HMS Orestes (1916)

Last updated

HMS Orpheus H28 (1916) RMG N02472.jpg
History
Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svgUnited Kingdom
NameHMS Orestes
Namesake Orestes
OrderedNovember 1914
Builder Doxford, Sunderland
Launched21 March 1916
CompletedOctober 1916
Out of service31 January 1921
FateSold to be broken up
General characteristics
Class and type Admiralty M-class destroyer
Displacement
Length
  • 273 ft 4 in (83 m) (o.a.)
  • 265 ft (81 m) (p.p.)
Beam26 ft 9 in (8 m)
Draught8 ft 6 in (3 m)
Installed power3 Yarrow boilers, 25,000  shp (19,000  kW)
Propulsion Brown-Curtis steam turbines, 3 shafts
Speed34 knots (63.0 km/h; 39.1 mph)
Range3,450  nmi (6,390 km; 3,970 mi) at 15 kn (28 km/h; 17 mph)
Complement80
Armament

HMS Orestes was a Repeat Admiralty M-class destroyer which served in the Royal Navy during the First World War. The M class were an improvement on the previous L-class destroyer, capable of higher speed. The vessel was launched on 21 March 1916 and joined the Grand Fleet. Orestes was involved in seeking submarines in the North Sea, patrolling both independently and as part of large operations. The destroyer did not report any submarines destroyed, but did rescue the survivors from Q-ship Privet after that vessel had successfully sunk the submarine U-85 in a duel in March 1917. Later in the war, the focus was turned to escorting merchant ships and the destroyer helped secure convoys that crossed the Atlantic Ocean. After the Armistice that marked the end of the First World War, the destroyer was placed into reserve until being, on 30 January 1921, decommissioned and sold to be broken up.

Contents

Design and development

Orestes was one of twenty-two Repeat Admiralty M-class destroyer destroyers ordered by the British Admiralty in November 1914 as part of the Third 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 design was to achieve a speed of 36 knots (67  km/h ; 41  mph ), although the destroyers did not achieve this in service. It transpired that the German ships did not exist but the greater performance was appreciated by the navy. [2] The Repeat M class differed from the prewar vessels in having a raked stem and design improvements based on wartime experience. [3]

The destroyer had a length of 265 feet (81 m) between perpendiculars and 273 feet 4 inches (83 m) overall, with a beam of 26 feet 9 inches (8 m) and a draught of 8 feet 6 inches (3 m) at deep load. Displacement was 1,025 long tons (1,041  t ) normal and 1,250 long tons (1,270 t) deep load. [4] [5] Power was provided by three Yarrow boilers feeding Brown-Curtis 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). [3] Three funnels were fitted and 296 long tons (301 t) of oil was carried, giving a design range of 3,450 nautical miles (6,390 km; 3,970 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph). [4]

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. A single QF 2-pounder 40 mm (1.6 in) "pom-pom" anti-aircraft gun was carried, while torpedo armament consisted of two twin mounts for 21 in (533 mm) torpedoes. [6] The ship had a complement of 80 officers and ratings. [5]

Construction and career

Laid down by William Doxford & Sons of Sunderland in the River Wear, Orestes was launched on 21 March 1916 and completed during October that year. [3] The destroyer was the sixth Royal Navy ship to be named after Orestes, the son of Clytemnestra, husband of Hermione, and king of Argos in Greek mythology. [7] [8] [9] The vessel was deployed as part of the Grand Fleet, joining the Fourteenth Destroyer Flotilla based at Scapa Flow [10] Orestes was soon in action and, on 10 November 1916, joined sister ship Partridge and light cruiser Caroline in a search for the German merchant ship SS Brandenburg. [11]

The destroyer was subsequently deployed in anti-submarine warfare based at the naval base in Portsmouth. On 1 February 1917, Orestes started to patrol off the coast of Cornwall in response to a sighting of the submarine SM U-55, which was deemed a threat to shipping. Fifteen days later, the destroyer attacked the submarine UC-65, but the enemy boat escaped unscathed. [12] Patrols continued in the English Channel into the next month, but no further contact with submarines was made. [13] On 12 March, the destroyer rescued survivors from Privet after the Q-ship had duelled with U-85 and both had been fatally damaged. The destroyer attempted to tow the stricken ship but was unsuccessful and Privet sank off Plymouth Sound. [14]

