HMS Recruit (1916)

HMS Recruit was a R-class destroyer built for the Royal Navy during the First World War. She was sunk by a German U-boat four months after she was commissioned in April 1917.

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

History
United Kingdom
Name: Recruit
Builder: William Doxford & Sons, Sunderland
Launched: 9 December 1916
Commissioned: April 1917
Fate: Sunk by SM UB-16, 9 August 1917
General characteristics (as built)
Class and type: R-class destroyer
Displacement: 1,072 long tons (1,089 t) (normal)
Length: 276 ft 1 in (84.2 m) (o/a)
Beam: 26 ft 9 in (8.2 m)
Draught: 9 ft (2.7 m)
Installed power:
Propulsion: 2 Shafts; 1 geared steam turbine
Speed: 36 knots (67 km/h; 41 mph)
Range: 3,450 nmi (6,390 km; 3,970 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph)
Complement: 80
Armament:

Description

The Admiralty R class were enlarged versions of the preceding Admiralty M class fitted with geared steam turbines.[1] They displaced 1,072 long tons (1,089 t) at normal load. The ships had an overall length of 276 feet 1 inch (84.2 m), a beam of 26 feet 9 inches (8.2 m) and a draught of 9 feet (2.7 m). Recruit was powered by a single Parsons geared steam turbine that drove two propeller shafts using steam provided by three Yarrow boilers. The turbines developed a total of 27,000 shaft horsepower (20,000 kW) and gave a maximum speed of 36 knots (67 km/h; 41 mph). The ships carried a maximum of 245 long tons (249 t) of fuel oil that gave them a range of 3,450 nautical miles (6,390 km; 3,970 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph). The ships' complement was 80 officers and ratings.[2]

The Admiralty Rs were armed with three single QF 4-inch (102 mm) Mark IV guns. One gun was positioned on the forecastle, the second was on a platform between the funnels and the third at the stern. They were equipped with a single QF 2-pounder (40 mm (1.6 in)) "pom-pom" anti-aircraft gun, on a platform between the two rotating twin mounts for 21-inch (533 mm) torpedoes amidships.[3]

Construction and career

Recruit was ordered under the Sixth War Programme from William Doxford & Sons. The ship was laid down at the company's Sunderland shipyard at an unknown date, launched on 28 October 1916 and commissioned in April 1917.[4]

In May 1917 the vessel was assigned to the Tenth Destroyer Flotilla as part of the Harwich Force.[5] The destroyer was sunk by a torpedo from the submarine SM UB-16 on 9 August 1917 in the North Sea 3 nmi (5.6 km; 3.5 mi) north of the Noord Hinder lightvessel, with 53 crewmen lost.[6]

References
  1. Gardiner & Gray, p. 76
  2. Friedman, p. 296
  3. Gardiner & Gray, p. 81; March, plate 23/A
  4. Friedman, p. 306
  5. Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (May, 1917). p. 13.
  6. "HMS Recruit". U-boat.net. Retrieved 21 July 2020.

Bibliography
  • 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.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Monograph No. 35: Home Waters Part IX: 1st May 1917 to 31st July 1917 (PDF). Naval Staff Monographs (Historical). XIX. Naval Staff, Training and Staff Duties Division. 1939.
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