Английская Википедия:HMS Oracle (1915)
Шаблон:Short description Шаблон:Other ships Шаблон:EngvarB Шаблон:Use dmy dates
Шаблон:Infobox ship imageШаблон:Infobox ship careerШаблон:Infobox ship characteristicsHMS Oracle was a Repeat Шаблон:Sclass2 which served in the Royal Navy during the First World War. The M class were an improvement on the previous Шаблон:Sclass2, capable of higher speed. The vessel was launched on 23 December 1915 and joined the Grand Fleet. Oracle spent much of the war involved in anti-submarine warfare. In August 1916, the destroyer rescued the crew of the light cruiser Шаблон:HMS, which had been sunk by a German submarine. In August 1917, the destroyer rammed and sank the submarine Шаблон:SMU. After the Armistice that marked the end of the First World War, the destroyer was transferred to Portsmouth. Initially, the destroyer was part of the local defence flotilla but soon Oracle was placed in reserve, decommissioned and, on 30 October 1921, sold to be broken up.
Design and development
Oracle was one of twenty-two Repeat Шаблон:Sclass2 destroyers ordered by the British Admiralty in November 1914 as part of the Third War Construction Programme.Шаблон:Sfn The M-class was an improved version of the earlier Шаблон:Sclass2 destroyers, originally envisaged to reach the higher speed of Шаблон:Convert in order to counter rumoured German fast destroyers, although the eventual specification was designed for a more economic Шаблон:Convert.Шаблон:Sfn The Repeat M class differed from the prewar vessels in having a raked stem and design improvements based on wartime experience.Шаблон:Sfn
The destroyer was Шаблон:Convert long between perpendiculars, with 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 Yarrow boilers feeding two Brown-Curtis steam turbines rated at Шаблон:Convert and driving two shafts.Шаблон:Sfn Three funnels were fitted and Шаблон:Convert of oil was carried, giving a design range of Шаблон:Convert at Шаблон:Convert.Шаблон:Sfn
Armament consisted of three [[QF 4-inch naval gun Mk IV, XII, XXII|Шаблон:Convert 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 [[British 21 inch torpedo|Шаблон:Convert torpedoes]].Шаблон:Sfn The ship had a complement of 76 officers and ratings.Шаблон:Sfn
Construction and career
Laid down by William Doxford & Sons of Sunderland, Oracle was launched on 23 December 1915 and completed during August the following yearШаблон:Sfn The destroyer was the first Royal Navy ship to be named after the Oracle, a prophet of antiquity.Шаблон:Sfn The vessel was deployed as part of the Grand Fleet, joining the Thirteenth Destroyer Flotilla at Scapa Flow.[1]
The destroyer was active in anti-submarine warfare but with variable results. On 19 August 1916, the destroyer, alongside sister ship Шаблон:HMS, was sent to destroy the German submarine Шаблон:SMU that had sunk the light cruiser Шаблон:HMS. The destroyers failed to find the submarine, but did ensure many of the sailors were rescued.Шаблон:Sfn On 18 January 1917, the destroyer was one of six destroyers that undertook patrols termed "high speed sweeps" in the North Sea using paravanes. No submarines were sighted.Шаблон:Sfn On 12 August, the destroyer had greater success. Patrolling with the light cruisers Шаблон:HMS and Шаблон:HMS, Oracle spotted a vessel on the horizon northwest by west.Шаблон:Sfn The vessel was the submarine Шаблон:SMU, hastily disguised with a sail. The destroyer sped towards the submarine, which dived, rose and dived again in an attempt to escape.Шаблон:Sfn The destroyer discharged four rounds of gunfire, which missed, and then rammed the submarine between the conning tower and stern. The submarine sank with no survivors.Шаблон:Sfn This was a rare success and soon afterwards, the Admiralty withdrew the destroyers like Oracle from patrols and reallocated them to be escorts for convoys, which proved more effective at preventing losses from submarines.Шаблон:Sfn
After the armistice, the Grand Fleet was disbanded and Oracle joined the Defence Flotilla at Portsmouth.[2] However, the end of the war meant that the Royal Navy returned to a peacetime level of mobilisation and both the number of ships and the amount of staff needed to be reduced to save money.Шаблон:Sfn Oracle was declared superfluous to operational requirements and, on 1 February 1920 and placed in reserve.[3] However, that situation did not last long. The harsh conditions of wartime operations, exacerbated by the fact that the hull was not galvanised, meant that the ship was soon worn out.Шаблон:Sfn The destroyer was decommissioned and, on 30 October 1921, sold to W. & A.T. Burden to be broken up.Шаблон:Sfn
Pennant numbers
| Pennant Number | Date |
|---|---|
| G27 | September 1915Шаблон:Sfn |
| F08 | January 1917Шаблон:Sfn |
| D46 | January 1918Шаблон:Sfn |
| F76 | January 1919Шаблон:Sfn |
References
Citations
Bibliography
- Шаблон:Cite book
- Шаблон:Cite book
- Шаблон:Cite book
- Шаблон:Cite book
- Шаблон:Cite book
- Шаблон:Cite book
- Шаблон:Cite book
- Шаблон:Cite book
- Шаблон:Cite book
- Шаблон:Cite book
- Шаблон:Cite book
- Шаблон:Cite book
- Шаблон:Cite book
- Шаблон:Cite book
