HMS Senator (1918)

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HMS Sepoy (1918) IWM SP 1434.jpg
Sister ship Sepoy in c.1918
History
Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svgUnited Kingdom
NameHMS Senator
Namesake Senator
Ordered7 April 1917
Builder Denny, Dumbarton
Yard number1098
Laid down10 July 1917
Launched2 April 1918
Completed7 June 1918
Out of service7 September 1936
FateSold to be broken up
General characteristics
Class and type S-class destroyer
Displacement
  • 1,075 long tons (1,092 t) normal
  • 1,221 long tons (1,241 t) deep load
Length265 ft (80.8 m) p.p.
Beam26 ft 8 in (8.13 m)
Draught9 ft 10 in (3.00 m) mean
Propulsion
Speed36 knots (41.4 mph; 66.7 km/h)
Range2,750  nmi (5,090 km) at 15 kn (28 km/h)
Complement90
Armament

HMS Senator was an S-class destroyer, which served with the Royal Navy during the First World War, Greco-Turkish War and Russian Civil War. The S class were a development of the previous Rclass, and Senator was the first of six constructed by Denny. Senator was launched on 2 April 1918 and joined the Mediterranean Fleet. After the Armistice that ended the First World War, the destroyer continued to serve in active duty, both in the Mediterranean and the Black Seas. For example, in 1919, the ship helped cover the evacuation of Russian troops from Batumi. In 1925, Senator was placed in reserve and, in 1936, was given to Thos. W. Ward of Sheffield in part-exchange for the liner RMS Majestic.

Contents

Design and development

Senator was one of thirty-three Admiralty Sclass destroyers ordered by the British Admiralty on 7 April 1917 as part of the Eleventh War Construction Programme. The design was a development of the Rclass introduced as a cheaper and faster alternative to the V and Wclass. [1] Differences with the R class were minor, such as having the searchlight moved aft. [2]

Senator had a overall length of 276 ft (84 m) and a length of 265 ft (81 m) between perpendiculars. Beam was 26 ft 8 in (8.13 m) and draught 9 ft 10 in (3.00 m). Displacement was 1,075 long tons (1,092  t ) normal and 1,221 long tons (1,241 t) deep load. Three Yarrow boilers fed steam to two sets of Brown-Curtis geared steam turbines rated at 27,000 shaft horsepower (20,000  kW ) and driving two shafts, giving a design speed of 36 knots (67  km/h ; 41  mph ) at normal loading and 32.5 knots (60.2 km/h; 37.4 mph) at deep load. Two funnels were fitted. A full load of 301 long tons (306  t ) of fuel oil was carried, which gave a design range of 2,750 nautical miles (5,090 km; 3,160 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph). [3]

Armament consisted of three QF 4-inch (102 mm) Mk IV guns on the ship's centreline. [4] One was mounted raised on the forecastle, one on a platform between the funnels and one aft. [5] The ship also mounted a single 40-millimetre (1.6 in) 2-pounder pom-pom anti-aircraft gun for air defence. Four 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes were fitted in two twin rotating mounts aft. [4] The ship was designed to mount two additional 18-inch (457 mm) torpedo tubes either side of the superstructure but this required the forecastle plating to be cut away, making the vessel very wet, so they were removed. [2] The weight saved enabled the heavier Mark V 21-inch torpedo to be carried. [1] The ship had a complement of 90 officers and ratings. [6]

Construction and career

Laid down on 10 July 1917 by William Denny and Brothers in Dumbarton with the yard number 1098, Senator was launched on 2 April the following year. [7] The name was given in honour of the members of the Roman Senate. [8] The vessel was the first with the name to serve in the Royal Navy, and the first of six of the class to be built by the yard. [6] [9] Senator was completed on 7 June and joined the Adriatic Squadron of the Mediterranean Fleet. [10] A trial platform was fitted aft to test launching aircraft while travelling full speed astern. However, the trial was a failure and the platform was removed soon after. [11]

After the Armistice that ended the First World War, Senator joined the Sixth Destroyer Flotilla. [12] The ship subsequently voyaged through the Bosporus into the Black Sea to assist in efforts to evacuate people at risk from the conflicts in the region, both the Greco-Turkish War and the Russian Civil War. For example, Senator was sent, along with sister ship Swallow and the dreadnought battleships Ajax and Emperor of India, to assist in the evacuation of Batumi, staying until 9 July 1919 to cover the evacuation of troops to Russia. [13] On 21 September 1923, the destroyer was transferred to the Seventh Destroyer Flotilla of the Atlantic Fleet. [14] Two years later, on 10 December 1925, the ship was placed in the Reserve Fleet at Devonport. [15]

On 22 April 1930, the London Naval Treaty was signed, which limited total destroyer tonnage in the Royal Navy. The force was looking to introduce more modern destroyers and so needed to retire some of the older vessels. [16] Senator was therefore chosen as one of twenty-two destroyers given to Thos. W. Ward of Sheffield in exchange for the liner RMS Majestic. [17] In consequence, on 7 September 1936, the ship was handed over to be broken up at Jarrow. [18]

Pennant numbers

Penant numbers
Pennant number Date
G36June 1918 [19]
D44September 1918 [19]
F35January 1919 [20]
D021922 [21]

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HMS <i>Sepoy</i> (1918) Royal Navy S class destroyer

HMS Sepoy was an S-class destroyer, which served with the Royal Navy during the First World War and the Russian Civil War. Sepoy was launched on 22 May 1918 and initially joined the Grand Fleet. After the Armistice that ended the First World War, the ship was briefly transferred to the Reserve Fleet before sailing to Tallinn in 1919 as par of the Royal Navy response to the fighting there. Sepoy rejoined the Reserve Fleet at the end of the year. The ship was later allocated to the naval base in Hong Kong, arriving in 1929. During exercises the following year, a depth charge explosion killed six sailors. The destroyer was also damaged. Following the signing of the London Naval Treaty a few days later, Sepoy returned to the United Kingdom and, on 2 July 1932, was sold to be broken up at Newport, Wales.

