HMS Bonetta (1907)

Last updated

HMS Bonetta (1871) IWM SP 003104.jpg
History
Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom
NameHMS Bonetta
Builder Palmers Shipbuilding and Iron Company, Jarrow
Laid down1 September 1905
Launched14 January 1907
Completed27 March 1909
Acquired3 March 1909
FateSold for scrap June 1920
General characteristics
Displacement
  • 408 long tons (415 t) normal
  • 44 long tons (45 t) deep load
Length
  • 220 ft 10 in (67.31 m) oa
  • 215 ft 3 in (65.61 m) pp
Beam21 ft 0+14 in (6.41 m)
Draught6 ft 5+12 in (1.97 m)
Installed power6,000  shp (4,500 kW)
Propulsion
Speed26.75  kn (49.54 km/h; 30.78 mph)
Complement56 officers and men
Armament

HMS Bonetta was a British torpedo boat destroyer which was later classified as part of the B class. The ship was built as a Private Venture, without a specific order, by the Jarrow shipbuilder Palmers and was launched in 1907. She was purchased for the British Royal Navy in 1909 and served through the First World War. Bonetta was sold for scrap in 1920.

Contents

Construction and design

The shipbuilder Palmers Shipbuilding and Iron Company laid down two destroyers on speculation (i.e. without a specific order) on 1 September 1905, as Yard Number 786 and 787. [1] [lower-alpha 1] The two destroyers were of generally similar size and design to the Royal Navy's earlier "thirty knotter" destroyers (later redesignated as the B, C or D class depending on the number of funnels), with a turtleback forecastle, [3] with the Royal Navy having abandoned the "thirty-knotter" type for the River-class destroyers, with a higher raised forecastle instead of a turtleback, and sacrificing high speed in sea trials in favour of greater seaworthiness. [4] The second destroyer, which would later become HMS Bonetta, was launched on 14 January 1907. [1] Palmer's was unable to find a customer for these ships, however, [5] and offered to sell them to the Royal Navy on 5 December 1907 for £70,000–80,000 each. The Admiralty rejected the offer in February 1908, but in April two destroyers, Tiger and Gala, were lost in accidents and it was decided to order the two stock ships from Palmer's as replacements. A provisional order for the two ships was placed on 8 May 1908, at a price of £60,000 each, depending on successful trials, with a speed of 31 knots (57 km/h; 36 mph) being required. [6]

Unlike most "thirty-knotter"s, the new ships were powered by steam turbines rather than triple expansion engines, with four Reed boilers feeding steam at 250 pounds per square inch (1,700 kPa) to Parsons direct drive turbines which drove two shafts, generating 6,000 shaft horsepower (4,500 kW). [2] [7] [lower-alpha 2] The ships had four funnels, with the middle two funnels closely spaced. [2]

Bonetta was 220 feet 10 inches (67.31 m) long overall and 215 feet 3 inches (65.61 m) between perpendiculars, with a beam of 21 feet 0+14 inch (6.41 m) and a draught of 6 feet 5+12 inches (1.97 m). She displaced 408 long tons (415 t) normal load and 440 long tons (450 t) deep load. [9] The ship's stem was higher than earlier turtleback destroyers, while rather than the narrow conning tower of the earlier destroyers, Albacore had a full width bridge situated further aft, which was claimed by Palmer's to make the ship much dryer in heavy seas. [1] [2] Gun armament consisted of three QF 12 pounder 12 cwt naval guns, with two situated side by side on top of the bridge and one aft. [2] Two 18 inch (450 mm) torpedo tubes were carried, [3] while the ship had a complement of 56 officers and men. [9]

