HMS Shannon | |
History | |
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United Kingdom | |
Name | Shannon |
Ordered | 4 April 1851 |
Builder |
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Laid down | January 1854 |
Launched | 24 November 1855 |
Completed | By 29 December 1856 |
Fate | Sold on 31 May 1871 |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | Liffey-class steam frigate |
Displacement | 3,915 tons |
Tons burthen |
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Length |
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Beam | 50 ft 1.5 in (15.278 m) |
Depth of hold | 18 ft 4.5 in (5.601 m) |
Installed power |
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Propulsion |
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Sail plan | Full-rigged ship |
Speed | 11.5 kn (21.3 km/h) under steam |
Complement | 560 |
Armament |
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HMS Shannon was a Liffey-class steam frigate of the Royal Navy.
She was originally ordered as a sail driven Leander-class frigate,. but was re-ordered as screw frigate on 4 April 1851. She was built at Portsmouth Dockyard and launched on 24 November 1855. She was completed by 29 December 1856 with her hull having cost £62,759, her machinery £37,325, and a further £27,079 spent on fitting out.
Under the command of Sir William Peel, Shannon played an important role in the Indian Mutiny landing a naval brigade which fought at the Siege of Lucknow, including the Storming of the Sikandar Bagh. Five Victoria Crosses were won by the following crew of HMS Shannon: Lieutenant Thomas Young, Lieutenant Nowell Salmon, Leading Seaman John Harrison, Able Seaman Edward Robinson and Able Seaman William Hall, the first Black person and the first Canadian sailor to be awarded a Victoria Cross. [1] Peel was wounded in the leg during the second relief of Lucknow, and was brought to Cawnpore, where he died of smallpox, having commanded Shannon's naval brigade during the campaign.
Captain George Alexander Waters took temporary command while Peel led the naval brigade, before taking permanent command until 1861. [2]
Shannon was sold to Castle on 31 May 1871 to be broken up.
HMS Morecambe Bay was a Bay-class anti-aircraft frigate of the British Royal Navy, named after Morecambe Bay on the north western coast of England. In commission from 1949 until 1956, she saw active service in the Korean War, and was sold to Portugal in 1961 to serve as NRP Dom Francisco de Almeida until 1970.
William Nelson Edward Hall was the first Black person, first Nova Scotian, and third Canadian to receive the Victoria Cross. He received the medal for his actions in the 1857 Siege of Lucknow during the Indian Rebellion. Hall and an officer from his ship continued to load and fire a 24-pounder gun at the walls after the rest of the party had been killed or injured by the defenders.
Admiral of the Fleet Sir Nowell Salmon was a Royal Navy officer. As a junior officer he served in the naval brigade and took part in the Siege of Lucknow during the Indian Mutiny. He was a member of the force defending the Residency when he volunteered to climb a tree near the wall of the Shah Nujeff mosque to observe the fall of shot, despite being under fire himself and wounded in the thigh. He and his colleague, Leading Seaman John Harrison, were awarded the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces for this action.
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