H.M. T.B. 76 (1885)

H.M. T.B. 76 (1885)
Builder:	Yarrow & Company
Ordered:	30/31 March, 1885
Launched:	1885
Sold:	30 June, 1920

H.M. T.B. 76 was one of 53 first-class torpedo boats of the 125 Footer class.

Service

On 22 October, 1891, T.B. 76 was used in a test of a defensive boom design at Portsmouth. The boom used was different than the customary design in that it was six wooden balks each a foot square in section and 30-40 feet in length, arranged parallel to each other at 8 foot separation, end-on to the approaching enemy, with a wooden boom and steel hawsers athwart the affair. T.B. 76 approached at 14 knots under the command of Lieutenant Sturdee, her crew under cover. The attack was short and bitter: she hit the obstruction in the centre, but horns affixed to it tore her badly and she quickly sank in five fathoms of water in upper Portsmouth harbour. She was raised on the 23rd and placed in the dock for survey and repair. Further inspection showed a hole on the port bow and torn skin under the engine room, and it was proposed to patch her up for a second test.

In 1895, she was one of twenty-three torpedo boats of at least 125 feet in length stationed in Portsmouth along with four smaller ones.

She commissioned on 8 July to participate in the Annual Manoeuvres of 1896.

Around 1906-1907, with the issuance of torpedo boat numbers to the first of the Cricket class torpedo boats, the existing Torpedo Boats numbered 25 to 79 had a "0" prepended to their number. This vessel, therefore, became T.B. 076.

Sold to Ward, Hayle on 30 June, 1920.

Captains

Dates of appointment are provided when known.

• Lieutenant & Commander William O. Boothby, 18 July, 1889  (lent for Annual Manoeuvres of 1889)
• Lieutenant & Commander Richard M. T. Stephens, 8 July, 1896  (for Annual Manoeuvres of 1896)
• Acting Sub-Lieutenant in Command Algernon H. C. Candy, 15 June, 1897 – 28 August, 1897  (for Annual Manoeuvres of 1897)
• Sub-Lieutenant in Command John Wallis, 3 July, 1900 – c August, 1900^[Inference]  (for the Annual Manoeuvres of 1900)
• Acting Sub-Lieutenant in Command Francis B. Favell, 10 July, 1900  (for the Annual Manoeuvres of 1900)
• Acting Sub-Lieutenant in Command Mervyn P. T. Smith, 16 July, 1901  (for Annual Manoeuvres of 1901)
• Lieutenant & Commander Leonard Robinson,  – 1 July, 1902  (lent for Review)
• Lieutenant & Commander Thomas Fisher, 8 August, 1902 – November, 1902^{[Fact Check]}  (lent for Review)
• Lieutenant & Commander William H. P. Bourne, 21 July, 1903  (for Annual Manoeuvres of 1903)
• Lieutenant & Commander Walter Wood, 29 March, 1905
• Lieutenant & Commander Stuart E. Holder, 12 January, 1906 – 26 March, 1907^[Inference]
• Lieutenant & Commander Henry V. Hudson, 26 March, 1907 – 27 July, 1908
• Lieutenant & Commander Harold R. Thrupp, 27 July, 1908 – 1909
• Lieutenant in Command Arthur M. Longmore, April, 1909 – 18 October, 1909
• Lieutenant in Command Francis H. Sandford, 19 October, 1909 – 7 May, 1910
• Lieutenant & Commander Charles L. M. M. Crichton, 7 May, 1910 – 24 August, 1910
• Lieutenant & Commander Charles G. Stuart, 9 September, 1910 – March, 1911
• Gunner in Command Thomas Connolly, 14 September, 1912 – 21 January, 1913
• Chief Gunner in Command David C. Bargery, 1 August, 1914 – 13 June, 1916
• Chief Gunner in Command Solomon Ousley, June, 1916 – 17 June, 1916  (temporary)
• Chief Gunner in Command Samuel Mallin, 13 June, 1916 – 6 June, 1917
• Chief Gunner in Command William Donovan, 4 April, 1917 – 8 February, 1918
• Boatswain in Command Arthur G. H. Charman, 16 February, 1918 – 6 February, 1919

The conflict in 1900 is noted.

See Also

• Wikipedia