Service

It was hoped that the two ships, which were both afloat and in good condition, could be accepted quickly, and delivery was expected within two to three months of the order being placed. Official sea trials demonstrated that the ships could not reach the required speed, with Bonetta' sister ship Albacore only reaching a maximum of 26.75 knots (49.54 km/h; 30.78 mph). [10] This may have been due to more realistic trial conditions. [2] The Admiralty finally agreed to accept Albacore and her sister ship Bonetta on 3 March 1909, paying £45,000 for each. [11] HMS Bonetta was commissioned on 27 March that year. [12] In June 1909, Bonetta, part of the Devonport Flotilla, was brought up to a full complement from a nucleus crew to take part in that year's naval manoeuvres. [13] Bonetta, now part of the Fifth Destroyer Flotilla, was again mobilized in June 1910 for the manoeuvres. [14]

Bonetta was part of the Fourth Destroyer Flotilla based at Portsmouth in 1911, [15] and on 3 April 1911 the ferry Harlequin drifted onto Bonetta as Bonetta was passing through Spithead on the way back to Portsmouth. [16] On 5 July 1911 the destroyer Osprey, another member of the Fourth Destroyer Flotilla, collided with Bonetta while leaving Berehaven harbour. While Osprey was unharmed, Bonetta's bows were damaged, requiring a return to Portsmouth. [17] On 30 August 1912 the Admiralty directed all destroyers were to be grouped into classes designated by letters based on appearance. [18] [19] As a four-funneled ship, Bonetta was listed as a B-class destroyer on 1 October 1913. [3]

In March 1913 Bonetta was listed as a member of the Sixth Destroyer Flotilla, a patrol flotilla based at Portsmouth. [20] By February 1914 she was attached to the Lamlash Submarine Flotilla based at Devonport, [21] and in March to the Ninth Submarine Flotilla, still based at Devonport. [22] Bonetta remained as a tender to submarine flotillas throughout the First World War, both on the Clyde and the Tyne. [23]

Rescue operations

On 19 July 1918, she attended the rescue operations of SM UB-110, arriving late on the scene after an alleged massacre she picked up five survivors, including the captain, but one of them, the engineer officer died on deck immediately after being taken out of the water. The German captain, despite the ordeal he had come through, proved himself to be a very self-possessed individual when examined in the chart room. He expressed the opinion that Germany would shortly win the war, but he was a long way out in his calculation, as Germany was defeated six weeks later. Some of his sailors had not the same guts, but had got on their knees and begged for their lives on seeing officers of the `Bonetta' carrying arms. Webley & Scott automatic pistols hanging round their necks by lanyards were always put on when 'action' was sounded. The Bonetta's duties around that time had included picking up many, badly wounded, survivors, and dead, from fishing boats, which had been shelled by a German submarine, off the entrance to the Tyne. Perhaps unsurprisingly the crew of the Bonetta were not made aware of any massacre. The first lieutenant on board was to relate "A few weeks later we entered the Tyne for bunkers, which we obtained from a collier lying at Jarrow. Shortly after securing alongside the collier, a fishing vessel the 'Baden Powell' came alongside and her skipper invited the crew to help themselves to his catch, Apparently he was one of the survivors we had picked up and, on recognising our boat as we passed the fish market at North Shields, he had cast off the fish quay and come after us. On another occasion... we were ordered out to search for several German prisoners, who had succeeded in escaping from Stobo camp, near Peebles in South Scotland and had set off for Germany in a fishing boat, which they had taken from the beach, somewhere North of Blyth. We came across them about one hundred miles off the home coast at dusk, sailing along with a nice fair wind. If we had been a few minutes later they would probably have been quite safe as it would have been too dark for us to have spotted them. Needless to relate they were very disappointed when we 'closed them' and they did not show any eagerness to come on board when they were ordered to do so, but after firing a few rifle shots over their heads, they hastily scrambled on board, one of them injuring his leg in the process". [24] She was sold for scrap to Thos. W. Ward on 7 June 1920 and broken up at their Briton Ferry shipbreaking yard. [23]

Pennant numbers

Pennant number [23] Date
D151914
D78August 1915
D11January 1918

Notes

  1. It is unknown whether Palmer's had any specific customer in mind for these two ships. [2]
  2. Sources differ as to the fuel used to power the ships, with some stating that they were oil-fuelled, [7] [3] while others say that they used coal. [1] [8]