Increasingly, patrols had not provided the security needed to shipping and the Admiralty redeployed the destroyers of the Grand Fleet to focus on the more effective convoy model. [15] By 29 March, Orestes was one of only three left patrolling the North Sea seeking submarines. [16] On 15 June, the vessel, along with the rest of the flotilla, was involved in a large sweep of the area west of the Shetland Islands searching for submarines, although Orestes was attached to the Eleventh Destroyer Flotilla. The destroyer did not sight any submarines. [17] Shortly afterwards, the destroyer was transferred to the Northern Division of the Coast of Ireland Station at Buncrana. [18] This allowed the destroyer to support the convoys travelling across the Atlantic Ocean from the American industrial complex at Hampton Roads. [19] 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 soon worn out from such service. [20]

After the armistice, the Royal Navy returned to a peacetime level of service and Orestes was declared superfluous to operational requirements. The destroyer was initially transferred back to Portsmouth on 17 October 1919 and placed in reserve. [21] 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. [22] Orestes was decommissioned and, on 30 January 1921, sold to W. & A.T. Burdon to be broken up. [8]

Pennant numbers

Pennant Number Date
G33September 1915 [23]
G61January 1917 [24]
G60January 1918 [24]
D56November 1918 [25]
H74January 1919 [26]

Related Research Articles

HMS <i>Rapid</i> (1916) Destroyer of the Royal Navy

HMS Rapid was a destroyer of the M class that served with the Royal Navy during First World War. Launched by Thornycroft in 1916, the vessel was the one of two similar ships ordered as part of the Fifth War Construction Programme. They differed from the remainder of the M class in having more powerful engines. The design was used as the basis for the subsequent five ships of the R-class also built by the yard. Rapid served in escort and patrol roles, principally providing defence from submarines as part of the Grand Fleet until it was disbanded at the end of the War. After the end of hostilities, the vessel served in minor roles, including briefly as part of the Admiralty Compass Department in 1921 and 1924, but was sold to be scrapped in 1927.

HMS <i>Rocket</i> (1916) Destroyer of the Royal Navy

HMS Rocket was an R-class destroyer which served with the Royal Navy during World War I. Launched on 2 July 1916 after being stuck on the slipway since 30 June, the ship joined the Grand Fleet, operating as part of a destroyer flotilla undertaking anti-submarine operations in the North Sea. Although the ship did not successfully engage any German submarines, there was an incident with the Royal Navy boat K7 on 16 June 1917, although that attack was aborted after the erstwhile target was identified as a friendly vessel. After the War, the destroyer served with the anti-submarine and torpedo schools at Portsmouth, and briefly during the Chanak Crisis of 1922, before being sold to be broken up on 16 December 1926.

HMS <i>Medina</i> (1916) British M-Class destroyer, WW1

HMS Medina 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. Originally laid down as HMS Redmill by J. Samuel White at East Cowes on the Isle of Wight, the vessel was renamed before being launched in 1916. The ship was allocated to the Grand Fleet and spent much of its service in anti-submarine warfare, either escorting convoys or involved in submarine hunting patrols. Although the destroyer attacked a number of German submarines, none were sunk. After the War, Medina was reassigned to a defence flotilla in Portsmouth and was eventually sold to be broken up in 1921.

HMS <i>Plover</i> (1916) British M-Class destroyer, WW1

HMS Plover 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. Launched on 3 March 1916 by Hawthorn Leslie on the River Tyne, the vessel served as part of the Grand Fleet. Plover was based at Scapa Flow and took part in sorties in response to German submarine activity. After an uneventful war, the destroyer was placed in reserve and decommissioned, being sold to be broken up on 9 May 1921.

HMS <i>Llewellyn</i> (1913) British L-Class destroyer, WW1

HMS Llewellyn was a Laforey-class destroyer that served with the Royal Navy. Laid down on 14 December 1912 as HMS Picton, the ship was renamed on 30 September 1913 under an Admiralty order to become one of the first alphabetical class destroyers, being launched on 30 October. On commissioning, the vessel joined the Third Destroyer Flotilla and operated as part of the Harwich Force during the First World War. The destroyer took part in the Battle of Heligoland Bight, as well as undertaking anti-submarine patrols and escort duties. It was during one of these patrols on 4 December 1916 that the vessel unsuccessfully attacked the German submarine UB-18. On 17 March 1917, the destroyer was struck in the bow by a torpedo launched by a German torpedo boat while rescuing survivors from the sunk destroyer Paragon, but returned to port safely by steaming backwards. With the cessation of hostilities, the ship was placed in reserve. Although subsequently offered for sale to the Finnish Navy, Llewellyn was instead withdrawn from service and sold to be broken up on 18 March 1922.

