H.M.S. Topaze (1903)

H.M.S. Topaze (1903)
Pendant Number:	P.29 (1914) P.2A (Sep 1915) P.1C (Jan 1918)
Builder:	Laird, Birkenhead
Laid down:	14 Aug, 1902
Launched:	23 Jul, 1903
Commissioned:	6 Dec, 1904
Sold:	22 Sep, 1921
Fate:	to Cohen

H.M.S. Topaze was the first of four third class cruisers of the "Gem" class completed in 1904 and 1905.

Service

The Topaze was launched on 23 July 1903, christened by Miss Annie Laird.

A navigating party took her from Devonport to Birkenhead in November 1904, conducting a 24-hour full power trial en route.

Assigned to the Channel Fleet, she left Portland for Sheerness on 30 November 1905 under the command of Commander Vivian Henry Gerald Bernard.

On 22 October 1906 she arrived at Chatham Dockyard under the command of Henry Blackett, to refit and re-commission with a new crew.

She left Cromarty on 29 July 1907.

She arrived at Chatham on 4 December 1907 for her annual refit.

In mid-1913, Topaze was serving with Third Fleet.

She paid off at Portsmouth on 7 October 1919.

Captains

Dates of appointment are provided when known.

• Captain Vivian H. G. Bernard, 6 December, 1904 – 3 September, 1906
• Commander Henry Blackett, 3 September, 1906 – 20 January, 1908
• Captain Lewis Bayly, 20 January, 1908 – 26 November, 1908  (Commodore, Second Class in Home Fleet in Charge of Destroyers in Commission)
• Commodore, Second Class Edward F. B. Charlton, 27 November, 1908 – 27 July, 1909  (and in charge of First Destroyer Flotilla?)
• Commander Francis M. Leake, 27 July, 1909 – 10 August, 1909
• Captain Reginald Y. Tyrwhitt, 10 August, 1909 – 5 August, 1910  (and as Captain (D), Portsmouth Destroyer Flotilla)
• Captain Mortimer L'E. Silver, 2 August, 1910 – 31 July, 1912  (and as Captain (D), Fourth Destroyer Flotilla and then Sixth Destroyer Flotilla)
• Commander Charles J. Wintour, 1 April, 1913 – 11 April, 1913  (lent)
• Commander George P. Leith, 14 April, 1913 – 4 August, 1913
• Captain William Bowden-Smith, 15 July, 1913
• Lieutenant & Commander Herbert J. A. Throckmorton, 26 August, 1913 – 4 May, 1914
• Commander William J. B. Law, 31 March, 1914 – 5 May, 1915
• Captain Cecil H. Fox, 5 May, 1915 – 14 May, 1915
• Captain Francis C. Brown, 14 May, 1914 – 16 May, 1915  (and as Captain (D), Seventh Destroyer Flotilla)
• Captain Alexander R. W. Woods, 22 August, 1916 – 25 April, 1919
• Commander Cuthbert D. Longstaff, 25 April, 1919 – 21 November, 1919

Alterations

In October 1914, the ship was to be given 6 Pattern 1582 Electric Radiators to warm cabins whose stoves could not be used for heating them.

See Also

• Transcribed Ship Logs at naval-history.net
• Wikipedia