Английская Википедия:HMS Laurel (1913)
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Шаблон:Infobox ship imageШаблон:Infobox ship careerШаблон:Infobox ship characteristicsHMS Laurel was a Шаблон:Sclass destroyer which served with the Royal Navy. Launched on 6 May 1913 as HMS Redgauntlet, the ship was renamed on 30 September under an Admiralty order to become one of the first alphabetical class destroyers. On commissioning, the vessel joined the 3rd Destroyer Flotilla and operated as part of the Harwich Force during the First World War. During Battle of Heligoland Bight, Laurel led a flotilla that pursued German torpedo boats, engaging with Шаблон:SMS and Шаблон:SMS, and was damaged in action with the cruiser Шаблон:SMS. The vessel also played a minor role in the Battles of Dogger Bank, Dover Strait and Jutland. With the cessation of hostilities, the ship was placed in reserve and scrapped on 1 November 1921.
Design and development
Шаблон:Main Laurel was one of twenty two L- or Шаблон:Sclass destroyers built for the Royal Navy.Шаблон:Sfn The design followed the preceding Шаблон:Sclass but with improved seakeeping properties and armament, including twice the number of torpedo tubes.Шаблон:Sfn The vessel was one of the last pre-war destroyers constructed by J Samuel White for the British Admiralty, built alongside the similar Шаблон:HMS.Шаблон:Sfn
The destroyer had a length overall of Шаблон:Convert, a beam of Шаблон:Convert and a draught of Шаблон:Convert.Displacement was Шаблон:Convert normal and Шаблон:Convert deep load. Power was provided by three White-Forster boilers feeding two Parsons steam turbines rated at Шаблон:Convert and driving two shafts, to give a design speed of Шаблон:Convert. Two funnels were fitted.Шаблон:Sfn A total of Шаблон:Convert of oil was carried, giving a design range of Шаблон:Convert at Шаблон:Convert.Шаблон:Sfn Fuel consumption was Шаблон:Convert of oil in 24 hours during test.Шаблон:Sfn The ship's complement was 73 officers and ratings.Шаблон:Sfn
Armament consisted of three [[QF 4 inch naval gun Mk IV, XII, XXII|QF Шаблон:Convert Mk IV]] guns on the ship's centreline, with one on the forecastle, one aft and one between the funnels.Шаблон:Sfn The guns could fire a shell weighing Шаблон:Convert at a muzzle velocity of Шаблон:Convert.Шаблон:Sfn One single [[Maxim gun|Шаблон:Convert Maxim]] gun was carried.Шаблон:Sfn A single [[QF 2-pounder naval gun|2-pounder Шаблон:Convert "pom-pom"]] anti-aircraft gun was later added.Шаблон:Sfn Torpedo armament consisted of two twin mounts for [[British 21 inch torpedo|Шаблон:Convert torpedoes]] mounted aft. Capacity to lay four Vickers Elia Mk.4 mines was included, but the facility was never used.Шаблон:Sfn
Construction and career
Laurel was laid down by J. Samuel White at East Cowes on the Isle of Wight on 17 August 1912 with the yard number 1390. The ship was launched on 6 May 1913.Шаблон:Sfn Originally launched as Redgauntlet, Laurel was renamed by Admiralty order on 30 September 1913.Шаблон:Sfn Built under the 1912–1913 Programme as part of a class named after characters in Shakespeare’s plays and the Waverley novels by Sir Walter Scott, the destroyer joined what was to be the first alphabetical class.Шаблон:Sfn
On commissioning, Laurel joined the 3rd Destroyer Flotilla as part of the Harwich Force.[1] At the start of the First World War on 4 August 1914, the flotilla was tasked with harassing the Imperial German Navy and on 26 August 1914 was ordered to attack German torpedo boats on their patrol as part of a large Royal Navy fleet in what was to be the Battle of Heligoland Bight.Шаблон:Sfn
On 27 August 1914, Laurel was leading the Fourth Division, which included sisterships Шаблон:HMS, Liberty and Шаблон:HMS, when the German torpedo boat Шаблон:SMS was sighted.Шаблон:Sfn Laurel set off at speed in pursuit, engaging with G194 and Шаблон:SMS and soon encountering the German Fifth Flotilla.Шаблон:Sfn In the confusion that followed, Laurel continued to lead the pursuit, attacking a number of German torpedo boats and straying far from the main British fleet. This position meant that, when the light cruiser Шаблон:SMS arrived to reinforce the German forces, the first salvo landed on Laurel. Within two shots, the damage became critical. The central gun was hit, the resulting explosion blowing away half the funnel and wounding the captain, F. F. Rose. The smoke and steam pouring out from the wounded destroyer obscured the cruiser's aim and Laurel was able to escape, covered by other British ships, which ultimately sank the German cruiser.Шаблон:Sfn The destroyer was able to regain steam and returned to Harwich for repairs at Шаблон:Convert, assisted by the protected cruiser Шаблон:HMS.Шаблон:Sfn
After returning to service, the destroyer remained stationed at Harwich defending the Strait of Dover. On 23 January 1915, the destroyer led the Second Division of the Third Flotilla during the Battle of Dogger Bank.Шаблон:Sfn The Flotilla was enable to keep sufficient speed to engage in the battle, which was left to newer and faster Шаблон:Sclass destroyers.Шаблон:Sfn At the Battle of Jutland, the destroyer, along with sisterships Шаблон:HMS, Liberty and Шаблон:HMS, formed part of a flotilla which were to provide cover to the British battlecruisers.Шаблон:Sfn In this case, the flotilla was in the centre of the action but again failed to engage the German battle fleet in the confusion of the battle.Шаблон:Sfn However, the destroyer did rescue seventeen survivors from the battlecruiser Шаблон:HMS.Шаблон:Sfn
On 5 September 1916, Шаблон:HMS and Laurel were sent to the English Channel to escort Princess Victoria, which was carrying a load of gold bullion from Cherbourg to Portsmouth.Шаблон:Sfn On 26 October 1916, the destroyer was part of a four ship flotilla sent to defend the Dover Barrage in the Battle of Dover Strait.Шаблон:Sfn The destroyer saw no action at the time, nor on subsequent patrol on 25 February 1917 despite the presence of German warships nearby.Шаблон:Sfn The destroyer also sortied on 19 May 1917 to escort the first convoy to journey from Gibraltar. The convoy was a success, with no submarine attacks, and helped justify the convoy system.Шаблон:Sfn
The destroyer was subsequently redeployed to the 4th Destroyer Flotilla based at Devonport.[2] After the Armistice of 11 November 1918 that ended the war, the Royal Navy returned to a peacetime level of strength and both the number of ships and the amount of personnel needed to be reduced to save money.Шаблон:Sfn Laurel was initially placed in reserve at Nore alongside over sixty other destroyers.[3] On 1 November 1921, the vessel was sold and broken up for scrap.Шаблон:Sfn
Pennant numbers
| Pennant Number | Date |
|---|---|
| H.91 | December 1914Шаблон:Sfn |
| H.51 | January 1918Шаблон:Sfn |
| G.98 | January 1919Шаблон:Sfn |
References
Citations
Bibliography
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External links
Шаблон:L class destroyers (1913)