Citations

  1. 1 2 3 4 Lyon 2001 , p. 37
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Friedman 2009 , p. 63
  3. 1 2 3 4 Gardiner & Gray 1985 , p. 73
  4. Manning 1961 , p. 47
  5. Lyon 2001 , p. 25
  6. Lyon 2001 , pp. 37–38
  7. 1 2 Manning 1961 , p. 46
  8. Friedman 2009, pp. 63, 292
  9. 1 2 Friedman 2009 , p. 292
  10. Lyon 2001 , pp. 38–39
  11. Lyon 2001 , p. 39
  12. Friedman 2009 , p. 304
  13. "The Naval Mobilization". The Times . No. 38988. 17 June 1909. p. 9.
  14. "The Mobilization of the Fleet". The Times. No. 39309. 27 June 1910. p. 5.
  15. "NMM, vessel ID 381118" (PDF). Warship Histories, vol v. National Maritime Museum. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 October 2015.
  16. "Naval Matters—Past and Prospective: Portsmouth Dockyard". The Marine Engineer and Naval Architect. Vol. 33. May 1911. p. 370.
  17. "Naval Matters—Past and Prospective: Portsmouth Dockyard". The Marine Engineer and Naval Architect. Vol. 34. August 1911. p. 14.
  18. Gardiner & Gray 1985 , p. 18
  19. Manning 1961 , pp. 17–18
  20. "Fleets and Squadrons in Commission at Home and Abroad: Patrol Flotillas". The Navy List. March 1913. p. 269d via National Library of Scotland.
  21. "Fleets and Squadrons in Commission at Home and Abroad: Submarines". The Navy List. February 1914. p. 269d via National Library of Scotland.
  22. "Fleets and Squadrons in Commission at Home and Abroad: Submarines". The Navy List. March 1914. p. 269d via National Library of Scotland.
  23. 1 2 3 Dittmar & Colledge 1972 , p. 58
  24. Boyd, Captain Robert Storrar. "A Dundee Master Mariner - His Own Story, serving as a First Lieutenant on the Bonetta". ninetradesofdundee.co.uk. Self. Retrieved 30 December 2017.

Bibliography

Related Research Articles

HMS <i>Arab</i> (1901) Destroyer of the Royal Navy

HMS Arab was a B-class torpedo boat destroyer of the British Royal Navy. She was laid down by J & G Thomson at Clydebank and completed by John Brown & Company who took over the yard.

HMS <i>Bat</i> Destroyer of the Royal Navy

HMS Bat was a Palmer-built three funnel, 30 knot torpedo boat destroyer ordered by the Royal Navy under the 1895 – 1896 Naval Estimates. She was the third ship to carry this name since it was introduced in 1815 for a revenue cutter in service until 1848. Bat was classified along with similar vessels as a C-class destroyer in 1913.

HMS Wolf was a B-class torpedo boat destroyer of the British Royal Navy. She was completed by Laird, Son & Company, Birkenhead, in 1897.

HMS Zebra was a "Twenty-seven Knotter" destroyer of the Royal Navy, later classified as part of the A Class. Zebra was built by Thames Iron Works and launched in 1895 as the fifth Royal Navy ship to be named Zebra. Entering service in 1900, Zebra was sold for scrap in 1914.

HMS <i>Bruizer</i> (1895) Ardent-class destroyer

HMS Bruizer was an Ardent-class destroyer which served with the Royal Navy. She was launched on 27 February 1895 by John Thornycroft at Chiswick, and was sold on 26 May 1914.

HMS <i>Dasher</i> (1894) 1895 Charger-class destroyer

HMS Dasher was a Charger-class destroyer which served with the Royal Navy. She was built by Yarrow Shipbuilders in 1895, served in home waters and was sold in 1911.

HMS Fervent was a Fervent-class destroyer which served with the Royal Navy. Fervent was launched on 28 March 1895 at Paisley.

