HMS Trojan

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HMS Tara (1918) IWM SP 1415.jpg
Sister ship Tara in 1918
History
Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svgUnited Kingdom
NameHMS Trojan
Namesake Trojan
OrderedJune 1917
Builder J. Samuel White], East Cowes
Yard number1512
Laid down3 January 1918
Launched12 July 1918
Completed6 December 1918
Out of service24 September 1936
FateSold to be broken up
General characteristics
Class and type S-class destroyer
Displacement
  • 1,075 long tons (1,092 t) normal
  • 1,220 long tons (1,240 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 Trojan was an S-class destroyer, which served with the Royal Navy. The vessel was the only one named in honour of the citizens of Troy that has been operated by the navy. Launched on 12 July 1918, Trojan was too late to see service in the First World War. Initially allocated to the Grand Fleet and then, when this was dissolved, the Atlantic Fleet, the destroyer was transferred to the Reserve Fleet, like many of the class, within two years of being first commissioned. The vessel remained in reserve until 24 September 1936, although in a deteriorating condition. On that day, Trojan was sold to be broken up as part of a deal for the liner Majestic .

Contents

Design and development

Trojan was one of thirty-three Admiralty Sclass destroyers ordered by the British Admiralty in June 1917 as part of the Twelfth 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 and mounting an additional pair of torpedo tubes. [2]

Trojan 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 1,220 long tons (1,240 t) deep load. Three White-Forster 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. The ship carried 301 long tons (306  t ) of fuel oil, 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 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 also equipped with two 18-inch (457 mm) torpedo tubes either side of the superstructure which were fired by the commanding officer using toggle ropes. [2] Fire control included a training-only director, single Dumaresq and a Vickers range clock. [6] The ship had a complement of 90 officers and ratings. [7]

Construction and career

Trojan was laid down by J. Samuel White at East Cowes on the Isle of Wight with the yard number 1512 on 3 January 1918, and launched on 12 July the same year. [8] The ship was completed on 6 December. [9] The vessel is the only one to have carried the name, which recalled the inhabitants of Troy, to have served in the Royal Navy. [10] The destroyer was to join the Fourteenth Destroyer Flotilla of the Grand Fleet but the signing of the Armistice which ended the First World War meant the vessel saw no active service. [11]

With the dissolution of the Grand Fleet, Trojan was allocated to the Third Destroyer Flotilla of the Atlantic Fleet. [12] The ship did not remain long in service, however, and was commissioned into the Reserve Fleet at Portsmouth on 16 August 1920. [13] Trojan remained in reserve until 14 September 1936 when the ship was given to Thos. W. Ward of Sheffield in exchange for the liner Majestic . Having remained on reserve for more than a decade, Trojan was found to be in poor condition. [14] The destroyer was subsequently broken up at Inverkeithing. [15]

Pennant numbers

Penant numbers
Pennant number Date
G66November 1918 [16]
D76January 1919 [17]
H44September 1936 [18]

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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.

References

Citations

  1. ↑ 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. ↑ Friedman 2009, p. 146.
  7. ↑ Parkes & Prendergast 1969, p. 107.
  8. ↑ Williams & Sprake 1993, p. 719.
  9. ↑ Williams & Sprake 1993, p. 36.
  10. ↑ Manning & Walker 1959, p. 451.
  11. ↑ "Destroyer Flotillas of the Grand Fleet". The Navy List: 12. October 1918. Retrieved 11 October 2021– via National Library of Scotland.
  12. ↑ "Atlantic Fleet". The Navy List: 11. July 1919. Retrieved 11 October 2021– via National Library of Scotland.
  13. ↑ "Trojan". The Navy List: 877. October 1920. Retrieved 11 October 2021– via National Library of Scotland.
  14. ↑ Friedman 2009, p. 211.
  15. ↑ Colledge & Warlow 2006, p. 361.
  16. ↑ Dittmar & Colledge 1972, p. 75.
  17. ↑ Bush & Warlow 2021, p. 40.
  18. ↑ Bush & Warlow 2021, p. 73.

Bibliography

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