Английская Википедия:HMS Menace (1915)
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Шаблон:Infobox ship imageШаблон:Infobox ship careerШаблон:Infobox ship characteristicsHMS Menace was an Шаблон:Sclass2 which served in the Royal Navy during the First World War. The M class was an improvement on those of the preceding Шаблон:Sclass2, capable of higher speed. Menace was launched in 1915 and joined the Twefth Destroyer Flotilla of the Grand Fleet. During the Battle of Jutland in 1916, the destroyer attacked battleships and light cruisers of the German High Seas Fleet but recorded no hits. The vessel subsequently participated in the unsuccessful search for the armoured cruiser Шаблон:HMS, lost along with the Secretary of State for War, Field Marshal Lord Kitchener. The destroyer ended the war with the Third Destroyer Flotilla. After the Armistice that ended the war, Menace was initially put in reserve until being sold in 1921 to be broken up.
Design and development
Menace was one of the sixteen Шаблон:Sclass2s ordered by the British Admiralty in September 1914 as part of the First War Programme at the start of the First World War.Шаблон:Sfn The M class was an improved version of the earlier Шаблон:Sclass2, required to reach a higher speed in order to counter rumoured new German fast destroyers. The remit was to have a maximum speed of Шаблон:Convert and, although ultimately the destroyers fell short of that ambition in service, the extra performance that was achieved was valued by the navy. It transpired that the German warships did not exist.Шаблон:Sfn
The destroyer had a length of Шаблон:Convert between perpendiculars and Шаблон:Convert overall, with a beam of Шаблон:Convert and draught of Шаблон:Convert. Displacement was Шаблон:Convert normal.Шаблон:Sfn Power was provided by three Yarrow boilers feeding Brown-Curtiss geared steam turbines rated at Шаблон:Convert, driving three shafts and exhausting through three funnels. Design speed was Шаблон:Convert.Шаблон:Sfn A total of Шаблон:Convert of oil was carried. Design range was Шаблон:Convert at Шаблон:Convert, but actual endurance in service was less; sister ship Шаблон:HMS had a range of Шаблон:Convert at Шаблон:Convert.Шаблон:Sfn
Menace had a main armament consisting of three single [[QF 4 inch naval gun Mk IV, XII, XXII|QF Шаблон:Convert Mk IV]] guns on the centreline, with one on the forecastle, one aft on a raised platform and one between the middle and aft funnels. Torpedo armament consisted of two twin torpedo tubes for [[British 21 inch torpedo|Шаблон:Convert torpedoes]] located aft of the funnels.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn Two single [[QF 1-pounder pom-pom|1-pounder Шаблон:Convert "pom-pom"]] anti-aircraft guns were carried.Шаблон:Sfn The anti-aircraft guns were later replaced by [[QF 2 pounder naval gun|2-pdr Шаблон:Convert "pom-pom"]] guns.Шаблон:Sfn The ship had a complement of 80 officers and ratings.Шаблон:Sfn
Construction and career
Laid down by Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson on 17 November 1914 at Wallsend, Menace was launched on 9 November the following year and completed six months later in April 1916.Шаблон:Sfn The vessel was the first of the name in service with the Royal Navy and was deployed as part of the Grand Fleet, joining the Twefth Destroyer Flotilla based at Scapa Flow.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn[1]
On 30 May, the destroyer sailed with the Grand Fleet to confront the German High Seas Fleet in what would be the Battle of Jutland, forming part of the Second Division of the Flotilla that included sister ship Шаблон:HMS.Шаблон:Sfn The vessel was deployed in action against the German light cruisers.Шаблон:Sfn However, as the destroyers approached, the first division, already being attacked by enemy gunfire, turned into their path and so Menace had to manoeuvre out of the way.Шаблон:Sfn The cruisers then pounced on Menace and Nonsuch, which were at the rear of the flotilla. The attack was so close that Menace narrowly avoided being rammed but escaped unharmed.Шаблон:Sfn The flotilla then redeployed and, observing the battleships of the High Seas Fleet ahead, sped into action. In the ensuing fight, the pre-dreadnought Шаблон:SMS was sunk by Шаблон:HMS, but once again Menace recorded no hits.Шаблон:Sfn It proved to be the final engagement of the battle.Шаблон:Sfn
The flotilla returned to Scapa Flow on 2 June.Шаблон:Sfn A few days later, Menace joined the unsuccessful search for the armoured cruiser Шаблон:HMS, sunk by a German mine off the coast of Mainland, Orkney.Шаблон:Sfn Hampshire had been sailing to Russia without escort with the Secretary of State for War, Field Marshal Lord Kitchener, but had sunk after hitting a mine and only 13 individuals, which did not include the Secretary of State, survived.Шаблон:Sfn The destroyer remained part of the Twelfth Destroyer Flotilla on 19 August.Шаблон:Sfn The flotilla subsequently took part in a large exercise with other flotillas and fleets of the Grand Fleet, led by the dreadnought battleship Шаблон:HMS, between 22 and 24 November.Шаблон:Sfn
On 15 October 1917, Menace formed part of a large-scale operation, involving 30 cruisers and 54 destroyers deployed in eight groups across the North Sea in an attempt to stop a suspected sortie by German naval forces. The vessel, along with fellow destroyer Шаблон:HMS, was despatched from the flotilla to operate with the Third Light Cruiser Squadron.Шаблон:Sfn Despite these measures, the German light cruisers Шаблон:SMS and Шаблон:SMS managed to attack the regular convoy between Norway and Britain two days later, sinking nine merchant ships and two destroyers, Шаблон:HMS and Шаблон:HMS before returning safely to Germany.Шаблон:Sfn At the end of the war, Menace was part of the Third Destroyer Flotilla.[2]
After the Armistice 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 The destroyer was transferred to reserve at Nore[3] However, the harsh conditions of wartime operations, exacerbated by the fact that the hull was not galvanised, meant that the ship was worn out.Шаблон:Sfn Menace was retired, and, on 9 April 1921, was sold to Ward of Grays, and broken up from 8 February 1924.Шаблон:Sfn
Pennant numbers
| Pennant number | Date |
|---|---|
| H7C | August 1915Шаблон:Sfn |
| G30 | January 1918Шаблон:Sfn |
| G6A | June 1918Шаблон:Sfn |
| G34 | January 1919Шаблон:Sfn |
References
Citations
Bibliography
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Шаблон:Refend Шаблон:M class destroyers
