HMS Stonehenge was an Admiralty S-class destroyer that served with the Royal Navy during the twentieth century. The S class was a development of the R class created during the First World War as a cheaper alternative to the V and W class. Launched after Armistice that ended the war, the ship was commissioned in 1919 and joined the Fourth Destroyer Flotilla. The vessel supported the Allied intervention in the Russian Civil War and then British forces assisting the partition of the Ottoman Empire, being based at Constantinople in 1920. In that year, the destroyer ran aground off the coast of Smyrna while on a routine mission. Despite attempts by sister ship Serapis to refloat the stricken vessel, Stonehenge had to be abandoned, although no one died in the accident. The remains were sold in 1921.
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| |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United Kingdom | |
| Name | Stonehenge |
| Ordered | 7 April 1917 |
| Builder | Palmers, Jarrow |
| Launched | 19 March 1919 |
| Commissioned | 14 August 1919 |
| Out of service | 6 November 1920 |
| Fate | Abandoned after running aground |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | S-class destroyer |
| Displacement | |
| Length | 265 ft (80.8 m) p.p. |
| Beam | 26 ft 8 in (8.1 m) |
| Draught | 9 ft 10 in (3 m) mean |
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed | 36 knots (41.4 mph; 66.7 km/h) |
| Range | 2,750 nmi (5,090 km) at 15 kn (28 km/h) |
| Complement | 90 |
| Armament |
|
Design and development
editStonehenge was one of 33 Admiralty S-class destroyers ordered by the British Admiralty on 7 April 1917 during the First World War as part of the Eleventh War Construction Programme. The design was a development of the R class introduced at the same time as, and as a cheaper and faster alternative to, the V and W class.[1][2] Differences with the R class were minor, such as having the searchlight moved aft and being designed to mount an additional pair of torpedo tubes.[3]
The destroyer had a overall length of 276 ft (84.1 m) and a length of 265 ft (80.8 m) between perpendiculars. Beam was 26 ft 8 in (8.1 m) and mean draught 9 ft 10 in (3 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 Parsons 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).[4][5] The ship had a complement of 90 officers and ratings.[6]
Armament consisted of three QF 4 in (102 mm) Mk IV guns on the ship's centreline.[5] One was mounted raised on the forecastle, one on a platform between the funnels, and one aft.[7] The destroyer mounted a single 2-pounder 40 mm (1.6 in) "pom-pom" anti-aircraft gun for air defence. Four 21 in (533 mm) torpedo tubes were carried in two twin rotating mounts aft.[5] Four depth charge chutes were also fitted aft. Initially, typically ten depth charges were carried.[8] The ship was designed to mount two additional 18 in (457 mm) torpedo tubes either side of the superstructure but this required the forecastle plating to be cut away, causing excess water to come aboard at sea, so they were not carried.[3] The weight saved enabled the heavier Mark V 21-inch torpedo to be carried.[1] Fire control included a training-only director, single Dumaresq and a Vickers range clock.[9]
Construction and career
editLaid down by Palmers at their dockyard in Jarrow, Stonehenge, the first Royal Navy ship to be given the name, was launched on 19 March 1919 after the Armistice of 11 November 1918 that ended the war.[10][11] The vessel was commissioned on 14 August 1919, joining the Fourth Destroyer Flotilla as a tender to the depot ship Hecla.[12] The ship was transferred to Chatham to replace the R-class destroyer Tempest and was completed to full crew on 11 October.[13][14] The vessel briefly served in the British campaign in the Baltic as part of the Allied intervention in the Russian Civil War, but returned to Chatham on 1 April 1920.[15]
On 20 August 1920, the Treaty of Sèvres was signed between the Ottoman Empire and the Allies agreeing the partition of the Ottoman Empire.[16] However, to enforce the terms required military intervention in the region.[17] The Royal Navy had been in military occupation of Constantinople since 16 March.[18] Stonehenge was detached from the Fourth Destroyer Flotilla and joined the deployment, serving in the Mediterranean Sea.[19] On 31 October, the destroyer sailed from Constantinople to Mudros on a routine mission, to collect mail and ratings. However, off the coast of Smyrna, the vessel encountered very strong rain that reduced visibility and ran aground. The crew fired rockets to attract attention and were rescued by sister ship Serapis, which also attempted to refloat the destroyer. This was unsuccessful and Stonehenge was abandoned on 6 November.[20] The wreck was sold on 26 March 1921.[10]
Pennant numbers
edit| Pennant number | Date |
|---|---|
| G99 | September 1918[21] |
| D93 | November 1919[22] |
| F58 | December 1920[23] |
References
editCitations
edit- ^ a b Preston 1985, p. 85.
- ^ Friedman 2009, p. 169.
- ^ a b March 1966, p. 221.
- ^ Friedman 2009, p. 297.
- ^ a b c Preston 1985, p. 84.
- ^ Parkes & Prendergast 1969, p. 107.
- ^ Friedman 2009, p. 163.
- ^ Friedman 2009, p. 236.
- ^ Friedman 2009, p. 146.
- ^ a b Colledge & Warlow 2006, p. 333.
- ^ Friedman 2009, p. 311.
- ^ "Naval Intelligence". The Times. No. 42178. 14 August 1919. p. 16.
- ^ "Naval Intelligence". The Times. No. 42202. 11 September 1919. p. 14.
- ^ "837 Stonehenge". The Navy List: 867. April 1920. Retrieved 7 May 2024.
- ^ "Naval Intelligence". The Times. No. 42368. 25 March 1920. p. 6.
- ^ Helmreich 1974, p. 320.
- ^ Helmreich 1974, p. 321.
- ^ Halpern 2011, p. 126.
- ^ "I.– Atlantic Fleet: Destroyers". The Navy List: 702. October 1920. Retrieved 7 May 2024.
- ^ Hepper 2022, p. 2.
- ^ Bush & Warlow 2021, p. 68.
- ^ Bush & Warlow 2021, p. 42.
- ^ Bush & Warlow 2021, p. 49.
Bibliography
edit- Bush, Steve; Warlow, Ben (2021). Pendant Numbers of the Royal Navy: A Complete History of the Allocation of Pendant Numbers to Royal Navy Warships & Auxiliaries. Barnsley, UK: Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-526793-78-2.
- 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.
- Friedman, Norman (2009). British Destroyers: From Earliest Days to the First World War. Barnsley: Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84832-049-9.
- Halpern, Paul G. (2011). The Mediterranean Fleet, 1919–1929. Burlington, Virginia: Ashgate Publishing Company. ISBN 978-1-40942-757-5.
- Helmreich, Paul C. (1974). From Paris to Sèvres: The Partition of the Ottoman Empire at the Peace Conference of 1919–1920. Columbus, Ohio: Ohio State University Press. ISBN 9780814201701. OCLC 694027.
- Hepper, David (2022). British Warship Losses in the Modern Era: 1920–1982. Barnsley: Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-3990-9766-6.
- March, Edgar J. (1966). British Destroyers: A History of Development, 1892–1953. London: Seeley Service. OCLC 164893555.
- Parkes, Oscar; Prendergast, Maurice (1969). Jane's Fighting Ships 1919. Newton Abbott: David & Charles. OCLC 907574860.
- Preston, Antony (1985). "Great Britain and Empire Forces". In Gardiner, Robert; Gray, Randal (eds.). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. London: Conway Maritime Press. pp. 1–104. ISBN 978-0-85177-245-5.