H.M.S. Albemarle (1901)

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H.M.S. Albemarle (1901)
Pendant Number: 07 (1914)
06 (Jan 1918)
N.39 (Apr 1918)[1]
Builder: Chatham Royal Dockyard[2]
Ordered: 1899-1900 Programme[3]
Laid down: 8 Jan, 1900[4]
Launched: 5 Mar, 1901[5]
Commissioned: 12 Nov, 1903
Sold: 19 Nov, 1919[6]
Fate: Scrapped

Service

Albemarle was launched on 5 March, 1901, by Lady Kennedy, wife of the Commander-in-Chief at the Nore, Admiral Sir William R. Kennedy, who was also present. Also in attendance were Rear-Admiral Swinton C. Holland, Sir William H. White, and Admiral Sir Edmund R. Fremantle, amongst others.[7]

Captain Alexander L. Duff commissioned Albemarle on 12 November, 1903 at Chatham, to relieve the Repulse as flagship of Rear-Admiral William D. V. Hamilton, Rear-Admiral in the Mediterranean.[8]

Great War

She recommissioned at Portsmouth under Captain Henry W. Grant on 15 May, 1913.[9]

She arrived at Rosyth from refit at Chatham at 07:00 on 29 October, 1915, left for Scapa with Africa in the forenoon of the 30th, and arrived there for gunnery practices at daylight on 1 November.[10] The two ships left Scapa for Rosyth at 17:00 on 4 November, arriving at 08:30 on the 5th.[11]

At 08:00 on 6 November she left Rosyth for Milford, viâ the Pentland Firth, Minches, and Irish Sea, in company with Hibernia and Zealandia. At 02:45 on the 7th, when off Dunnet Head (near Thurso) Albemarle reported having her fore bridge carried away in heavy sea, her Commander (T) and one man lost overboard, and fourteen men badly injured. She could only be steered with her engines from the aft conning tower, and she was taking in water. Hibernia escorted her into Scapa at 07:30.[12]

The Commander-in-Chief, Sir John R. Jellicoe, wrote to the First Sea Lord, Sir Henry B. Jackson on 8 November that:

I fear Albemarle will be delayed some little time for repairs. The state of affairs is almost inconceivable. She was swept clear forward. The Lieut (G) in the lower fore top is the only officer who knows exactly what occurred as everyone else was either killed or injured & knocked out. The lower fore top filled with water & the Lieut (G) told me the green water came up to the lower part of the top. The majority of the bridge was found on the upper deck in small pieces … The ship was going too fast, 16 knots, for the strong wind against extraordinary spring tides in the Firth, but Fremantle did not realise the conditions & I am not surprised & I do not think he can be really blamed.[13]

Albemarle paid off on 18 April, 1917,[14] and re-commissioned at Devonport on 1 January, 1918.[15]

Torpedoes

In 1904, in a competition to investigate how rapidly submerged tubes could be fired four times sequentially, starting with the tube loaded and the bar out, the ship's crew was able to do this in 3 minutes, 55 seconds. The best time was achieved by Cressy at 50.75 seconds, though 2:30 was more typical.[16]

Alterations

In mid-1913 it was approved that these ships receive a Mark III Dumaresq, Pattern 760. Having been supplied with the Mark III variant, each was to surrender a Mark I instrument previously allotted. For some reason, her sisters are not mentioned in this order.[17]

Radio

In 1906, Albemarle was one of ten ships and two shore stations slated to receive "C" Tune Gear, capable of transmitting on "S", "T" and "U" tunes.[18] However, by 1908, Albemarle is alone in seeming to no longer have her set.[19]

Captains

Dates of appointment are provided when known.

See Also

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Dittmar; Colledge. British Warships 1914–1919. p. 30.
  2. ↑ Dittmar; Colledge. British Warships 1914–1919. p. 30.
  3. ↑ Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905. p. 37.
  4. ↑ Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905. p. 37.
  5. ↑ Dittmar; Colledge. British Warships 1914–1919. p. 30.
  6. ↑ Dittmar; Colledge. British Warships 1914–1919. p. 30.
  7. ↑ "Naval & Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Wednesday, 6 March, 1901. Issue 36395, col A, p. 10.
  8. ↑ "Naval & Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Tuesday, 27 October, 1903. Issue 37222, col E, p. 10.
  9. ↑ The Navy List (July, 1913). p. 275.
  10. ↑ Jellicoe Papers. British Library. Add MS 49000. f. 269.
  11. ↑ Jellicoe Papers. British Library. Add MS 49001. f. 8.
  12. ↑ Jellicoe Papers. British Library. Add MS 49001. f. 8.
  13. ↑ Jackson Papers. National Museum of the Royal Navy, Portsmouth: 255/4/31.
  14. ↑ The Navy List (November, 1917). p. 391f.
  15. ↑ Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (Sep, 1919). p. 727.
  16. ↑ Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1904. pp. 45-7.
  17. ↑ Admiralty Weekly Order No. 283 of 6 June, 1913.
  18. ↑ Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1906. Wireless Appendix, p. 15.
  19. ↑ Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1908. p. 13.
  20. ↑ Duff Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 80.
  21. ↑ Mackie, Colin. ROYAL NAVY WARSHIPS.
  22. ↑ Scott Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 501.
  23. ↑ Goodenough Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 433.
  24. ↑ The Navy List. (October, 1908). p. 274.
  25. ↑ Chatfield Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 346.
  26. ↑ Luard Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 313.
  27. ↑ Nugent Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 469.
  28. ↑ The Navy List. (July, 1913). p. 275.
  29. ↑ The Navy List. (January, 1915). p. 271.
  30. ↑ The Navy List. (October, 1915). p. 391e.
  31. ↑ The Navy List. (October, 1915). p. 391f.
  32. ↑ The Navy List. (February, 1919). p. 727.
  33. ↑ The Navy List. (September, 1919). p. 727.

Bibliography



Duncan Class Pre-dreadnought
  Albemarle Cornwallis Duncan  
  Exmouth Montagu Russell  
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