HMS <i>Maenad</i> (1915) British M-Class destroyer, WW1

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 <i>Nicator</i> (1916) British M-Class destroyer, WW1

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 <i>Peyton</i> (1916) British M-Class destroyer, WW1

HMS Peyton 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 2 May 1916, the vessel served in anti-submarine and escort duties based at Cobh in Ireland. The destroyer attacked the German submarine SM UB-23 and rescued crews from friendly merchant ships that had been sunk. After the end of the war, Peyton was placed in reserve and subsequently broken up on 9 May 1921.

HMS <i>Plucky</i> (1916) British M-Class destroyer, WW1

HMS Plucky 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 April 1916 by Scotts of Greenock, the vessel served as part of the Grand Fleet, spending most of the war based out of Plymouth, apart from a brief sojourn working from the Irish port of Buncrana. Plucky was mainly involved in anti-submarine warfare and escorting the merchant ships that made up the convoys travelling to and from England, colliding with one, the collier Mervin in February 1917. The merchant vessel was unharmed, but the subsequent explosion but the destroyer temporarily out of action. After armistice, the destroyer was redeployed to Portsmouth until being decommissioned and sold to be broken up on 9 May 1921.

HMS <i>Peregrine</i> (1916) British M-Class destroyer, WW1

HMS Peregrine 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 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. After the Armistice that ended the war, the destroyer was placed in reserve and subsequently sold to be broken up on 9 May 1921.

HMS <i>Moorsom</i> (1914) British M-Class destroyer, WW1

HMS Moorsom was an Admiralty M-class destroyer which served in the Royal Navy during the First World War. The M class were an improvement on the preceding L class, capable of higher speed. Moorsom, the first ship to enter navy service to be named after Admiral Sir Robert Moorsom, was launched in December 1914, initially serving as part of the Grand Fleet before being transferred to the Harwich Force the following year. Briefly rejoining the Grand Fleet, the destroyer saw service in the Battle of Jutland in 1916 supporting the British battlecruisers and received hits from a battleship of the German High Seas Fleet. Moorsom also undertook other duties, including escorting the troop ship Mauretania in June 1915 and the minelayer Princess Margaret in August 1915 and November 1916. Placed within the Dover Patrol, the destroyer formed part of the cover for monitors including Erebus and Terror on attacks on Ostend and Zeebrugge in May and June 1917, and April and May 1918. After the Armistice, the destroyer was placed in reserve and subsequently sold to be broken up in November 1921.

HMS <i>Mystic</i> (1915) British M-Class destroyer

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.

HMS <i>Mons</i> (1915) British M-Class destroyer

HMS Mons was an Admiralty M-class destroyer which served with the Royal Navy during the First World War and fought in the Battle of Jutland. The M class was an improvement on the preceding L class, capable of higher speeds. The ship, the first British naval vessel to be named after the Battle of Mons, was launched in 1915. Joining the Grand Fleet as part of the new Eleventh Destroyer Flotilla, the destroyer was soon in action, taking part in patrols that aimed to draw out the German High Seas Fleet. During the Battle of Jutland in 1916, Mons attacked the German light cruisers at the forefront of the German battleline but scored no hits. After the armistice, the destroyer was placed in reserve. Mons was found to be worn out by wartime operations and, despite only serving for six years, in 1921, was sold to be broken up.

HMS <i>Mameluke</i> (1915) British M-Class destroyer

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 <i>Orpheus</i> (1916) British M-Class destroyer

HMS Orpheus was an Admiralty M-class destroyer which served in 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 was launched on 17 June 1916 and joined the Grand Fleet. Orpheus spent much of the war undertaking anti-submarine warfare patrols in the North Sea and escorting convoys across the Atlantic Ocean. In 1917, the destroyer was involved in a friendly fire incident with the British submarine J1. After the Armistice that marked the end of the First World War, the destroyer joined the Home Fleet. However, this role did not last long and the destroyer was deemed superfluous to requirements. Soon after, Orpheus was placed in reserve, decommissioned and, on 1 November 1921, sold to be broken up.