HMS <i>Seraph</i> (1918) Royal Navy S class destroyer

HMS Seraph was an S-class destroyer, which served with the Royal Navy during the Russian Civil War. The S class were a development of the previous R class, with minor differences, constructed at the end of the First World War. Seraph had a career as an evacuation vessel more than as a warship. Launched on 2 April 1918 by Denny, Seraph was originally destined for the Grand Fleet but, after the Armistice, the destroyer transferred to the Mediterranean Fleet based at Malta. The destroyer was sent into the Black Sea to support the White Russian forces in their fight against the Communists. The role involved supporting the movement of troops rather than firing at the enemy. Ultimately, the Communists won and Seraph helped the evacuation of White Russian troops from Crimea, returning to Malta in February 1921. In January 1927, the ship was sent to Hong Kong to serve under the Commander-in-Chief, China. In December 1929, the vessel was once again called to evacuate, this time Christian missionaries from the Chinese Red Army. Once again, the evacuation took place without bloodshed. With the introduction of more modern destroyers, the Royal Navy started retiring the S class and, on 7 May 1934, Seraph was sold to be broken up.

HMS <i>Sesame</i> (1918) Royal Navy S class destroyer

HMS Sesame was an S-class destroyer, which served with the Royal Navy in the twentieth century. Launched on 30 November 1918 just after the end of the First World War, the ship was commissioned into the Reserve Fleet. A year later, the destroyer was sent to Latvia in support of the country's call for independence, arriving just at the cessation of that county's war of independence. Returning to the United Kingdom, Sesame was later equipped to act as a plane guard within the Home Fleet, with all armament removed and a davit fitted to rescue aircraft. The vessel remained in that configuration for a short time, but the London Naval Treaty sounded the death knell for the ship as it limited the destroyer tonnage that the Royal Navy could operate. As newer and more powerful destroyers entered service, Sesame was one of those retired, being sold to be broken up on 4 May 1934.

References

Citations

  1. 1 2 Gardiner & Gray 1985, p. 85.
  2. 1 2 March 1966, p. 221.
  3. ↑ Friedman 2009, p. 297.
  4. 1 2 Gardiner & Gray 1985, p. 84.
  5. ↑ Friedman 2009, p. 163.
  6. 1 2 Parkes & Prendergast 1969, p. 107.
  7. ↑ Lyon 1975, p. 719.
  8. ↑ Manning & Walker 1959, p. 400.
  9. ↑ Manning & Walker 1959, p. 401.
  10. ↑ "XV Mediterranean Fleet". The Navy List: 23. October 1918. Retrieved 9 November 2021– via National Library of Scotland.
  11. ↑ March 1966, p. 219.
  12. ↑ "Mediterranean Fleet". The Navy List: 712. October 1919. Retrieved 9 November 2021– via National Library of Scotland.
  13. ↑ Halpern 2019, p. 254.
  14. ↑ "Senator". The Navy List: 269. April 1925.
  15. ↑ "Senator". The Navy List: 269. February 1926.
  16. ↑ Friedman 2009, p. 211.
  17. ↑ "49/73) HMS CALEDONIA of 1936-1939". Warship International. 11 (1): 93. 1974.
  18. ↑ Colledge & Warlow 2006, p. 316.
  19. 1 2 Dittmar & Colledge 1972, p. 75.
  20. ↑ Bush & Warlow 2021, p. 48.
  21. ↑ Bush & Warlow 2021, p. 33.

Bibliography

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  • Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006). Ships of the Royal Navy: a complete record of all fighting ships of the Royal Navy from the 15th century to the present. London: Chatham. ISBN   978-1-85367-566-9.
  • Dittmar, F.J.; Colledge, J.J. (1972). British Warships 1914–1919. Shepperton: Ian Allan. ISBN   978-0-71100-380-4.
  • Friedman, Norman (2009). British Destroyers: From Earliest Days to the First World War. Barnsley: Seaforth Publishing. ISBN   978-1-84832-049-9.
  • Gardiner, Robert; Gray, Randal, eds. (1985). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN   978-0-85177-245-5.
  • Halpern, Paul (2019). The Mediterranean Fleet, 1919-1929. London: Routledge. ISBN   978-1-91142-387-4.
  • Lyon, David John (1975). The Denny List: Ship numbers 769-1273. London: National Maritime Museum. OCLC   256517657.
  • Manning, Thomas Davys; Walker, Charles Frederick (1959). British Warship Names. London: Putnam. OCLC   780274698.
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  • Parkes, Oscar; Prendergast, Maurice (1969). Jane's Fighting Ships 1919. Newton Abbott: David & Charles. OCLC   907574860.
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