H.M.S. Flirt (1897)

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H.M.S. Flirt (1897)
Pendant Number: P.87 (1914)
D.56 (Sep 1915)[1]
Builder: Palmer Shipbuilding and Iron Company[2]
Ordered: 1896-97 Programme[3]
Laid down: 5 Sep, 1896[4]
Launched: 15 May, 1897[5]
Commissioned: Apr, 1899[6]
Sunk: 27 Oct, 1916[7]
Fate: at Battle of Dover Strait

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

Service

A 13-knot, eight hours coal consumption trial was conducted at Portsmouth between the Needles and Ryde on 6 January, 1899 in mild weather on a smooth sea. With 475 i.h.p., the engine developed 154 revolutions, yielding 13.05 knots at a rate of consumption of 1.88 pound per unit of power per hour.[8]

In late 1905, she was one of eight destroyers in the First Division of the Channel Fleet's Destroyer Flotilla.[9] By February 1906, the strength had increased to 12 T.B.Ds. and the formation had taken the name of the First Destroyer Flotilla.

By March 1910 she was with the Second Destroyer Flotilla, operating as part of the First Division, Home Fleet.

She, Flirt and Star of the Fourth Destroyer Flotilla were paid off on 30 April 1912 and re-commissioned the following day.[10]

By late April, 1912, Flirt was operating with the newly re-organised Sixth Destroyer Flotilla, a Patrol Flotilla based at Portsmouth. She would continue in this assignment throughout her service career.

Lieutenant in Command Andrew Nevill Swainson was cautioned by Vice-Admiral, Dover to be more careful after Flirt collided with a Swedish steamer on 6 March, 1916. Swainson would be drowned in a boat accident while returning to his vessel on the night of 1 June, 1916.[11]

On the night of 26-27 October, 1916, Flirt was in the eastern English Channel, protecting a line of anti-submarine drifters when six raiding German destroyers arrived and started ravaging her charges, sinking six. Flirt lowered a boat and turned on her searchlight to help save lives, and was taken under fire by two destroyers and rapidly sunk.[12]

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, Jan 07, 1899; pg. 10; Issue 35720.
  9. The Navy List. (November, 1905). pp. 267, 269.
  10. "Naval & Military Intelligence." The Times (London, England), 29 Apr. 1912, p. 14.
  11. Swainson Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/52/94. f. 455.
  12. Smith. Hard Lying. pp. 65-6.
  13. The Navy List. (February, 1900). p. 252.
  14. Hodges Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 471.
  15. Hodges Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 471.
  16. Osburn Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/460. f. 513.
  17. "Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Saturday, October 12, 1901. Issue 36584, col D, p. 10.
  18. Osburn Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/460. f. 513.
  19. Barttelot Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 238.
  20. Barttelot Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 238.
  21. Brocklebank Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/390. f. 431.
  22. The Navy List. (May, 1903). p. 256.
  23. Brocklebank Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/390. f. 431.
  24. Briggs Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/421. f. 427.
  25. "APPOINTMENTS FOR THE NAVAL MANOEUVRES." The Times (London, England), Thursday, Jul 16, 1903; pg. 8; Issue 37134.
  26. Briggs Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/421. f. 427.
  27. "Appointments for the Naval Manoeuvres." The Times (London, England), Saturday, Jul 09, 1904; pg. 12; Issue 37442.
  28. Kiddle Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/207. f. 236.
  29. Kiddle Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/207. f. 236.
  30. Brand Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 118.
  31. Brand Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 118.
  32. Skipwith Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 255.
  33. Skipwith Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 255.
  34. The Navy List. (June, 1906). p. 316.
  35. The Navy List. (October, 1908). p. 317.
  36. The Navy List. (January, 1910). p. 317.
  37. The Navy List. (March, 1913). p. 313-5.
  38. The Navy List. (July, 1913). p. 313-5.
  39. Coppinger Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 313.
  40. Coppinger Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 313.
  41. Braddyll Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/212. f. 280.
  42. The Navy List. (April, 1915). p. 394d.
  43. Braddyll Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/212. f. 280.
  44. The Navy List. (October, 1915). p. 394e.
  45. Kindell. Royal Navy Roll of Honour Part 2. p. 245.
  46. Kellett Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/96/201. f. 247.
  47. The Navy List. (October, 1916). p. 394m.
  48. Naval Operations. Vol. IV. p. 56.
  49. Kindell. Royal Navy Roll of Honour Part 2. p. 280.

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 –>