History | |
---|---|
United Kingdom | |
Name | HMS Marvel |
Ordered | November 1914 |
Builder | William Denny and Brothers, Dumbarton |
Yard number | 1031 |
Laid down | 11 January 1915 |
Launched | 7 October 1915 |
Completed | 28 December 1915 |
Out of service | 9 May 1921 |
Fate | Sold to be broken up |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | Admiralty M-class destroyer |
Displacement | |
Length | 265 ft (80.8 m) |
Beam | 26 ft 7 in (8.1 m) |
Draught | 8 ft 7 in (2.6 m) |
Installed power | 3 Yarrow boilers, 25,000 shp (19,000 kW) |
Propulsion | Parsons steam turbines, 3 shafts |
Speed | 34 knots (39.1 mph; 63.0 km/h) |
Range | 2,280 nmi (4,220 km) at 17 kn (31 km/h) |
Complement | 80 |
Armament |
|
HMS Marvel was a Admiralty M-class destroyer which served with the Royal Navy during the First World War. The M class were an improvement on the previous L class, capable of higher speed. The vessel, launched in October 1915, joined the Twelfth Destroyer Flotilla under the flotilla leader Faulknor. The ship saw action during the Battle of Jutland in May and June 1916, being hit by a 12 in (300 mm) shell that did not explode and jointly sinking the German torpedo boat SMS V48. Six months later, the vessel successfully rescued all but four of the crew of the sinking flotilla leader Hoste, despite sustaining substantial damage in the process. In June 1917, the vessel was involved in the sinking of the German merchant ship SS Gamma in Norwegian waters, which led to a diplomatic protest from the Norwegian government. At the end of the war, the vessel was placed in reserve until being sold to be broken up in May 1921.
Marvel was one of nine Admiralty M-class destroyers ordered by the British Admiralty in November 1914 as part of the Second War Construction Programme. [1] The M class was an improved version of the earlier L-class destroyers, required to reach a higher speed in order to counter rumoured German fast destroyers. The remit was to have a maximum speed of 36 knots (67 km/h ; 41 mph ) and, although the eventual design did not achieve this, the greater performance was appreciated by the navy. It transpired that the German ships did not exist. [2]
The destroyer had a length of 265 feet (80.8 m) between perpendiculars and 273 feet 4 inches (83.3 m) overall, with a beam of 26 feet 7 inches (8.1 m) and a draught of 8 feet 7 inches (2.6 m). Displacement was 994 long tons (1,010 t) normal and 1,025 long tons (1,041 t) full load. [3] [4] Power was provided by three Yarrow boilers feeding Parsons steam turbines rated at 25,000 shaft horsepower (19,000 kW) and driving three shafts, to give a design speed of 34 knots (63 km/h; 39 mph). Three funnels were fitted. [5] A total of 268 long tons (272 t) of oil could be carried, including 40 long tons (41 t) in peace tanks that were not used in wartime, giving a range of 2,280 nautical miles (4,220 km; 2,620 mi) at 17 knots (31 km/h; 20 mph). [6]
Armament consisted of three single QF 4-inch (102 mm) Mk IV guns on the ship's centreline, with one on the forecastle, one aft on a raised platform and one between the middle and aft funnels on a bandstand. Torpedo armament consisted of two twin mounts for 21 in (533 mm) torpedoes. [7] [8] A single QF 2-pounder 40 mm (1.6 in) "pom-pom" anti-aircraft gun was mounted between the torpedo tubes. [5] [9] After February 1916, for anti-submarine warfare, Marvel was equipped with two chutes for two depth charges. [10] The number of depth charges carried increased as the war progressed. [11] The ship had a complement of 80 officers and ratings. [4]
Marvel was laid down by William Denny and Brothers at Dumbarton on 11 January 1915 with the yard number 1031, launched on 7 October and completed on 28 December. [3] This was the first time the name had been used in the Royal Navy. [12] The vessel was deployed as part of the Grand Fleet, joining the Twelfth Destroyer Flotilla under the flotilla leader Faulknor. [13]
