Английская Википедия:HMS Prince (1916)
Шаблон:Short description Шаблон:EngvarB Шаблон:Use dmy dates Шаблон:Other ships
Шаблон:Infobox ship imageШаблон:Infobox ship careerШаблон:Infobox ship characteristicsHMS Prince was a Repeat Шаблон:Sclass2 that 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. Launched in 1916, Prince joined the Twelfth Destroyer Flotilla of the Grand Fleet. The destroyer assisted in the rescue of the crew of the flotilla leader Шаблон:HMS in 1916, laying down fuel oil on the sea in an attempt to create a calm enough environment to evacuate the sinking ship. The operation was successful and all the sailors were saved. In 1917, the ship formed part of the destroyer screen for the First Battle Squadron during the Second Battle of Heligoland Bight but saw no action. After the Armistice that ended the war, Prince was initially put in reserve and then sold in 1921 to be broken up.
Design and development
Prince was one of 18 Repeat Шаблон:Sclass2s ordered by the British Admiralty in late May 1915 as part of the Fifth War Programme during 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.Шаблон:Sfn Displacement was Шаблон:Convert normal. Power was provided by three Yarrow boilers feeding Brown-Curtiss steam turbines built by Beardmore and rated at Шаблон:Convert. The turbines drove three shafts and exhausted through three funnels. Design speed was Шаблон:Convert.Шаблон:Sfn A total of Шаблон:Convert of oil was carried to give a design range of Шаблон:Convert at Шаблон:Convert. Actual endurance in service was less; sister ship Шаблон:HMS had a range of Шаблон:Convert at Шаблон:Convert.Шаблон:Sfn
Prince 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 and the destroyer was also fitted with racks and storage for depth charges.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn The ship had a complement of 80 officers and ratings.Шаблон:Sfn
Construction and career
Prince was laid down by Alexander Stephens on 27 July 1915 at Linthouse and launched on 26 June the following year. The vessel was completed on 21 September, the fifth to be given the name in Royal Navy service.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn The ship was deployed as part of the Grand Fleet, joining the Twelfth Destroyer Flotilla.[1] The flotilla 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 19 December, the destroyer joined the rest of the Grand Fleet in manoeuvres. During the exercise, the flotilla leader Шаблон:HMS suffered a mechanical failure and hit the destroyer Шаблон:HMS, crippling both so that they needed to be evacuated. The sea conditions hindered the rescue of the sailors. Prince laid fuel oil on the sea in an attempt to create a calm. The entire crew was saved.Шаблон:Sfn
On 15 June the following year, the flotilla was deployed in an operation to find German submarines.Шаблон:Sfn On 21 June, the destroyer spotted a submarine on the surface, which may have been Шаблон:SMU or Шаблон:SMU. The submarine dived before Prince could attack and, although, the destroyer dropped two depth charges, no damage was done to the vessel.Шаблон:Sfn On 16 November, the destroyer was deployed as part of the flotilla in response to the sortie of the German minesweepers, forming a screen to the First Battle Squadron.Шаблон:Sfn However, the destroyer took no part in the subsequent Second Battle of Heligoland Bight.Шаблон:Sfn
At the end of the war, Prince was a member of the Twentieth Destroyer Flotilla based on the Humber.[2] After the Armistice that ended the war in 1918, 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 placed in reserve at Devonport.[3] However, 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 Prince was retired, and, on 9 May 1921, was sold to Thos. W. Ward of Hayle to be broken up.Шаблон:Sfn
Pennant numbers
| Pennant number | Date |
|---|---|
| G77 | September 1915Шаблон:Sfn |
| G43 | January 1917Шаблон:Sfn |
| G42 | January 1918Шаблон:Sfn |
| H37 | January 1919Шаблон:Sfn |
References
Citations
Bibliography
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Шаблон:Refend Шаблон:M class destroyers
