H.M.S. Dido (1896)

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H.M.S. Dido (1896)
Pendant Number: P.05 (1914)
P.87 (Jan 1918)[1]
Builder: London & Glasgow[2]
Ordered: 1893-94 Programme[3]
Laid down: 30 Aug, 1894[4]
Launched: 20 Mar, 1896[5]
Commissioned: 10 May, 1898[6]
Sold: 16 Dec, 1926[7]
Fate: Scrapped

Though H.M.S. Dido was completed as one of nine Eclipse second-class protected cruisers in 1898, she served in the Great War with the Royal Navy as a depot ship.

Construction

Armament at completion is given under Eclipse Class.

Service

Dido was reduced to Third Fleet complement at Chatham on 10 May, 1912.[8]

In February 1913, Dido was collided with the heavy cruiser Berwick. Dido's commander Robert Henry Coppinger was faulted in the encounter.[9]

Dido completed her conversion to a depot ship in 1913[10] and recommissioned at Portsmouth on 9 April under Captain Frederic Aubrey Whitehead.[11] However, it is unclear how extensive the conversion work was, as the ship continued to carry her full Cruiser armament, most of which would typically have been removed. She also continued to be officially listed as a Cruiser rather than a depot ship. However, whilst serving as a depot ship, Dido only carried 75% of her 6-in ammunition and did not carry any torpedoes for her own torpedo tubes.[12]

She relieved Minerva as depot ship for the Sixth Destroyer Flotilla on 29 August, 1913.[13]

At the start of the war, she was a depot ship with the Third Destroyer Flotilla, remaining with it through 7 September, 1915, when it was redesignated as the Ninth Destroyer Flotilla.[14] She also served as depot ship for the Tenth Destroyer Flotilla from it's formation in February 1915, both Flotillas being based in Harwich.[15] She continued as depot for these Harwich based Flotillas throughout the war and in December, 1916, she also briefly acted as depot ship for the First Destroyer Flotilla. Dido reduced to reserve at Portsmouth on 16 August, 1920.[16]

Radio

In 1901 while assigned to the China Squadron, the ship was noted as having or being slated to receive a "1 to 52" W/T set.[17]

Alterations

In 1902 the ship was rearmed with a single calibre main battery of 6-in B.L. guns in place of the existing mixed battery of 6-in and 4.7-in Q.F. guns. [18]

During WW1 Dido gradually had her armament reduced, with the guns required elsewhere:

  • The sole 12-pdr 8cwt gun and field carriage was removed prior to 17 March, 1915.[19]
  • Three 12-pdr 12cwt guns were removed on or around 22 April, 1915 (G.01196/15).[20]
  • Eight 6-in guns were removed on or around 14 September, 1915 (G.03375/15).[21]
  • Stern 18-in Torpedo Tube removed late in 1915 (G.27913/15).[22]

At some point it appears that her 3-pdr Hotchkiss gun was also converted to a Mark Ic High Angle mount, as an unknown mount, which would almost certainly have been a shipboard conversion of an existing gun on or soon after October 1914, is first recorded in August 1915.[23] This mounting had a simple open sight and could elevate to 65 degrees, with an effective range of about 4,000 yards. [24]

Captains

Dates of appointment are provided when known.

