HMS Pelican (1916)

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History
Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svgUnited Kingdom
NameHMS Pelican
Namesake Pelican
OrderedMay 1915
Builder William Beardmore and Company, Dalmuir
Yard number537
Laid down25 June 1915
Launched18 March 1916
Completed1 April 1916
Out of service9 May 1921
FateSold to be broken up
General characteristics
Class and type Admiralty M-class destroyer
Displacement
  • 994 long tons (1,010 t) normal
  • 1,250 long tons (1,270 t) full load
Length273 ft 6 in (83.4 m)
Beam26 ft 9 in (8.2 m)
Draught8 ft 5 in (2.57 m)
Propulsion
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)
Complement76
Armament

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 Lclass, 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.

Contents

Design and development

Pelican was one of sixteen Admiralty M-class destroyers ordered by the British Admiralty in May 1915 as part of the Fifth War Construction Programme. [1] The M-class was an improved version of the earlier L-class destroyer destroyers, designed to reach a higher speed in order to counter rumoured German fast destroyers, although it transpired these vessels did not exist. [2]

The destroyer was 273 feet 6 inches (83.36 m) long overall, with a beam of 26 feet 9 inches (8.15 m) and a draught of 8 feet 5 inches (2.57 m). [3] Displacement was 994 long tons (1,010  t ) normal and 1,250 long tons (1,270 t) full load. [4] Power was provided by three Yarrow boilers feeding two Brown-Curtis steam turbines rated at 25,000 shaft horsepower (19,000  kW ) and driving two shafts, to give a design speed of 34 knots (63 km/h; 39 mph). [5] Three funnels were fitted. 296 long tons (301 t) of oil were carried, giving a design range of 3,450 nautical miles (6,390 km; 3,970 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph). [6]

Armament consisted of three 4-inch (102 mm) Mk IV QF 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. A single 2-pounder (40 mm) pom-pom anti-aircraft gun was carried, while torpedo armament consisted of two twin mounts for 21 in (533 mm) torpedoes. [7] The vessel was not designed to carry a fire-control system but during 1916 was equipped with a single Dumaresq and a Vickers range clock. [8] The ship had a complement of 76 officers and ratings. [6]

Construction and career

Pelican was laid down by William Beardmore and Company of Dalmuir on 25 June 1915 with the yard number 537, launched on 18 March the following year and completed on 1 April. [9] The vessel was the fifteenth to be named after the birds in the genus Pelecanus to enter naval service since 1646. [10] The ship was deployed as part of the Grand Fleet, joining the newly formed Thirteenth Destroyer Flotilla. [11] [12]

Pelican participated in the Battle of Jutland, taking part in the destroyer attack on the battlecruisers of the German High Seas Fleet after the destruction of the Indefatigable and Queen Mary of the 1st Battlecruiser Squadron, although no hits were claimed. [13] Towards the end of the battle, the destroyer joined the attack, led by the destroyer Lydiard, on the German battlecruisers as they retreated. Once again, no hits were recorded. [14] On 19 August, the light cruiser Falmouth was struck by a torpedo. Pelican was one of three destroyers sent to assist the stricken ship. [15] As Pelican approached, the periscope of U-66 was seen and the destroyer attacked, dropping a depth charge which shook the German boat. [16] The destroyer was successful in driving away the submarine. [17]

On 18 January the following year, the destroyer was one of six that undertook what were termed high-speed sweeps, looking for submarines with paravanes. The first attempt, the following day, on Dogger Bank was not a success. [18] 1917 also saw Pelican escort the light cruisers Dublin and Sydney in the Action of 4 May, which involved attacks from German airships as well as submarines. Pelican escaped from this unharmed. [19] The vessel was also involved in escorting merchant ships in the convoys that crossed the Atlantic Ocean. [20]

After the armistice, the Royal Navy returned to a peacetime level of mobilisation. Initially Pelican joined the Local Defence Flotilla at Portsmouth. [21] However, this service did not last long and on 17 October 1919, the destroyer was reduced and placed in the Reserve Fleet. [22] Pelican was sold to Thos. W. Ward on 9 May 1921, arriving at Briton Ferry to be broken up on 5 January 1923. [23]

