HMS Electra (1896)

HMS Electra was a Clydebank-built, three-funnelled, 30-knot destroyer ordered by the Royal Navy under the 1895–1896 Naval Estimates. She was the fourth ship to carry this name since it was introduced in 1806 for a 16-gun brig-sloop.[3][4]

For other ships with the same name, see HMS Electra.

History
United Kingdom
Name: Electra
Ordered: 1895 – 1896 Naval Estimates
Builder: J & G Thompson, Clydebank
Laid down: 18 October 1895
Launched: 14 July 1896
Commissioned: July 1900
Out of service: Laid up in reserve 1919
Fate: 29 April 1920 sold to Barking Ship Breaking Company for breaking
General characteristics
Class and type: Clydebank three-funnel, 30-knot destroyer[1][2]
Displacement:
  • 345 t (340 long tons) standard
  • 485 t (477 long tons) full load
  • 214 ft (65 m) o/a
  • 20 ft (6.1 m) Beam
  • 8 ft 6 in (2.59 m) Draught
Propulsion:
Speed: 30 kn (56 km/h)
Range:
  • 80 tons coal
  • 1,465 nmi (2,713 km) at 11 kn (20 km/h; 13 mph)
Complement: 63 officers and men
Armament:
Service record
Operations: World War I 1914 – 1918

In 1913 she was grouped along with similar vessels as a C-class destroyer.

Construction

She was laid down as yard number 289 on 18 October 1895, at J & G Thompson shipyard in Clydebank, and launched on 14 July 1896. During her builder's trials, she had problems attaining her contract speed. Her hull was lengthened by 4 feet (1 m), then she made her contract speed of 30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph). She was completed and accepted by the Royal Navy in July 1900.[3][4]

Service

After commissioning Electra was assigned to the Chatham Division of the Harwich Flotilla. She was deployed in home waters for her entire service life. On 1 January 1901 she was commissioned by Lieutenant Bertram Sutton Evans as part of the Portsmouth instructional flotilla, taking the place and crew from HMS Star.[5] In June 1902 she took the place of HMS Fervent in the Portsmouth instructional flotilla,[6] under the command of Lieutenant Rowland Henry Bather,[7] but he transferred to HMS Lightning after two months.[8] The destroyer took part in the fleet review held at Spithead on 16 August 1902 for the coronation of King Edward VII.[9]

On 30 August 1912 the Admiralty directed all destroyer classes were to be designated by letters. Since her design speed was 30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph) and she had three funnels, she was assigned with vessels built to the same specification as the C class. After 30 September 1913, she was known as a C-class destroyer and had the letter ‘C’ painted on the hull below the bridge area and on either the fore or aft funnel.[10]

In 1914 she was in active commission at the Nore based at Sheerness tendered to HMS Actaeon, a Royal Navy training establishment. With the outbreak of hostilities in August 1914 she was assigned to the Nore Local Flotilla. Her duties included anti-submarine and counter-mining patrols in the Thames Estuary.

In 1919 she was paid off and laid-up in reserve awaiting disposal. She was sold on 29 April 1920 to Barking Ship Breaking Company for breaking.[11]

Pennant numbers
Pennant Number[11]FromTo
N556 Dec 19141 Sep 1915
D521 Sep 19151 Jan 1918
D311 Jan 191829 Apr 1920

References
  1. Jane, Fred T. (1969) [1905]. Jane’s Fighting Ships 1905. New York: first published by Sampson Low Marston, London 1905, reprinted ARCO Publishing Company. p. 77.
  2. Jane, Fred T. (1990) [1919, reprinted]. Jane’s Fighting Ships of World War I. Jane’s Publishing © 1919. p. 77. ISBN 1 85170 378 0.
  3. Jane, Fred T. (1969) [1898, sampson Low Marston, London]. Jane's All the World's Fighting Ships 1898. New York: ARCO Publishing Company. pp. 84 to 85.
  4. Jane, Fred T. (1990) [1919, reprinted]. Jane's Fighting Ships of World War I. Jane’s Publishing. p. 76. ISBN 1 85170 378 0.
  5. "Naval & Military intelligence". The Times (36340). London. 1 January 1901. p. 12.
  6. "Naval & Military intelligence". The Times (36788). London. 7 June 1902. p. 9.
  7. "Naval & Military intelligence". The Times (36794). London. 14 June 1902. p. 9.
  8. "Naval & Military intelligence". The Times (36839). London. 6 August 1902. p. 8.
  9. "The Coronation – Naval Review". The Times (36845). London. 13 August 1902. p. 4.
  10. Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. Conway Maritime Press. 2006 [1985, reprinted 1986, 1997, 2002, 2006]. pp. 17–19. ISBN 0 85177 245 5.
  11. ""Arrowsmith" List – Part 1 Destroyer Prototypes through "River" Class". Retrieved 1 June 2013.

Bibliography
  • Chesneau, Roger & Kolesnik, Eugene M., eds. (1979). Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-133-5.
  • Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969]. Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy (Rev. ed.). London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN 978-1-86176-281-8.
  • Dittmar, F. J. & Colledge, J. J. (1972). British Warships 1914–1919. Shepperton, UK: Ian Allan. ISBN 0-7110-0380-7.
  • Friedman, Norman (2009). British Destroyers: From Earliest Days to the Second World War. Barnsley, UK: 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 0-85177-245-5.
  • Lyon, David (2001) [1996]. The First Destroyers. London: Caxton Editions. ISBN 1-84067-3648.
  • Manning, T. D. (1961). The British Destroyer. London: Putnam & Co. OCLC 6470051.
  • March, Edgar J. (1966). British Destroyers: A History of Development, 1892–1953; Drawn by Admiralty Permission From Official Records & Returns, Ships' Covers & Building Plans. London: Seeley Service. OCLC 164893555.
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