HMS <i>Zephyr</i> (1895) Fervent-class destroyer

HMS Zephyr was one of two Fervent-class destroyers which served with the Royal Navy. She was launched on 10 May 1895 from Hanna, Donald & Wilson at Paisley, Scotland. She served in home waters, and was sold in 1920.

HMS Syren was one of two Myrmidon-class destroyers which served with the Royal Navy. She was launched by Palmers in 1900, served in home waters and was sold off, after the First World War, in 1920.

HMS Star was a Palmer three-funnel, 30-knot destroyer ordered by the Royal Navy under the 1896–1897 Naval Estimates. She was the eleventh ship to carry this name since it was introduced in 1643 for a 19-gun ship sold until 1652.

HMS Osprey was a three-funnel, 30-knot destroyer ordered by the Royal Navy under the 1896–1897 Naval Estimates from Fairfields. She was the fifth ship to carry this name since it was introduced in 1797 for an 18-gun ship-sloop.

HMS <i>Dove</i> (1898) Destroyer of the Royal Navy

HMS Dove was a three funnel, 30 knot destroyer ordered by the Royal Navy under the 1896–1897 Naval Estimates. She was the ninth ship to carry the name.

HMS <i>Flirt</i> (1897) Destroyer of the Royal Navy

HMS Flirt was a Palmer three funnel, 30 knot destroyer ordered by the Royal Navy under the 1896 – 1897 Naval Estimates. She was the fifth ship to carry this name since it was introduced in 1782 for a 14-gun brig in service until 1795.

HMS <i>Recruit</i> (1896) Royal Navy 30-knot destroyer

HMS Recruit was a Clydebank three-funnel, 30-knot destroyer ordered by the Royal Navy under the 1895–1896 Naval Estimates. She was the fifth ship to carry this name since it was introduced in 1806 for an 18-gun brig-sloop, sold in 1822.

HMS <i>Kestrel</i> (1898) Destroyer of the Royal Navy

HMS Kestrel was a Clydebank-built three funnelled 30-knot destroyer ordered by the Royal Navy under the 1895 – 1896 Naval Estimates. She was the fourth ship to carry this name since it was first used in 1846 for a brigantine.

HMS <i>Tiger</i> (1900) Destroyer of the Royal Navy

HMS Tiger was a torpedo boat destroyer of the Royal Navy. Built by John Brown on Clydebank as a three funnel 30-knot destroyer on speculation she was purchased by the Royal Navy under the 1899 – 1900 Naval Estimates.

HMS <i>Albacore</i> (1909) Destroyer of the Royal Navy

HMS Albacore was a "thirty-knotter" destroyer of the British Royal Navy, which was later classified as part of the B class. She was built by Palmer's of Yarrow as a private venture, launching in 1906, and being purchased in 1909. She served through the First World War before being sold for scrap in 1919.

HMS <i>Sunfish</i> (1895) Sunfish-class destroyer

HMS Sunfish was a "twenty-seven knotter" torpedo boat destroyer of the British Royal Navy. Built by the Tyneside shipbuilder Hawthorn Leslie, Sunfish was one of three destroyers built by Hawthorns that year. She was sold for scrap in 1920.

HMS <i>Opossum</i> (1895) Sunfish-class destroyer

HMS Opossum was a "twenty-seven knotter" torpedo boat destroyer of the British Royal Navy. Built by the Tyneside shipbuilder Hawthorn Leslie, Opossum was one of three destroyers built by Hawthorns that were ordered in 1894. She was launched in 1895 and completed in 1896. She remained in service during the First World War, where she was used for local patrol duties based at Plymouth and sank the German submarine UC-49 on 8 August 1918. She was sold for scrap in 1920.

HMS <i>Ranger</i> (1895) Sunfish-class destroyer

HMS Ranger was a "twenty-seven knotter" torpedo boat destroyer of the British Royal Navy. Built by the Tyneside shipbuilder Hawthorn Leslie, Opossum was one of three destroyers built by Hawthorns that were ordered in 1894. She was launched in 1895 and completed in 1896. She remained in service during the First World War, where she was used for local patrol duties. She was sold for scrap in 1920.