H.M.S. Spitfire (1895)
From The Dreadnought Project
| H.M.S. Spitfire (1895) | |
|---|---|
| Builder: | Armstrong, Whitworth & Company[1] |
| Ordered: | 1893-94[2] |
| Laid down: | 4 Jun, 1894[3] |
| Launched: | 7 Jun, 1895[4] |
| Commissioned: | Nov, 1896[5] |
| Broken up: | 1912[6] |
H.M.S. Spitfire was one of forty-two "A" class destroyers built for the Royal Navy — a "27 knotter".
Service
On 1 July, 1905, Spitfire led seventeen destroyers of the Reserve Division from Sheerness to Spithead under the command of Commander Reginald Graham Gregory.[7]
She and sixteen other destroyers of the Reserve Division arrived at Sheerness on 13 July 1905 and proceeded to Chatham.[8]
Like many of her sisters, she was broken up before the war.
Captains
Dates of appointment are provided when known.
- Lieutenant & Commander Raymond A. Nugent, 11 March, 1897[9] – 1 April, 1897[10] (came in, temporarily, with crew from Janus while that ship undergoes refit)
- Lieutenant & Commander Thomas F. T. Michell, 18 February, 1899 – 14 June, 1899 (indicated in one Navy List as Salmon)
- Lieutenant in Command John Luce, 13 June, 1899[11] – before 24 August, 1899[12]
- Lieutenant & Commander Brien M. Money, 21 July, 1903[13] – 18 August, 1903 (for manoeuvres)
- Lieutenant (in Command?) Colin K. MacLean, 14 August, 1903 – 15 September, 1903
- Lieutenant in Command Humphrey T. Walwyn, 14 July, 1904[14] – 3 January, 1905 (for manoeuvres)
- Lieutenant & Commander Cecil H. Pilcher, 3 January, 1905 – 14 March, 1905
- Lieutenant in Command Humphrey T. Walwyn, 14 July, 1904[15] – 3 January, 1905 (for manoeuvres)
- Commander Reginald G. Gregory, before 2 July, 1905 – c. 11 July, 1905[Inference] (taking 18 destroyers from Sheerness to Spithead)
- Commander James R. P. Hawksley, 11 July, 1905[16] – 3 September, 1905[17]
- Lieutenant & Commander Robert J. Buchanan, 4 September, 1905[18] – 1 January, 1906[19]
- Gunner in Command John Reep, 23 January, 1906 – 1 April, 1906
- Lieutenant in Command Osmond J. Prentis, 1 April, 1906[20] – 28 May, 1906[21]
- Lieutenant & Commander William F. Benwell, 28 May, 1906[22][23] – 22 June, 1906[24] (left, sick with neuritis)
- Lieutenant & Commander Vaughan A. E. Hanning-Lee, 28 May, 1906[25] – 10 July, 1906 (assumed command after Benwell's illness)
- Lieutenant & Commander Leonard Robinson, 10 July, 1907[26] – 15 January, 1909
- Lieutenant in Command George W. Taylor, 30 March, 1909[27] – 26 November, 1909[28]
- Lieutenant & Commander Henry C. Rawlings, 26 November, 1909[29][30] – May, 1910[31]
- Lieutenant & Commander Frederic A. H. Russel, May, 1910[32] – 1 March, 1911[33]
- Lieutenant & Commander Anthony W. Loveband, 1 March, 1911[34]
Equipment
In 1896, Swordfish and Spitfire were fitted with Tower's Steady Platform search lights which proved "very satisfactory,"[35] having been improved since 1889 evaluations. In tests at Chatham on 13th October, 1896, Spitfire was moored in basin number 3 and rolled about 25 degrees while she shone her light on a hatch-painted test vessel. The light beam did not waver by more than a half degree during the test.[36]
See Also
Footnotes
- ↑ Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905. p. 93.
- ↑ Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905. p. 92.
- ↑ Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905. p. 93.
- ↑ Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905. p. 93.
- ↑ Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905. p. 93.
- ↑ Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905. p. 93.
- ↑ "Naval And Military Intelligence." The Times (London, England), Monday, Jul 03, 1905; pg. 12; Issue 37749.
- ↑ "Naval And Military Intelligence." The Times (London, England), Friday, Jul 14, 1905; pg. 10; Issue 37759.
- ↑ "Naval & Military Intelligence." The Times (London, England), Friday, Mar 12, 1897; pg. 11; Issue 35149.
- ↑ "Naval & Military Intelligence." The Times (London, England), Thursday, Apr 01, 1897; pg. 11; Issue 35166.
- ↑ Luce Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 79.
- ↑ Luce Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 79.
- ↑ "APPOINTMENTS FOR THE NAVAL MANOEUVRES." The Times (London, England), Thursday, Jul 16, 1903; pg. 8; Issue 37134.
- ↑ Walwyn Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/24. f. 24.
- ↑ Walwyn Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/24. f. 24.
- ↑ Hawksley Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 289.
- ↑ Hawksley Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 289.
- ↑ Buchanan Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/46/4. f. 4.
- ↑ Buchanan Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/46/4. f. 4.
- ↑ Prentis Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/118. f. 130.
- ↑ Prentis Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/118. f. 130.
- ↑ Benwell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/200. f. 215.
- ↑ The Navy List. (June, 1906). p. 378.
- ↑ Benwell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/200. f. 215.
- ↑ The Navy List. (March, 1907). p. 378.
- ↑ The Navy List. (October, 1908). p. 378.
- ↑ Taylor Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48. f. 438.
- ↑ Taylor Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48. f. 438.
- ↑ Rawlings Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/96. f. 500.
- ↑ The Navy List. (January, 1910). p. 378.
- ↑ Rawlings Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/96. f. 500.
- ↑ Russel Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49/75. f. 40.
- ↑ Russel Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49/75. f. 40.
- ↑ The Navy List. (April, 1911). p. 378.
- ↑ Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1896. p. ix.
- ↑ Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1896. p. 51.
Bibliography
| "A" Class Destroyer | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 26 Knotters | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Havock | Hornet | Daring | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Decoy | Ferret | Lynx | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 27 Knotters | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ardent | Boxer | Bruizer | Charger | Dasher | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hasty | Hardy | Haughty | Janus | Lightning | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Porcupine | Salmon | Snapper | Banshee | Contest | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dragon | Conflict | Teazer | Wizard | Fervent | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Zephyr | Handy | Hart | Hunter | Opossum | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ranger | Sunfish | Rocket | Shark | Surly | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Skate | Starfish | Sturgeon | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spitfire | Swordfish | Zebra | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Destroyers (UK) | "B" Class | –> | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
