. Hemans, 28 May, 1910 – 15 August, 1910
• Commander Hugh J. Tweedie, 15 August, 1910 – 17 November, 1910
• Lieutenant & Commander Gervase W. H. Heaton, 17 November, 1910 – 3 March, 1912
• Lieutenant & Commander Charles E. H. White, 6 March, 1912 – 9 March, 1914
• Lieutenant & Commander Ernald G. H. Master, 9 March, 1914 – 21 April, 1916
• Lieutenant R.N.R. in Command Robert M. Gardner, 23 April, 1916 – 4 June, 1916
• Lieutenant R.N.R. in Command Peter Shaw, 5 June, 1916 – 21 April, 1918  (asphyxiated by a coal stove in his cabin)
• Lieutenant R.N.R. in Command Lionel M. Kelly, 30 April, 1918 – 31 January, 1919

See Also

• Wikipedia