H.M.S. Orvieto (1909)

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H.M.S. Orvieto (1909)
Pendant Number: P.58 (Jan 1915)[1]
Launched: 6 Jul, 1909[2]
Requisitioned: Jan, 1915[3]
Commissioned: 8 Mar, 1915[4]
:

H.M.S. Orvieto was built as a merchant vessel, but was used as a minelayer and an armed merchant cruiser by the Royal Navy.

Service

She was requisitioned and converted for use as an armed merchant cruiser, but also worked as a minelayer.

Orvieto fitted out as a minelayer at Blackwall and undertook her first minelaying operation on 6 January, 1915. She laid 3,000 mines in six excursions before paying off on 25 May, 1916.

She started work as an A.M.C. on 27 May, 1916, serving in the Northern Patrol,[5] and flying the broad pendant of Commodore, Second Class John Scott Luard,[6] slated to join the Third Division of the Tenth Cruiser Squadron in June, though she may not have arrived before August.[7]

In March, 1917, she switched to the Second Division, flying a broad pendant as its lead ship, and in the next month she was made flagship to the Rear-Admiral of the Tenth Cruiser Squadron, Rear-Admiral Morgan Singer hoisting his flag in her on 27 April.[8] Orvieto ceded the role of flagship briefly to Patia around August, 1917 but took it back by September. In December, 1917 she became one of three A.M.Cs. to join the Second Cruiser Squadron, a component of the Grand Fleet. She would leave this formation in February, 1918.

On 23 March, 1918, she became a convoy escort vessel, after a refit,[9] being assigned to the Atlantic Cruiser Forces.[10]

Armament

Guns

Her guns were as follows.[11]

  • four 4.7-in guns
  • one 3-pdr H.A gun

Mines

Captains

Dates of appointment are provided when known.

See Also

Footnotes

  1. Dittmar; Colledge. British Warships 1914–1919. p. 118.
  2. POHeritage.com.
  3. POHeritage.com.
  4. Dittmar; Colledge. British Warships 1914–1919. p. 118.
  5. Dittmar; Colledge. British Warships 1914–1919. p. 118.
  6. Luard Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 313.
  7. Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (June, 1916). p. 10 and Supplements through August.
  8. Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (September, 1917). p. 7.
  9. POHeritage.com.
  10. Supplement to the Monthly Navy List. (February, 1918). p. 20.
  11. Dittmar; Colledge. British Warships 1914–1919. p. 118.
  12. Dittmar; Colledge. British Warships 1914–1919. p. 118.
  13. Smyth Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/287. ff. 227, 287.
  14. The Navy List. (April, 1915). p. 401r.
  15. Smyth Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/287. ff. 227, 287.
  16. The Navy List. (December, 1916). p. 401u.
  17. England Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 327.
  18. England Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 327.
  19. The Navy List. (January, 1919). p. 1001.
  20. England Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 327.
  21. England Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 327.

Bibliography

British Armed Merchant Cruisers
Alphabetic List of Ships to appear here...
British Minelayers
Alphabetic List of Ships to appear here...