HMS Hydra (1912)

HMS Hydra was an Acheron-class destroyer of the Royal Navy. She was launched in 1912, fought throughout World War I and was sold for breaking in 1921.

HMS Hydra during World War I
History
United Kingdom
Name: HMS Hydra
Builder: John Brown & Company, Clydebank
Yard number: 406[1]
Launched: 19 February 1912[2]
Fate: Sold 9 May 1921[2]
General characteristics
Class and type: Acheron-class destroyer
Displacement: 770 tons
Length: 75 m (246 ft)
Beam: 7.8 m (26 ft)
Draught: 2.7 m (8.9 ft)
Installed power: 13,500 shp (10,100 kW)[1]
Propulsion:
  • Two Brown-Curtis Turbines
  • Two Yarrow boilers (oil fired)
  • Two shafts
Speed: 28 knots (52 km/h)[1]
Complement: 72
Armament:
  • 2 × BL 4-inch (101.6 mm) L/40 Mark VIII guns, mounting P Mark V
  • 2 × QF 12 pounder 12 cwt naval gun, mounting P Mark I
  • 2 × single tubes for 21 inch (533 mm) torpedoes

Pennant Numbers
Pennant Number[2]FromTo
H506 December 1914  1 January 1918
H431 January 1918Early 1919
H94Early 19199 May 1921

Construction

She was built by John Brown & Company, Clydebank to an Admiralty design, under the 1910–11 programme. She (and her sisters Hind and Hornet) differed from the standard Admiralty I-class destroyer in only having two shafts instead of three. They had two Brown-Curtis type turbines, and twin boilers.[3] Capable of 28 knots (52 km/h), she carried two 4-inch (100 mm) guns, other smaller guns and two 21-inch (530 mm) torpedo tubes and had a complement of 72 men. She was launched on 19 February 1912.

Operational history

The Battle of Dogger Bank

Hydra was with the First Destroyer Flotilla at the Battle of Dogger Bank[4] on 24 January 1915.

The Battle of Jutland

She was present at the Battle of Jutland[5] on 31 May 1916. Along with the rest of the flotilla, she was transferred to the 3rd Battle Squadron, based at Portsmouth.[6]

Collision with a merchant vessel

She was in collision with a merchant ship on the night of 11 February 1917 in the English Channel. The captain of Hydra was held liable for the collision because, although the other ship showed him a light, he did not perceive that it was on a crossing course.[7]

Mediterranean Service

From 1917 the Third Battle Squadron was deployed to the Mediterranean. Hydra was present at the entry of the Allied Fleet through the Dardanelles on 12 November 1918.[8]

Decommissioning and fate

On 9 February 1921, Hydra collided with the Royal Navy torpedo boat Z 3 in the Weilingen Channel and sank. Z 3 fescued all 72 of Hydra′s crew.[9]

Hydra was sold on 9 May 1921 to Thos W Ward of Portishead[2] for scrap.

References
  1. "HMS Hydra at the Clyde-built database". Archived from the original on 26 May 2011. Retrieved 27 February 2009.CS1 maint: unfit url (link)
  2. "Arrowsmith List: Royal Navy WWI Destroyer Pendant Numbers". Retrieved 1 July 2008.
  3. "I-class destroyers (extract from Jane's Fighting Ships of 1919)". Archived from the original on 3 June 2011. Retrieved 19 October 2008.
  4. "Battle of Dogger Bank - Order of Battle (World War 1 Naval Combat website)". Retrieved 8 March 2009.
  5. "Battle of Jutland - Order of Battle (World War 1 Naval Combat website)". Retrieved 8 March 2009.
  6. "HMS Hydra at Battleships-Cruisers website". Retrieved 27 February 2009.
  7. "Combat Immunity and the Duty of Care - James Rowley judgement (extract)" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 May 2008. Retrieved 27 February 2009.
  8. S E Brooks. "The Entry of the Allied Fleet through the Dardanelles". Oxford University. Retrieved 11 November 2009.
  9. "Warships in collision". The Times (42643). London. 12 February 1921. col D, p. 9.
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