RN Scout Cruisers: Pathfinder Class

[Brian James]

Lead Ship,Scout Cruiser HMS Pathfinder.
She was the first ship ever to be sunk by a self-propelled torpedo fired by Submarine (the American Civil War sloop-of-war USS Housatonic had been sunk by a spar torpedo). She was built by Cammell Laird, Birkenhead, launched on July 16th 1904, and commissioned on July 18th 1905.....On September 5th 1914 at 1543 U-21 fired a single 20 inch Type G/6 torpedo at a range of 2,000 yards. At 1545 lookouts spotted a torpedo wake heading towards the starboard bow and the officer of the watch, Lieutenant-Commander Favell, attempted to take evasive action by ordering the starboard engine be put astern and the port engine at full ahead while the wheel was turned hard a port. Since the vessel was traveling at a mere five knots, however (due to a shortage of coal throughout the Royal Navy at the time), the manoeuvre was not in time and the torpedo struck the ship beneath the bridge. The detonation apparently set off cordite bags in the forward magazine which caused a second, more massive explosion within the fore section of the ship, essentially destroying everything forward of the bridge. Broken in two, the Pathfinder instantly began sinking, dragging most of her crew down with her and leaving a massive pall of smoke to mark her grave. The vessel sank so quickly, in fact, that there was insufficient time to launch lifeboats.

[Brian James]

Lead Ship,Scout Cruiser HMS Pathfinder pictured c1912.

[Brian James]

Pathfinder Class Scout Cruiser HMS Patrol pictured c1912.