HMS Narwhal (1915)

HMS Narwhal was a Admiralty M-class destroyer which served with the Royal Navy during the First World War. The M class were an improvement on the preceding L class, capable of higher speed. Launched on 30 December 1915, the vessel fought in the Battle of Jutland between 31 May and 1 June 1916 and subsequently served in anti-submarine and escort duties based at Cobh in Ireland. During February 1917, the destroyer rescued the crew of the Q-ship Farnborough, which had sunk and been sunk by the German submarine SM U-83, and rescued the armed merchantman Cameronia from SM U-50, The destroyer was transferred to Devonport during 1918 and, after the end of the war, was broken up there in 1920 after suffering a fatal collision the year before.

For other ships with the same name, see HMS Narwhal.
History
United Kingdom
Name: HMS Narwhal
Namesake: Narwhal
Ordered: February 1915
Builder: William Denny and Brothers, Dumbarton
Yard number: 1046
Laid down: 21 April 1915
Launched: 30 December 1915
Completed: 3 March 1916
Fate: Sold to be broken up 1920
General characteristics
Class and type: Admiralty M-class destroyer
Displacement:
  • 994 long tons (1,010 t) normal
  • 1,025 long tons (1,041 t) full load
Length: 265 ft (80.8 m)
Beam: 26 ft 8 in (8.1 m)
Draught: 9 ft 3 in (2.82 m)
Propulsion:
Speed: 34 knots (63.0 km/h; 39.1 mph)
Range: 3,450 nmi (6,390 km; 3,970 mi) at 15 kn (28 km/h; 17 mph)
Complement: 76
Armament:

Design and development

Narwhal was one of sixteen Admiralty M-class destroyers ordered by the British Admiralty in February 1915 as part of the Fourth War Construction Programme.[1] The M class was an improved version of the earlier L-class destroyers, designed to reach the higher speed of 36 knots (67 km/h; 41 mph) in order to counter rumoured German fast destroyers.[2]

The destroyer was 265 feet (80.77 m) long overall, with a beam of 26 feet 8 inches (8.13 m) and a draught of 9 feet 3 inches (2.82 m). Displacement was 994 long tons (1,010 t) normal and 1,025 long tons (1,041 t) full load.[3] Power was provided by three Yarrow boilers feeding two Parsons steam turbines rated at 25,000 shaft horsepower (19,000 kW) and driving two shafts, to give a design speed of 34 knots (63 km/h; 39 mph).[4] Three funnels were fitted. 296 long tons (301 t) of oil were carried, giving a design range of 3,450 nautical miles (6,390 km; 3,970 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph).[5]

Armament consisted of three 4-inch (102 mm) Mk IV QF guns on the ship's centreline, with one on the forecastle, one aft on a raised platform and one between the middle and aft funnels. A single 2-pounder (40 mm) pom-pom anti-aircraft gun was carried, while torpedo armament consisted of two twin mounts for 21 in (533 mm) torpedoes.[6] Initially, the vessel carried no fire-control system but during 1916 was equipped with a single Dumaresq and a Vickers range clock.[7] The ship had a complement of 76 officers and ratings.[5]

Construction and career

Narwhal was laid down by William Denny and Brothers of Dumbarton on 21 April 1915 with the yard number 1046, launched on 30 December and completed on 3 March the following year.[3] The ship was named after the toothed whale.[8] The vessel was deployed as part of the Grand Fleet, joining the Twelfth Destroyer Flotilla.[9]

Between 31 May and 1 June 1916, Narwhal sailed as part of the Flotilla, led by the flotilla leader HMS Faulknor to confront the German High Seas Fleet in the Battle of Jutland.[10] The ship managed to launch two torpedoes from her port side against the German Fleet, but both missed.[11]

On February 1917, the destroyer was transferred to Cobh, Ireland, to counter increasing activity by German submarines in the Southwest Approaches.[12] The submarines had been very active and the Royal Navy had resorted to introducing Q-ships to try and ambush them. On 17 February, Narwhal was called upon to rescue the crew of one of these ships, HMS Farnborough, which was sunk by and sank SM U-83.[13] Nine days later, the ship chased away SM U-50 from attacking the armed merchantman Cameronia.[14] Escort duty continued, including convoys to Liverpool from 27 March.[15]

During 1918, the destroyer was transferred to Devonport as part of the Fourth Destroyer Flotilla.[16] The destroyer was damaged in a collision in 1919 and returned to Devonport to be broken up the following year. The vessel's name was subsequently used by two submarines that served with the Royal Navy.[17]

Pennant numbers
Pennant number Date
G471915[18]
G361917[18]
G351918[18]
H291918[18]

References

Citations
  1. McBride 1991, p. 34.
  2. Friedman 2009, p. 132.
  3. Lyon 1975, p. 702.
  4. Parkes & Prendergast 1969, p. 109.
  5. Friedman 2009, p. 296.
  6. Gardiner & Gray 1985, p. 79.
  7. "Fire Control in H.M. Ships". The Technical History and Index: Alteration in Armaments of H.M. Ships During the War. 3 (23): 32. 1919.
  8. Manning & Walker 1959, p. 310.
  9. "Destroyer Flotillas of the Grand Fleet". Supplement to The Monthly Navy List. April 1916. p. 12. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
  10. Corbett 1920, p. 432.
  11. Corbett 1920, p. 409.
  12. Naval Staff Monograph No. 34 1933, p. 182.
  13. Naval Staff Monograph No. 34 1933, p. 205.
  14. Naval Staff Monograph No. 34 1933, p. 211.
  15. Naval Staff Monograph No. 34 1933, p. 347.
  16. "Local Defence and Escort Flotilla". Supplement to The Monthly Navy List. April 1916. p. 17. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
  17. Colledge & Warlow 2006, p. 239.
  18. Dittmar & Colledge 1972, p. 66.

Bibliography
  • Colledge, J.J.; Warlow, Ben (2006). Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of All Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy. London: Chatham Press. ISBN 978-1-93514-907-1.
  • Corbett, Julian S. (1920). Naval Operations: Volume III. History of the Great War. London: Longmans, Green and Co. OCLC 1049894619.
  • Dittmar, F.J.; Colledge, J.J. (1972). British Warships 1914–1919. Shepperton: Ian Allan. ISBN 978-0-71100-380-4.
  • Friedman, Norman (2009). British Destroyers: From Earliest Days to the First World War. Barnsley: 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 978-0-85177-245-5.
  • Lyon, David John (1975). The Denny List: Ship numbers 769-1273. London: National Maritime Museum. OCLC 256517657.
  • Manning, Thomas Davys; Walker, Charles Frederick (1959). British Warship Names. London: Putnam. OCLC 780274698.
  • McBride, Keith (1991). "British 'M' Class Destroyers of 1913–14". In Gardiner, Robert (ed.). Warship 1991. London: Conway Maritime Press. pp. 34–49. ISBN 0-85177-582-9.
  • Monograph No. 34: Home Waters Part VIII: December 1916 to April 1917. Naval Staff Monographs (Historical). VIII. Naval Staff, Training and Staff Duties Division. 1933.
  • Parkes, Oscar; Prendergast, Maurice (1969). Jane's Fighting Ships 1919. Newton Abbott: David & Charles. OCLC 907574860.
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