See Also

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Dittmar; Colledge. British Warships 1914–1919. p. 293.
  2. ↑ Dittmar; Colledge. British Warships 1914–1919. p. 293.
  3. ↑ Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905. p. 78.
  4. ↑ Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905. p. 78.
  5. ↑ Dittmar; Colledge. British Warships 1914–1919. p. 293.
  6. ↑ Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905. p. 78.
  7. ↑ Dittmar; Colledge. British Warships 1914–1919. p. 293.
  8. ↑ The Navy List. (March, 1913). p. 301.
  9. ↑ Coppinger Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 313.
  10. ↑ Dittmar; Colledge. British Warships 1914–1919. p. 293.
  11. ↑ The Navy List. (July, 1913). p. 301.
  12. ↑ List of HM Ships showing their armaments, 1914-1915. April 1914 p. 26-27.
  13. ↑ Johnson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 54.
  14. ↑ Naval Staff Monographs. Volume XIV. p. 165.
  15. ↑ War Vessels and aircraft (British and foreign): monthly return showing distribution, Jan - AprThe National Archives. ADM 186/12. February p. 6.
  16. ↑ The Navy List. (April, 1925). p. 232.
  17. ↑ Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1901. p. 112.
  18. ↑ War Vessels and Aircraft (British and Foreign) Part II (Quarterly Return) October 1915 The National Archives. ADM 186/15. p. 9.
  19. ↑ Quarterly Appropriation List of Gun Mountings, Feb 1915. pp. 80,82.
  20. ↑ Quarterly Appropriation List of Gun Mountings, Feb 1915. pp. 68,71.
  21. ↑ Quarterly Appropriation List of Gun Mountings, Aug 1915. p. 36.
  22. ↑ List of HM Ships showing their armaments, 1914-1915. April 1915 p. 29.
  23. ↑ Quarterly Appropriation List of Gun Mountings, Aug 1915. p. 118.
  24. ↑ Sights and System of Control for Anti-Aircraft Guns The National Archives. ADM 186/201. p. 12.
  25. ↑ Henderson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/18. f. ?.
  26. ↑ Henderson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/18. f. ?.
  27. ↑ Neville Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/17/482
  28. ↑ Neville Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/39/114
  29. ↑ The Navy List. (April, 1900). p. 243.
  30. ↑ Tillard Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/18. f. 375.
  31. ↑ Tillard Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/18. f. 375.
  32. ↑ Cuming Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/38. f. 280.
  33. ↑ Cuming Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/38. f. 280.
  34. ↑ "Naval & Military Intelligence". The Times. Thursday, 21 May, 1903. Issue 37086, col B, p. 8.
  35. ↑ Peirse Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/39. f. 1026.
  36. ↑ Peirse Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/39. f. 1026.
  37. ↑ The Navy List. (November, 1905). p. 302.
  38. ↑ Anson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/38. f. 32.
  39. ↑ Anson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/20. f. 647.
  40. ↑ Nicholson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 291.
  41. ↑ Nicholson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 291.
  42. ↑ Wake Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/20. f. 638.
  43. ↑ Wake Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/20. f. 638.
  44. ↑ The Navy List. (January, 1910). p. 301.
  45. ↑ Sandeman Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 4.
  46. ↑ Sandeman Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 4.
  47. ↑ Adam Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 232.
  48. ↑ The Navy List. (August, 1912). p. 301.
  49. ↑ Adam Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 232.
  50. ↑ Curtis Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/262. f. 262.
  51. ↑ Curtis Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/262. f. 262.
  52. ↑ Coppinger Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 313.
  53. ↑ Coppinger Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 313.
  54. ↑ Whitehead Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/453. f. 504.
  55. ↑ The Navy List. (July, 1913). p. 301.
  56. ↑ Whitehead Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/453. f. 504.
  57. ↑ The Navy List. (December, 1913). p. 301.
  58. ↑ Johnson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 54.
  59. ↑ Johnson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 54.
  60. ↑ The Navy List. (February, 1919). p. 776.
  61. ↑ The Navy List. (February, 1919). p. 776.
  62. ↑ The Navy List. (December, 1920). p. 759.
  63. ↑ The Navy List. (December, 1920). p. 759.
  64. ↑ Stapleton-Cotton Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/411. f. 411.
  65. ↑ Godfrey Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/44/235. f. 235.
  66. ↑ The Navy List. (January, 1923). p. 748.
  67. ↑ Godfrey Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/44/235. f. 235.
  68. ↑ Money Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45. f. 215.
  69. ↑ Money Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45. f. 215.
  70. ↑ The Navy List. (April, 1925). p. 232.

Bibliography

  • H.M.S.O. (1915). Quarterly Appropriation List of Gun Mountings for B.L., Q.F, and Machine Guns, February 1915. The National Archives. ADM 186/198.
  • H.M.S.O. (1915). Quarterly Appropriation List of Gun Mountings for B.L., Q.F, and Machine Guns, August 1915. The National Archives. ADM 186/199.
  • H.M.S.O. (1914-1915). List of HM Ships showing their armaments, 1914-1915. The National Archives. ADM 186/864.


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