HMS <i>Oracle</i> (1915) British M-Class destroyer

HMS Oracle was an Admiralty M-class destroyer which served in 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 was launched on 23 December 1915 and joined the Grand Fleet. Oracle spent much of the war involved in anti-submarine warfare. In August 1916, the destroyer rescued the crew of the light cruiser Nottingham, which had been sunk by a German submarine. In August 1917, the destroyer rammed and sank the submarine U-44. After the Armistice that marked the end of the First World War, the destroyer was transferred to Portsmouth. Initially, the destroyer was part of the local defence flotilla but soon Oracle was placed in reserve, decommissioned and, on 30 October 1921, sold to be broken up.

HMS <i>Orford</i> (1916)

HMS Orford was an Admiralty M-class destroyer which served in 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 was launched on 19 April 1916 and joined the Grand Fleet. Orford spent much of the war undertaking anti-submarine warfare patrols and escorting convoys across the Atlantic Ocean. Although based at Scapa Flow, the destroyer ranged far, often operating off the coast of Cornwall and even having a temporary transfer to Buncrana in Ireland in 1917. In 1918, the destroyer took part in one of the final sorties of the Grand Fleet, but saw no action. After the Armistice that marked the end of the First World War, Orford was placed in reserve, decommissioned and, on 31 October 1921, sold to be broken up.

HMS <i>Opportune</i> (1915) British M-Class destroyer

HMS Opportune was an Admiralty M-class destroyer which served in 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 was launched on 20 November 1915 and joined the Grand Fleet. Opportune spent much of the war involved in anti-submarine warfare. The ship took part in large patrols to seek out submarines which involved entire flotillas and also acted as an escort for convoys. After the Armistice that marked the end of the First World War, the destroyer was transferred to Portsmouth and placed in reserve. After a brief spell as a remote controlled target to test how warships responded to attacks by aircraft, Opportune was decommissioned and, on 7 December 1923, sold to be broken up.

HMS <i>Mindful</i> (1915) British M-Class destroyer

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 <i>Obedient</i> (1916) British M-Class destroyer

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 1916, 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.

References

Citations

  1. ↑ McBride 1991, p. 45.
  2. ↑ Friedman 2009, p. 132.
  3. 1 2 3 Parkes & Prendergast 1969, p. 109.
  4. 1 2 Friedman 2009, p. 298.
  5. 1 2 Preston 1985, p. 79.
  6. ↑ March 1966, p. 174.
  7. ↑ Manning & Walker 1959, p. 325.
  8. 1 2 Colledge & Warlow 2006, p. 251.
  9. ↑ Grant & Hazel 2004, p. 244.
  10. ↑ "Destroyer Flotillas of the Grand Fleet". The Navy List: 12. October 1916. Retrieved 19 March 2022.
  11. ↑ Naval Staff Monograph No. 13 1921, p. 45.
  12. ↑ Naval Staff Monograph No. 34 1933, pp. 223, 242.
  13. ↑ Naval Staff Monograph No. 34 1933, p. 338.
  14. ↑ Chatterton 1922, p. 171.
  15. ↑ Newbolt 1928, p. 383.
  16. ↑ Naval Staff Monograph No. 34 1933, pp. 345, 348.
  17. ↑ Naval Staff Monograph No. 35 1939, pp. 163.
  18. ↑ "VII Coast of Ireland Station", The Navy List, p. 17, July 1920, retrieved 19 March 2022– via National Library of Scotland
  19. ↑ Naval Staff Monograph No. 35 1939, pp. 245.
  20. ↑ Preston 1985, p. 80.
  21. ↑ "641 Orestes", The Navy List, p. 818, July 1920, retrieved 19 March 2022– via National Library of Scotland
  22. ↑ Moretz 2002, p. 79.
  23. ↑ Dittmar & Colledge 1972, p. 66.
  24. 1 2 Bush & Warlow 2021, p. 64.
  25. ↑ Bush & Warlow 2021, p. 38.
  26. ↑ Bush & Warlow 2021, p. 75.

Bibliography

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.