On 30 May 1916, the destroyer sailed with the Grand Fleet to confront the German High Seas Fleet in what would be the Battle of Jutland, forming part of the First Division of the Flotilla that was led by Faulknor and included sister ships Mindful, Obedient and Onslaught. [14] The division was deployed in action against the German light cruisers. [15] However, in the battle melee, the division also got within the range of the main batteries of the battleships and battlecruisers which were at the centre of the action. At 6:29 PM, Marvel was hit by a stray 12 in (300 mm) shell, but it did not explode. [16] Shortly afterwards, the division saw the approaching line of the German Third Torpedo Boat Flotilla and attacked. The destroyer, along with the rest of the flotilla, sank the torpedo boat V48, previously disabled by the destroyer Shark. [17] As the battle closed, the Flotilla spotted the retreating German line. The First Division was ordered to attack, and, using their superior speed, the destroyers sped ahead of the German ships. [18] At about 2:00 AM on 1 June, Marvel swung round and, finding a good position to target the battleships, launched four torpedoes. They all missed. [19]
On 18 August, the destroyer was escorting the dreadnought battleship and flagship of the Grand Fleet Iron Duke along with sister ship Onslaught to intercept the High Seas Fleet on their attack on Sunderland. [20] On 21 December, the destroyer was called to assist the flotilla leader Hoste, which had collided and sank Negro. Along with sister ship Marmion, Marvel attempted to tow the damaged ship back to Scapa Flow, but after three hours, Hoste began to founder. Disregarding the severe conditions, Marvel went alongside to rescue the crew of the sinking ship. Despite repeatedly being forced apart by the heavy seas and sustaining substantial damage to the forecastle, the destroyer returned twelve times and successfully rescued all but four of the ship's crew before the flotilla leader eventually sank. [21]
On 2 June 1917, Marvel was involved in the sinking of the German steamship, SS Gamma. The destroyer was patrolling off the Norwegian coast along with the light cruiser Cambrian and sister ship Mindful when the merchantman was spotted. A warning shot was fired and Gamma turned to the Norwegian shore. The British vessels pursued and sank the ship. The Norwegian government protested the violation of their neutrality and presented the UK government with a bill of 3,406,124 marks, given to them by the German government, which the British government ignored. The cruise also led to protests from five other vessels, sailing under Norwegian and Swedish flags, four of which the Royal Navy admitted were stopped in neutral waters. [22]
The harsh conditions of wartime operations, particularly the combination of high speed and the poor weather that is typical of the North Sea, exacerbated by the fact that the hull was not galvanised, meant that the destroyer was soon worn out. [23] After the Armistice, the Royal Navy returned to a peacetime level of operation and it was decided that Marvel was to be withdrawn from active service. Initially, the destroyer was placed in reserve at Devonport. [24] However, this did not last long as the navy needed to reduce both the number of ships and the amount of staff to save money. [25] On 9 May 1921, the vessel was sold to Thos. W. Ward of Hayle and broken up. [26]
Pennant Number | Date |
---|---|
G28 | January 1918 [27] |
GA3 | September 1918 [28] |
G21 | January 1919 [29] |
HMS Faulknor was a British destroyer of the First World War. She was purchased by the Royal Navy whilst still under construction in Britain for the Chilean Navy who had ordered her in 1912 as part of the Almirante Lynch class. She was renamed after the Faulknor family of British nineteenth century naval officers.
HMS Negro was an Admiralty M-class destroyer of the Royal Navy. She was built by Palmers at Jarrow, Tyneside and launched 8 March 1916, but was sunk after colliding with HMS Hoste in the North Sea on 21 December 1916; depth charges from Hoste exploded and blew out Negro's hull plating. The ship was the second Royal Navy warship to bear the name Negro with the first being the 1813 Negro, ex-Niger.
