H.M.S. Fairy (1897)

H.M.S. Fairy (1897)
Pendant Number:	P.40 (1914) D.53 (Sep 1915) D.35 (Jan 1918)
Builder:	Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company
Ordered:	1896-97 Programme
Laid down:	19 Oct, 1896
Launched:	29 May, 1897
Commissioned:	Aug, 1898
Foundered:	5 Jul, 1920

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

Particulars of Plant

The editor possesses a copy of The Steam Manual, 1910 signed by "E.R.A. R. R. Clow H.M.S. Fairy". As was the nature of such volumes, empty space in the pages was provided for the officer or man to note the particulars of the specific ship the given copy of the Manual was to serve. The following is condensed from the handwritten notes in the Appendix of this volume.

Triple Expansion 4 Cylinder (2 L.P.), manufactured by Fairfield in 1897. Max working pressure 250 psi, diameters of cylinders: 20.75", 31", and 34" with a 1' 6" stroke.

Two main condensers with 1055 tubes of ³⁄₄" outer diameter, 11' 4.5" in length. Each of these could hold 1624 pounds of water.

Two main wet air pumps were provided. Each shaft had eight thrust collars, and was 7" in diameter as it passed through.

Four Thornycroft Daring type boilers made by Fairfield in 1897 were 11' 2" long of galvanized iron. They each contained 1,356 small steel tubes of 1.33 and 1.25" out diameter, variously. The eight furnaces were 4' 6" wide had three tier bars [?]with two doors to each. Together, they provided 247.4 square feet of grate surface. At working height, the boilers held 4,228 pounds of water when cold and 3,668 pounds hot. The boilers were last tested for thickness, as noted in this Manual, in April, 1916.

Three funnels had a diameter of 3' 4" (fore and aft) and 5' 3" in the middle funnel, each extending 20' 6" above the grate surface.

Two bronze propellers of three blades each had a diameter of 7' 6" and a fixed pitch of 9' 3". Each prop had a blade area of 28.75 square feet, and the top blade was entirely immersed when the ship drew 8' 8" aft.

One steering engine was provided, a vertical one manufactured by Caldwell & Co., capable of operating at a minimum pressure of 50 pounds. The rudder could travel to 35° to port or starboard.

A forward capstan engine of horizontal type was provided. A friction clutch permitted the capstan to be worked by hand.

One tandem compound engine running at 300 RPM at a minimum stream presure of 100 pounds drove one Siemens ("Seamans?") dynamo to provide 100 amps at 80 volts.

Air compressing machinery consisted of a "338 General Engine & Boiler Company" machine capable of delivering 20 pound-feet at 20 volts in 80 minutes at 400 RPM.

Pumps: two centrifugal pumps could pump 261 tons (per hour?) each, drawing from the sea bilge to discharge to the sea. Two main and two auxiliary feed pumps could pump from the Feed Tank to the boilers. One main fire and bilge pump could draw from bilge or sea and feed the sea or fire mains at 13.5 tons (per hour?). A "Stones" pump could draw from bilge or sea to wet the deck at 7 tons (per hour?).

Magazines, shell rooms and spirit rooms could be flooded by means of hoses.

Pumping arrangements for spirit rooms and magazines are noted, but I do not understand them.

Trials

On a three-hour trial on 14 March 1898 Fairy made 30.3 knotsat 401.9 RPM, at 6,917 HP. Her most economincal speed was judged to be 13.16 knots at 100.9 [this number could be read differently]. This would offer her 213 hours steaming at a load of 88 tons of coal.

Service

On the evening of 27 September, 1901, Fairy and Vigilant collided in Devonport Harbour while taking up moorings. Able seaman Joseph Chaplain of the Fairy was crushed between his ship and a buoy and was sent to hospital. Curiously, this event is not mentioned in the Service Record of either commander.

In mid-1913, Fairy was with the Sixth Destroyer Flotilla.

Early in the morning of 31 May, 1918, she engaged UC 75 off Flamborough Head after the submarine accidentally collided with a ship in a convoy Fairy was helping escort. She rammed the U-boat twice and scored hits with her after 6-pdr gun, forcing the enemy to surrender. Fairy suffered such damage from the second ramming attack that she foundered an hour afterward, Greyhound rescuing the destroyermen and the captive Germans. Lieutenant Barnish was awarded the D.S.O. for his role in the action.

Captains

Dates of appointment are provided when known.

• Lieutenant & Commander Herbert N. Hunter, 2 February, 1900 – 31 December, 1900^[Inference]
• Commander William A. Barkley, 1 January, 1901^[Inference] – 6 May, 1901  (dismissed the ship by Court Martial for drinking)
• Lieutenant & Commander Cyril Asser, March, 1901 – 13 February, 1902  (including Annual Manoeuvres of 1901?)
• Lieutenant & Commander Ernest E. Parker, 4 March, 1903 – 19 August, 1903
• Lieutenant & Commander Neston W. Diggle, 8 June, 1904 – 7 September, 1904
• Lieutenant & Commander Geoffrey B. Spicer-Simson, 2 November, 1904 – 1 February, 1905
• Lieutenant & Commander David C. H. Dalrymple, 1 February, 1905 – July, 1905
• Lieutenant & Commander George W. McO. Campbell, July, 1905 – 23 January, 1907
• Gunner in Command Henry Purdy, 23 January, 1907 – 10 June, 1907
• Lieutenant & Commander John H. Bainbridge, 11 June, 1907 – 19 October, 1909
• Lieutenant (in Command?) Henry T. Dorling, 16 June, 1909  (for Annual Manoeuvres of 1909)
• Lieutenant & Commander Herbert G. Briggs, 19 October, 1909 – 28 August, 1910
• Lieutenant in Command John Fawcett, 29 August, 1910 – 31 July, 1911
• Lieutenant & Commander Geoffrey T. Wright, 30 July, 1911 – September, 1911
• Lieutenant & Commander John J. C. Ridley, 7 November, 1911 – November, 1913
• Lieutenant-Commander Fairfax M. Kerr, 3 February, 1914
• Lieutenant in Command Guy K. Twiss, 24 October, 1915 – 15 February, 1916
• Lieutenant-Commander R.N.R. Harry C. Birnie, 20 February, 1916 – 8 October, 1917
• Lieutenant R.N.R. in Command Geoffrey H. Barnish, 6 February, 1918 – 31 May, 1918  (vessel lost under his command)

See Also

• Wikipedia