H.M.S. Arethusa (1913)

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H.M.S. Arethusa (1913)
Pendant Number: 3C (1914)[1]
Builder: Chatham Royal Dockyard[2]
Ordered: Sep, 1912[3]
Laid down: 28 Oct, 1912[4]
Launched: 25 Oct, 1913[5]
Commissioned: Aug, 1914[6]
Mined: 11 Feb, 1916[7]
Fate: near Harwich[8]

H.M.S. Arethusa was one of eight Arethusa class light cruisers completed for the Royal Navy. She fought in the Battle of Heligoland Bight and the Battle of Dogger Bank.

Service

Arethusa commissioned at Chatham on 11 August, 1914.[9]

Battle of Heligoland Bight

Main article: Battle of Heligoland Bight

On 28 August 1914, Arethusa participated in the Battle of Heligoland Bight, as flagship for Commodore Reginald Tyrwhitt's Third Destroyer Flotilla of sixteen modern destroyers. The cruiser was so new that her 4-in guns jammed repeatedly and she suffered serious damage from the German cruisers S.M.S. Frauenlob and Stettin, but not before she landed a 6-in shell on the bridge of the former cruiser, causing her to withdraw. Arethusa had to be towed back to port.

The ship was uniquely honoured after the battle by having an engraved brass plate fitted in a conspicuous place reading as follows.[10]

 

Come, all ye jolly bold,
 Whose hearts are case in honour's mould,
While English glory I unfold,
 Huzza for the 'Arethusa'!
 Her men are staunch
 To their fav'rite launch,
 And when the foe shall meet our fire,
 Sooner than strike, we'll all expire
 On board of the 'Arethusa'.
And, now we've driven the fore ashore
 Never to fight with Britons more,
 let each fill his glass
 to his fav'rite lass;
 A health to our captain and officers true,
 And all that belong to the jovial crew
 On board of the 'Arethusa'.

Cuxhaven Raid

On 25 December 1914, Arethusa participated in the Cuxhaven Raid, the first seaborne air strike.

Battle of Dogger Bank

Main article: Battle of Dogger Bank

On 24 January, 1915 Arethusa fought at the Battle of Dogger Bank. At 11:30am, she fired two high speed torpedoes from 1,600 yards at target inclination of 90L and target speed 5 knots, claiming hits under the fore turret and in the engine room of her target,[11] the heavily damaged armoured cruiser Blücher.

Alterations

Arethusa was lost before a director was available to her.[12]

Captains

Dates of appointment are provided when known.

See Also

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Dittmar; Colledge. British Warships 1914–1919. p. 47.
  2. ↑ Dittmar; Colledge. British Warships 1914–1919. p. 47.
  3. ↑ Dittmar; Colledge. British Warships 1914–1919. p. 47.
  4. ↑ Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. p. 55.
  5. ↑ Dittmar; Colledge. British Warships 1914–1919. p. 47.
  6. ↑ Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. p. 55.
  7. ↑ Dittmar; Colledge. British Warships 1914–1919. p. 47.
  8. ↑ Dittmar; Colledge. British Warships 1914–1919. p. 47.
  9. ↑ The Navy List. (December, 1914). p. 276.
  10. ↑ Admiralty Weekly Order No. 414 of 29 Sep, 1914.
  11. ↑ Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1915. p. 23.
  12. ↑ The Technical History and Index, Vol. 3, Part 23. pp. 11-12.
  13. ↑ Thesiger Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 472.
  14. ↑ Thesiger Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 472.
  15. ↑ Domvile Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 465.
  16. ↑ Domvile Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 465.

Bibliography


Arethusa Class Light Cruiser
  Arethusa Aurora Galatea Inconstant  
  Penelope Phaeton Royalist Undaunted  
<– Birmingham Class Minor Cruisers (UK) Caroline Class –>
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