HMS Laurel was a Laforey-class destroyer which served with the Royal Navy. Launched on 6 May 1913 as HMS Redgauntlet, the ship was renamed on 30 September under an Admiralty order to become one of the first alphabetical class destroyers. On commissioning, the vessel joined the 3rd Destroyer Flotilla and operated as part of the Harwich Force during the First World War. During Battle of Heligoland Bight, Laurel led a flotilla that pursued German torpedo boats, engaging with G194 and G196, and was damaged in action with the cruiser Mainz. The vessel also played a minor role in the Battles of Dogger Bank, Dover Strait and Jutland. With the cessation of hostilities, the ship was placed in reserve and scrapped on 1 November 1921.
HMS Liberty was a Laforey-class destroyer that served with the Royal Navy during the First World War. Launched on 15 September 1913 as HMS Rosalind, the ship was renamed on 30 September under an Admiralty order to become one of the first alphabetical class destroyers. On commissioning, the vessel joined the Third Destroyer Flotilla and operated as part of the Harwich Force. During Battle of Heligoland Bight, Liberty engaged with the German torpedo boats G194 and G196, and scored two hits on the cruiser Mainz. On 8 February 1917, the destroyer rammed and sank the German submarine UC-46. The vessel also played a minor role in the battles of Dogger Bank, Dover Strait and Jutland, as well as acting as a convoy escort and patrolling the Dover Barrage. With the cessation of hostilities, the ship was placed in reserve and sold to be broken up on 5 November 1921.
HMS Magic was an Admiralty M-class destroyer which served with the Royal Navy during the First World War. The M class were an improvement on the previous L class, capable of higher speed. Originally laid down as HMS Marigold by J. Samuel White at East Cowes on the Isle of Wight, the vessel was renamed before being launched in 1915. The ship served during the War as part of the Grand Fleet, mainly on anti-submarine and convoy escort duties from the port of Queenstown. In 1917, the destroyer took part in the Battle of Jutland and was one of a small number of British vessels that attacked the German fleet with torpedoes, although both torpedoes missed. In 1918, the ship struck a mine of the coast of Ireland and, although the damage was repaired, 25 people died. After the War, the destroyer was placed in reserve and decommissioned, being sold to be broken up in 1921.
HMS Narwhal was a Admiralty M-class destroyer which served with the Royal Navy during the First World War. The M class were an improvement on the preceding L class, capable of higher speed. Launched on 30 December 1915, the vessel fought in the Battle of Jutland between 31 May and 1 June 1916 and subsequently served in anti-submarine and escort duties based at Cobh in Ireland. During February 1917, the destroyer rescued the crew of the Q-ship Farnborough, which had sunk and been sunk by the German submarine SM U-83, and rescued the armed merchantman Cameronia from SM U-50, The destroyer was transferred to Devonport during 1918 and, after the end of the war, was broken up there in 1920 after suffering a fatal collision the year before.
HMS Maenad was an Admiralty M-class destroyer which served with the Royal Navy during the First World War. The M class were an improvement on the previous L class, capable of higher speed. The vessel, launched in 1915, served in the Battle of Jutland in 1916, attacking both battleships and destroyers of the German High Seas Fleet. However, the vessel was notorious for undertaking a sharp manoeuvre which obstructed other destroyers in the fleet from attacking. Maenad also undertook anti-submarine patrols. In 1917, the ship mistakenly attacked the British submarine G12 thinking it was a German boat. The submarine escaped with damages. After the armistice that ended of the war, Maenad was placed in reserve until being sold to be broken up in Germany in 1921.
