View source for H.M.S. Swift (1907)

<div name=fredbot:career>{{ShipCareer|fullname=H.M.S. ''Swift'' (1907)|fate2=to Rees, Llanelly
|cat=FlotillaLeader
|fatedate=9 Nov, 1921{{DittColl|p. 60}}
|order=
|chain=Destroyer Leaders
|name=Swift
|builder=[[Cammell Laird]]{{DittColl|p. 60}}
|launch=7 Dec, 1907{{DittColl|p. 60}}
|nat=UK
|type=flotilla leader
|pend=H.64 (1914)<br>H.3A (Jan 1918)<br>D.60 (Sep 1918){{DittColl|p. 60}}
|fg=white|bg=crimson}}</div name=fredbot:career>
An exceptionally large [[Flotilla Leader|flotilla leader]], '''H.M.S. ''Swift''''' was the only example of her class.  She was completed in 1910 and was criticised for her light construction, huge size her great expense.

She served in the War out of Dover.{{UKTHVol4Part34|p. 10}}

==Service==
In November, 1911, ''Swift'' was serving as a flotilla leader in the {{UK-DF|1}}.{{March|p. 160}}

At the outset of war, she was flotilla leader in the {{UK-DF|4}}.  In September 1914, it was decided that {{UK-Aurora}} replace her and that she should serve as the half-flotilla leader, but there is no sign that this occurred before she was to leave to undergo a refit in November 1914.{{GFConferences1914|pp. 104, 218}}

Just after midnight on the night of 20 April, 1917, ''Swift'' and {{UK-Broke}} intercepted six German destroyers returning from a bombardment of Dover.  ''Swift'' attempted to ram the onrushing enemy but missed, but she succeeded in torpedoing {{DE-G85}}.  She then assisted ''Broke'', which had been torpedoed after ramming another destroyer.  Commander Peck was awarded the D.S.O. for his handling of ''Swift'' in this action.{{HardLying|pp. 104-5}}

In December, 1918, ''Swift'' was made a flotilla leader in the new {{UK-DF|21}}.{{SMNLDec18|p. 11}}  In March, 1919, she was placed into Reserve at Portsmouth when the young flotilla was disbanded.{{SMNLMar19|pp. 11, 17, 18}}

''Swift'' was reduced to a C. & M. Party at Portsmouth on 17 October, 1919.{{NLJan21|p. 869}}

==Captains==
Dates of appointment are provided when known.
<div name=fredbot:officeCapt otitle="Captain of H.M.S. ''Swift''">
{{Tenure|rank={{CaptRN}}|name=John Saumarez Dumaresq|nick=John S. Dumaresq|appt=10 February, 1910<ref>Dumaresq Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/43.|}} f. 340.</ref>|end=2 August, 1910<ref>Dumaresq Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/43.|}} f. 340.</ref>|precBy=New Command}}
{{Tenure|rank={{CommRN}}|name=George Bennett Weston Young|nick=George B. W. Young|appt=1 August, 1912{{NLJul13|p. 380}}}}
{{Tenure|rank=Captain|name=Charles John Wintour|nick=Charles J. Wintour|appt=5 December, 1913{{NLJan15|p. 383}}}}
{{Tenure|rank={{CommRN}}|name=Anselan John Buchanan Stirling|nick=Anselan J. B. Stirling|appt=6 October, 1914<ref>Stirling Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/44/157.|D7602943}} f. 175.</ref>|end=24 November, 1914<ref>Stirling Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/44/157.|D7602943}} f. 175.</ref>}}
{{Tenure|rank={{CaptRN}}|name=Henry Ralph Crooke|nick=H. Ralph Crooke|appt=January, 1915<ref>Crooke Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/44.|}} f. 36.</ref>|end=February, 1915<ref>Crooke Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/44.|}} f. 36.</ref>|note=during period in Dockyard hands}}
{{Tenure|rank={{CommRN}}|name=Robert Henry Coppinger|nick=Robert H. Coppinger|appt=5 August, 1915{{NLOct15|p. 398''m''}}|end=3 July, 1916<ref>Coppinger Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/44.|D7603063}} f. 313.</ref>}}
{{Tenure|rank=Commander|name=Ambrose Maynard Peck|nick=Ambrose M. Peck|appt=29 September, 1916{{NLDec16|p. 398''m''}}}}
{{Tenure|rank=Commander|name=Reginald Thornton Amedroz|nick=Reginald T. Amedroz|appt=1 October, 1917{{NLFeb19|p. 912a}}}}
</div name=fredbot:officeCapt>

==Performance==
March offers the following appraisal of the ship's performance.{{March|p. 98}}

Though the ship is rumoured to have once achieved 39 knots, her best time on a measured mile was less than 35.5 knots with a water loss of 10 tons.  At 33.25 knots, she advanced 680 yards on a tactical diameter of 766 yards to starboard and 660 yards on a tactical diameter of 677 yards to port.  Her turbines could go from full ahead to full astern in 30 seconds, her helm could be put hard over in 7 seconds and hand steering required 8 men at the wheels.