Pennant numbers

Pennant number Date
G58September 1915 [24]
F10January 1917 [25]
HA8January 1918 [26]
F19January 1919 [27]

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HMS <i>Lysander</i> (1913) Early 20th-century Royal Navy destroyer

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

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

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

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HMS <i>Lawford</i> (1913)

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

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

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

HMS Nicator 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 3 February 1916, the destroyer fought in the Battle of Jutland between 31 May and 1 June 1916, operating in support of the British battlecruisers in their action against the German High Seas Fleet. Nicator attacked the German battlecruisers and battleships with both shell and torpedo and, although no hits were recorded, the action of the destroyer 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 on 9 May 1921.

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

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 on 7 October 1915, joined the Twelfth Destroyer Flotilla under the flotilla leader Faulknor. The ship saw action during the Battle of Jutland in May 1916, being hit by a 12 in (300 mm) shell that did not explode and jointly sinking the German torpedo boat SMS V48. In August, the vessel successfully rescued all by 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 on 9 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>Obdurate</i> (1916) British M-Class destroyer, WW1

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

HMS Pellew 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 April 1916, the vessel served with the Grand Fleet escorting convoys. The vessel was part of an unsuccessful attempt by the navy to trap the German submarines that had taken such a heavy toll on merchant shipping in December 1917. The action involved an eight-ship convoy consisting of four merchant vessels escorted by two armed trawlers and the sister ships Pellew and Partridge. Instead of submarines, four German destroyers attacked, sinking all but one member of the convoy and disappearing before the light cruisers which were to be the spring in the trap could arrive. Pellew, the sole survivor, took refuge in a Norwegian fjord. After the armistice that ended the war, the destroyer was placed in reserve and subsequently sold to be broken up on 9 May 1921.

References

Citations

  1. ↑ McBride 1991, p. 34.
  2. ↑ Friedman 2009, p. 132.
  3. ↑ Johnston 1993, p. 166.
  4. ↑ Johnston 1993, p. 41.
  5. ↑ Parkes & Prendergast 1969, p. 109.
  6. 1 2 Friedman 2009, p. 296.
  7. ↑ Gardiner & Gray 1985, p. 79.
  8. ↑ "Fire Control in H.M. Ships". The Technical History and Index: Alteration in Armaments of H.M. Ships During the War. 3 (23): 32. 1919.
  9. ↑ Johnston 1993, p. 154.
  10. ↑ Manning & Walker 1959, p. 336.
  11. ↑ "Destroyer Flotillas of the Grand Fleet". Supplement to the Monthly Navy List: 12. July 1916. Retrieved 16 December 2021.
  12. ↑ Corbett 1920, p. 430.
  13. ↑ Corbett 1920, p. 337.
  14. ↑ Corbett 1920, p. 405.
  15. ↑ Newbolt 1928, p. 45.
  16. ↑ Naval Staff Monograph No. 17 1927, p. 110.
  17. ↑ Naval Staff Monograph No. 17 1927, p. 116.
  18. ↑ Naval Staff Monograph No. 34 1933, p. 91.
  19. ↑ Naval Staff Monograph No. 35 1939, p. 2-3.
  20. ↑ Naval Staff Monograph No. 35 1939, p. 232.
  21. ↑ "Local Defence and Training Establishments", The Navy List, p. 704, October 1919, retrieved 16 December 2021– via National Library of Scotland
  22. ↑ "Pelican", The Navy List, p. 823, July 1920, retrieved 16 December 2021– via National Library of Scotland
  23. ↑ Colledge & Warlow 2006, p. 263.
  24. ↑ Dittmar & Colledge 1972, p. 67.
  25. ↑ Bush & Warlow 2021, p. 44.
  26. ↑ Bush & Warlow 2021, p. 79.
  27. ↑ Bush & Warlow 2021, p. 46.

Bibliography

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