HMS Nicator was an Admiralty M-class destroyer which served with the Royal Navy during the First World War. The M class was an improvement on the preceding L class, capable of higher speed. Launched in February 1916, the destroyer fought in the Battle of Jutland between May and June 1916, operating in support of the British battlecruisers in their action against the German High Seas Fleet. Nicator claimed, along with sister ship Nestor, the destruction of a German torpedo boat, likely to be V27. The destroyer also attacked the German battlecruisers and battleships and, although no hits were recorded, kept the German ships from closing with the British. This was crucial to limiting losses to the British battlecruiser fleet. The vessel was subsequently fitted with paravanes for anti-submarine warfare. After the war, the destroyer was placed in reserve and subsequently sold to be broken up in May 1921.
HMS Obdurate was an Admiralty M-class destroyer which served with the Royal Navy during the First World War. The M class were an improvement on the previous L-class, capable of higher speed. Launched on 21 January 1916 by Scotts of Greenock, the vessel served as part of the Grand Fleet in the Battle of Jutland in May 1916. The destroyer formed part of the cover for the British battlecruisers and was involved in attacks on German battleships and destroyers, but recorded no hits. The destroyer was also part of attack by Zeppelin L 43 on Sydney and the distant cover for the Second Battle of Heligoland Bight, but received only minor damage from the German airship. After the armistice, Obdurate was assigned to the Local Defence Force at Nore and sold to be broken up on 9 May 1921.
HMS Pelican was a Admiralty M-class destroyer which served with the Royal Navy during the First World War. The M class were an improvement on the preceding L class, capable of higher speed. Launched on 18 March 1916, the vessel served with the Grand Fleet, taking part in significant actions on 19 August 1916 and 4 May 1917, as well as the fight between the British and German battlecruisers in the Battle of Jutland. The destroyer also undertook the other more general roles were typical of the type, including anti-submarine sweeps and escort duties for convoys. The destroyer had success driving away German submarines but did not sink any. After the end of the war, Pelican initially joined a Local Defence Flotilla but within a year had been placed in reserve and was subsequently sold to be broken up on 9 May 1921.
HMS Peregrine was a Admiralty M-class destroyer that served with the Royal Navy during the First World War. The M class were an improvement on the preceding L class, capable of higher speed. Launched on 29 May 1916, the vessel served with the Grand Fleet, focusing on anti-submarine warfare. In 1917, the destroyer was involved in the search for UC-65 after the submarine had sunk the protected cruiser Ariadne. In 1918, the ship participated in one of the final sorties of the war, although this did not lead to a confrontation with the German High Seas Fleet. After the Armistice that ended the war, the destroyer was placed in reserve and subsequently sold to be broken up on 9 May 1921.
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HMS Mystic was an Admiralty M-class destroyer which served with the Royal Navy during the First World War. The M class was an improvement on the previous L class, capable of higher speed. The vessel, originally named HMS Myrtle but renamed before being launched in 1915, joined the Grand Fleet as part of the Eleventh Destroyer Flotilla. The ship was assigned as part of a destroyer screen to protect the British battleships as they sought to destroy the German High Seas Fleet. During the Battle of Jutland in 1916, the destroyer saw action against German light cruisers and, as the evening fell, attacked the German battle line, but recorded no hits. During the following year, the vessel took part in a large anti-submarine patrol, but did not see any German submarines. Later in the war, the ship was transferred to the Coast of Ireland Station at Buncrana and escorted convoys at the start of their journey from ports on the Clyde and Mersey or at the end of their journey across the Atlantic Ocean. After the Armistice in 1918 that marked the end of the First World War, Mystic was placed in reserve before being decommissioned and subsequently sold to be broken up in 1921.
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HMS Mameluke was an Admiralty M-class destroyer which served with the Royal Navy during the First World War. The M class was an improvement on the preceding L class, capable of higher speeds. The ship, the first Royal Navy vessel to be named after the Mamelukes, a class of ex-slaves that ruled Egypt, was launched in 1915. The destroyer joined the Twelfth Destroyer Flotilla and, although under refit during the Battle of Jutland and so unable to participate, later took part in anti-submarine operations as part of this flotilla, although no submarines were sighted or sunk. The conditions of service in the North Sea meant that the destroyer was soon worn out and, after the armistice, Mameluke was placed in reserve. Despite a service life of only six years, the vessel was decommissioned and, in 1921, sold to be broken up.