{{CaptRN}} [[John Saumarez Dumaresq|Dumaresq]] said, "If all (12) boilers are alight can jump from cruising at 10 to 12 knots to twenty-five in 7 or 8 minutes, to thirty in 12 minutes, 34 in 20 minutes, invaluable for scouting."

==Armament==

===4-in and 6-in Guns===
As completed, four 4-in B.L. Mark VIII on P. III mounting, two in tandem on the forecastle, and two on centreline aft.  They recoiled 38 inches and had 100 rounds per gun: 50 steel, 50 lyddite, and 14 practice.{{March|p. 96}}{{UKTHVol4Part34|p. 17}}

In 1916, the 4-in guns on the forecastle were replaced by a 6-in B.L. Mark VII on a P. III mounting to ensure she could outrange the German 4.1-in destroyer guns.  This mounting recoiled 16 inches and was supplied with 102 H.E. shells, 26 common, and 20 practice rounds.{{UKTHVol4Part34|pp. 10, 17}}{{March|pp. 96, 100}}  

In May 1917, the 6-in was removed in favour of a return to two 4-in B.L. Mark V guns, sided on the foredeck.  At some point, a 6-pdr Q.F. gun on H.A. mounting was added near the aft torpedo tube (which was reversed to make room), as well as a 1.5-pdr H.A. gun near the aft steering position.{{March|pp. 96-100}}

===Torpedoes===
Originally she was provided two 18-in torpedo tubes with Mark VI* torpedoes.

In 1914 it was decided that she should have 21-in dual revolving Mark I tubes as replacements.{{ARTS1914|p. 45. (A.L. 17.1.14, G. 8326/13)}}

==Fire Control==
[[File:HandbookFCMClass1915_Plate15.jpg|thumb|480px|'''Range and Order Instruments'''<ref>Admiralty.  ''Handbook of Fire Control in Torpedo Boat Destroyers of "M" Class and Later and Flotilla Leaders, 1915'', Plate XV.</ref>]]
By the end of 1915, at least, she had or was to be provided a [[Barr and Stroud Mark I Fire Control Instruments#Destroyer Range and Order Instruments|range and order data system]] like that being given to the [["M" Class Destroyer (1914)|"M" class destroyers]] and to the [[Faulknor Class Flotilla Leader (1914)|''Faulknor'' class]] leaders.<ref>Admiralty.  ''Handbook of Fire Control in Torpedo Boat Destroyers of "M" Class and Later, and Flotilla Leaders, 1915'', p. 3, Plate XV.</ref>

The scheme placed the combined transmitter on the forebridge, and a combined receiver near the sightsetter position of each gun.  Ranges from 0 to 9900 yards in increments of 100 yards, and orders were "Independent", "Control" and "Fire" with illuminated indicators and a red indicator on the receivers to signal loss of power from the battery pack located below decks.

The ship did not receive a director.{{UKTHVol4Part34|p. 17}}

<!--===Rangefinders===
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===Torpedo Control===
Likely in 1915-1916, she had [[Line of Sight Indicator]]s added port and starboard on her bridge.{{March|p. 100}}

In 1907, like {{UK-Boadicea}} and [[River Class Destroyer (1903)|''River'' class]] destroyers, she was to be equipped with [[Fore Bridge Firing Gear]].{{ARTS1907|p. 31.  Its design was detailed in ARTS 1906, p. 28}}

==Radio==
In 1907 it was decided that she along with 42 destroyers (primarily Tribals and Rivers) should receive radio equipment fixed to the "D" tune of 700 feet wavelength for transmission and with a Mark II receiver tunable to 8,300 feet, installed between mast and fore funnel to minimise smoke issues on the aerials and feeders.  Her size permitted the installation of a Service Mark I set{{ARTS1907|Wireless Appendix pp. 32-33}}, which may have later been updated to a Mark I* W/T set.{{March|p. 99}}

==See Also==
{{refbegin}}
{{WP|http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Swift_(1907)}}
{{refend}}

==Footnotes==
{{reflist}}

==Bibliography==
{{refbegin}}
*{{UKTHVol4Part34}}
*{{March}}
{{refend}}

{{Footer H.M.S. Swift (1907)}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Swift}}

{{CatClassFlotillaLeader|UK}}
{{CatShipFlotillaLeader|UK}}


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