H.M.S. Bullfinch (1898)

From The Dreadnought Project
Jump to: navigation, search
H.M.S. Bullfinch (1898)
Pendant Number: D.17 (1914)
D.48 (Sep 1915)
D.15 (Jan 1918)
H.04 (Apr 1918)[1]
Builder: Earle's Shipbuilding[2]
Ordered: 1896-97 Programme[3]
Laid down: 17 Sep, 1896[4]
Launched: 10 Feb, 1898[5]
Commissioned: Jun, 1901[6]
Broken up: 1919[7]

H.M.S. Bullfinch was one of forty "C" class destroyers built for the Royal Navy — a "30 knotter".

Service

The ship ran trials out of Portsmouth on 28 April, 1899. Thirty knots were planned, but after 90 minutes at just over 29 knots, the trial was abandoned, and she returned to harbour.[8]

Bullfinch spent the next two months in the contractor's hands before returning to try to complete the three hour trial. She suffered a serious explosion on 21 July, 1899 with just 15 minutes remaining after a connecting rod came loose and steam flooded the engine room from the starboard high pressure cylinder and flying parts gashed a 21 by 5 inch hole in the hull. A man name J.R. West in his private steam yacht Goshawk came to assist, taking the wounded men to the cruiser Australia.[9] The death toll would eventually amount to eleven by the time an inquest completed on 17 August. No verdict was offered for why the connecting rod broke, but it was supposed that it may have been bored excessively, or simply not have been sufficient to the strain imposed by the high speed.[10]

It would not be until 21 July 1900 that the ship would be ready for another trial, in which she managed 29.46 knots over the three hours.[11]

In late 1905, Bullfinch was in commission in reserve as part of the Portsmouth Reserve Division.[12]

In early 1910, she was part of the Nore reserve flotilla of the Third Division, Home Fleet.[13]

In December 1912, Bullfinch collided with the ketch Fingal. Her Lt. in Command, Arthur Malcolm Peters was blamed for the accident.

In mid-1913, she was serving in a patrol flotilla, the Seventh Destroyer Flotilla.[14]

Bullfinch was involved in a collision "in British Waters" on 15 August, 1914. Four men were killed.[15]

In December, 1914, Bullfinch was one of thirty destroyers attached to the six battle squadrons serving in Home and Atlantic Waters.[16]

In April, 1918, she transferred back into the Seventh Destroyer Flotilla from the Methil Convoy Flotilla.

In February, 1919, she was sent to the Humber for disposal, being one of twenty destroyers so designated.[17]

By May 1919, she was among 33 obsolete ships awaiting sale.[18]

Captains

Dates of appointment are provided when known.

See Also

Footnotes

  1. Dittmar; Colledge. British Warships 1914–1919. p. 57.
  2. Dittmar; Colledge. British Warships 1914–1919. p. 57.
  3. Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905. p. 95.
  4. Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905. p. 95.
  5. Dittmar; Colledge. British Warships 1914–1919. p. 57.
  6. Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905. p. 95.
  7. Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905. p. 95.
  8. "Naval & Military Intelligence." The Times (London, England), Saturday, April 29, 1899, Issue 35816, p.12.
  9. "Serious Accident in a Destroyer." The Times (London, England), Saturday, July 22, 1899, Issue 35888, p.12.
  10. "The Bullfinch Disaster." The Times (London, England), Friday, August 18, 1899, Issue 35911, p.8.
  11. "Naval & Military Intelligence." The Times (London, England), Saturday, September 22, 1900, Issue 36254, p.11.
  12. The Monthly Navy List. (December, 1905). p. 270b.
  13. The Navy List. (April, 1910). p. 269a.
  14. The Navy List. (July, 1913). p. 289.
  15. Kindell. Royal Navy Roll of Honour Part 2. p. 3.
  16. Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (December, 1914). pp. 8, 9.
  17. Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (March, 1919). p. 20.
  18. The Navy List. (May, 1919). pp. 1105, 1105b.
  19. "Serious Accident in a Destroyer." The Times (London, England), Saturday, July 22, 1899, Issue 35888, p.12.
  20. "Naval & Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Friday, 14 February, 1902. Issue 36691, col B, p. 9.
  21. Barttelot Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 238.
  22. Palmer Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/46. f. 46.
  23. Palmer Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/46. f. 46.
  24. "Appointments for the Naval Manoeuvres." The Times (London, England), Saturday, Jul 09, 1904; pg. 12; Issue 37442.
  25. Peck Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/324. f. 364.
  26. Peck Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/324. f. 364.
  27. "Naval & Military Intelligence." The Times (London, England), Saturday, December 24, 1904, Issue 37586, p.4.
  28. The Navy List. (November, 1905). p. 288.
  29. Blunt Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 109.
  30. Cardale Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/57. f. 65.
  31. The Monthly Navy List. (December, 1905). p. 284.
  32. Cardale Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/57. f. 65.
  33. The Navy List. (January, 1907). p. 287.
  34. Conron Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/444. f. 512. In our PDF for Benjamin Wingate Barrow.
  35. Conron Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/444. f. 512. In our PDF for Benjamin Wingate Barrow.
  36. The Navy List. (January, 1908). p. 288.
  37. The Navy List. (April, 1910). p. 288.
  38. Hudson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49/49. f. ?.
  39. Hudson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49/49. f. ?.
  40. Powell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/242. f. 274.
  41. Powell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/242. f. 274.
  42. Peters Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51/258. f. 273.
  43. Peters Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51/258. f. 273.
  44. The Navy List. (October, 1915). p. 392o.
  45. Kenworthy Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50. Unnumbered folio.
  46. Kenworthy Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50. f. ?.
  47. Hughes Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/52/195. f. 563.
  48. Hughes Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/52/195. f. 563.
  49. Kelly Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 240/56/142. f. 142.
  50. The Navy List. (December, 1916). p. 392q.
  51. Kelly Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 240/56/142. f. 142.
  52. The Navy List. (November, 1917). p. 392.
  53. Mortimer Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 240/54/137. f. 137.
  54. Tweedie Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 240/60/71. f. 72.
  55. The Navy List. (February, 1919). p. 746.
  56. Tweedie Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 240/60/71. f. 72.

Bibliography


"C" Class Destroyer
Star Whiting Bat Chamois Crane
Flying Fish Fawn Flirt Bullfinch Dove
Violet Sylvia Lee Avon Bittern
Otter Leopard Vixen Brazen Electra
Recruit Vulture Kestrel Cheerful Mermaid
Greyhound Racehorse Roebuck Gipsy Fairy
Osprey Leven Falcon Ostrich Thorn
Tiger Vigilant Albatross Viper Velox
<– "B" Class Destroyers (UK) "D" Class –>