HMS Mindful was a Admiralty M-class destroyer which served with the Royal Navy during the First World War. The M class destroyers were an improvement on the previous L-class, capable of higher speed. The vessel, launched in 1915, joined the Twelfth Destroyer Flotilla under the flotilla leader Faulknor. The ship saw action during the Battle of Jutland in May 1916 and helped sink the German torpedo boat SMS V48. In March 1917, the destroyer was involved in a friendly fire incident, nearly sinking the British submarine G12. In June that year, the vessel was involved in the sinking of the German merchant ship SS Gamma in Norwegian waters, which led to a diplomatic protest from the Norwegian government. At the end of the war, Mindful was withdrawn from service and, in 1921, sold to be broken up.
HMS Obedient was a Repeat Admiralty M-class destroyer which served with the Royal Navy during the First World War. The M class were an improvement on the preceding L class, capable of higher speed. Launched in 1915, the destroyer served with the Grand Fleet during the Battle of Jutland in 1916, helping sink the torpedo boat V48 and narrowiy missing the German battleships as they withdrew. Subsequently, Obedient took part in anti-submarine patrols, attacking U-70 in 1917. The conditions of service meant that the destroyer was soon worn out and, after the armistice that ended the war in 1918, Obedient was placed in reserve. Despite a service life of only five years, the vessel was decommissioned and, in 1921, sold to be broken up.
HMS Onslaught was a Admiralty M-class destroyer which served with the Royal Navy during the First World War. The M class were an improvement on the previous L-class, capable of higher speed. The vessel, launched in 1915, joined the Twelfth Destroyer Flotilla under the flotilla leader Faulknor. The ship saw action during the Battle of Jutland in May 1916, jointly sinking the German torpedo boat SMS V48 and launching the torpedo that sank the pre-dreadnought battleship Pommern, the only German battleship to be lost in the battle. Subsequently, the destroyer acted as an escort to other naval ships during the Action of 19 August 1916 and took part in anti-submarine operations. At the end of the war, Onslaught was withdrawn from service and, in 1921, sold to be broken up.
HMS Munster was an Admiralty M-class destroyer which served in the Royal Navy during the First World War. The M class was an improvement on those of the preceding L class, capable of higher speed. Named after the Irish province of Munster, the destroyer was launched in 1915 and joined the Twelfth Destroyer Flotilla of the Grand Fleet. In 1916, Munster rescued survivors from the armed merchantman Alcantara and then fought in the Battle of Jutland as part of the Twelfth Destroyer Flotilla. The flotilla sank the German torpedo boat V48. At the end of the battle, the destroyer returned to Scapa Flow undamaged. During the following year, the warship participated in the unsuccessful search for the armoured cruiser Hampshire and the Second Battle of Heligoland Bight. Neither led to the warship being involved in any action with the enemy. The destroyer finished the war with the Third Destroyer Flotilla. After the Armistice, Munster was placed in reserve before being sold to be broken up in 1921.
HMS Prince was a Repeat Admiralty M-class destroyer that served in the Royal Navy during the First World War. The M class was an improvement on those of the preceding L class, capable of higher speed. Launched in 1916, Prince joined the Twelfth Destroyer Flotilla of the Grand Fleet. The destroyer assisted in the rescue of the crew of the flotilla leader Hoste in 1916, laying down fuel oil on the sea in an attempt to create a calm enough environment to evacuate the sinking ship. The operation was successful and all the sailors were saved. In 1917, the ship formed part of the destroyer screen for the First Battle Squadron during the Second Battle of Heligoland Bight but saw no action. After the Armistice that ended the war, Prince was initially put in reserve and then sold in 1921 to be broken up.