RN Destroyers: River or E Class 1903

[Brian James]

Hawthorn Leslie Type River Class Destroyer HMS Doon pictured in the Harwich Harbour floating dock c1915.
She was laid down on February 16th 1904 at Hawthorn Leslie Shipyard at Hebburn-on-Tyne and launched on November 8th 1904. She was completed in June 1905. Her original armament was to be the same as the Turtleback Torpedo Boat Destroyers that preceded her. In 1906 the Admiralty decided to upgrade the armament by landing the five 6-pounder naval guns and shipping three 12-pounder 8 hundredweight guns. Two would be mounted abeam at the foc's'le break and the third gun would be mounted on the quarterdeck.
In early 1914 when displaced by G Class Destroyers she joined the 9th Destroyer Flotilla based at Chatham tendered to HMS St George. The 9th Flotilla was a Patrol Flotilla tasked with Anti-Submarine and Counter Mining patrols in the Firth of Forth area.
On December 16th 1914 under command of Lieutenant-Commander H. McLeod-Fraser, RN, as the division leader with HMS Waveney, HMS Test and HMS Moy were sent to patrol off Hartlepool. During the German Raid on Hartlepool, she was damaged by German shellfire. She was straddled by three salvoes with one near miss by an 11-inch shell grazing the after edge of the foremost funnel, damaging a Berthon collapsible lifeboat, before going overboard and bursting on impact with the water. She suffered splinter damage and had her wireless, aft gun and torpedo tube put out of action. She suffered three dead and six wounded.
In August 1915 with the amalgamation of the 9th and 7th Flotillas she was deployed to the 7th Destroyer Flotilla based at the River Humber.She remained employed on the Humber Patrol, participating in Counter Mining operations and Anti-Submarine patrols for the remainder of the war.In 1919 she was paid off and laid up in reserve awaiting disposal. On May 27th 1919 she was sold to Thos W Ward of Sheffield for breaking at Rainham, Kent, on the Thames Estuary

[jbryce1437]

More River Class:

Arun

HMS%20ARUN-1911[1].jpg

Chelmer

hms chelmer malta 1 november 1912.jpg

Cherwell

cherwell-(1910)-stb.side.jpg

Colne

colne-07.JPG

Doon

Doon[1].jpg

Eden

HMS_Eden.jpg

Eden in dock.jpg

Exe

hms exe ,in port with mine damage during ww1.jpg

Foyle

Foyle-01[1].jpg

Jed (photo wanted)


Kennet

Kennet[2].jpg

Larne

HMS%20LARNE-2-1911-1920[1].jpg

Moy

moy-(1910's.)-pt.side.jpg

Ness

ness-(1914)-stb.side.jpg

Nith

hms nith,built by white, j.samuel,east cowes,launched 731905.jpg

Ribble

HMS%20RIBBLE-2-1904-1920T[1].jpg

Ure

HMS%20URE-1909[1].jpg

Usk

Usk[1].jpg

Wear

HMS%20Wear[1].jpg

Wear[1].jpg

[Brian James]

Yarrow Type River Class Destroyer HMS Usk pictured under refit in Dry Dock No3 at Portsmouth Dockyard in 1910.