| HMS Ostrich (1900) | |
|---|---|
| Career |  |
| Name: | HMS Ostrich |
| Ordered: | 1898 – 1899 Naval Estimates |
| Builder: | Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company, Govan, Glasgow |
| Laid down: | 28 June 1899 |
| Launched: | 22 March 1900 |
| Commissioned: | December 1901 |
| Out of service: | December 1918 paid off and laid up in reserve awaiting disposal |
| Fate: | 29 April 1920 sold to Barking Ship Breaking Company for breaking |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type: | Fairfield three funnel - 30 knot destroyer[1][2] |
| Displacement: |
355 t (349 long tons) standard 400 t (394 long tons) full load |
| Length: | 215 ft 6 in (65.68 m) o/a |
| Beam: | 21 ft (6.4 m) |
| Draught: | 8 ft 2 in (2.49 m) |
| Propulsion: |
4 × Thornycroft water tube boiler |
| Speed: | 30 kn (56 km/h) |
| Range: |
80 tons coal 1,615 nmi (2,991 km) at 11 kn (20 km/h) |
| Complement: | 63 officers and men |
| Armament: |
1 × QF 12-pounder 12 cwt Mark I L/40 naval gun on a P Mark I Low angle mount |
| Service record | |
|---|---|
| Operations: | World War I 1914 - 1918 |
HMS Ostrich was a Fairfield three funnel - 30 knot torpedo boat destroyer ordered by the Royal Navy under the 1898 – 1899 Naval Estimates. In 1913 she was grouped as a C-class destroyer She was the first ship to carry this name in the Royal Navy.[3][4]
Construction[]
She was laid down as Yard No 413 on 28 June 1899 at the Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company shipyard at Govan, Glasgow and launched on 22 March 1900. During her builder’s trials she made her contracted speed requirement. She was completed and accepted by the Royal Navy in December 1901.[3][4]
Pre-War[]
After commissioning she was assigned to the Channel Fleet. She spent her operational career in home waters operating with the Channel Fleet as part of the Portsmouth Flotilla.
On 30 August 1912 the Admiralty directed that all destroyer classes were to be designated by alphabetic characters starting with the letter 'A'. Since her design speed was 30-knots and she had three funnels she was assigned to the C Class. After 30 September 1913, she was known as an C Class destroyer and had the letter ‘C’ painted on the hull below the bridge area and on either the fore or aft funnel.[5]
World War I[]
For the test mobilization in July 1914 she was assigned to the 8th Destroyer Flotilla based at Chatham. Here she provided local anti-submarine and counter mining patrols.
In September 1914 she had been redeployed to the Scapa Flow Local Flotilla to provided anti-submarine patrols for the Fleet Anchorage until the defences of Scapa Flow could be improved.
By November 1918 she was assigned to the Nore Local Flottila and based at Lowestoft. Here she provided local area defensive patrols and escorting of merchant vessels.
Disposition[]
In 1919 Ostrich was paid off and laid-up in reserve awaiting disposal. She was sold on 29 April 1920 to Barking Ship Breaking Company for breaking.[6]
She was awarded the battle honour "Belgian Coast 1914 – 17" for her service.
Pennant Numbers[]
| Pennant number[6] | From | To |
|---|---|---|
| P56 | 6 Dec 1914 | 1 Sep 1915 |
| D65 | 1 Sep 1915 | 1 Jan 1918 |
References[]
- ↑ Jane, Fred T. (1905, Reprinted 1969). Jane’s Fighting Ships 1905. New York: first published by Sampson Low Marston, London 1905, Reprinted ARCO Publishing Company. p. 77.
- ↑ Jane, Fred T. (reprinted 1990). Jane’s Fighting Ships of World War I. Jane’s Publishing 1919. p. 77. ISBN 1 85170 378 0.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Jane, Fred T. (1898, Reprinted 1969). Jane’s All The Worlds Fighting Ships 1898. New York: first published by Sampson Low Marston, London 1898, Reprinted ARCO Publishing Company. p. 84 to 85.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Jane, Fred T. (reprinted 1990). Jane’s Fighting Ships of World War I. Jane’s Publishing. p. 76. ISBN 1 85170 378 0.
- ↑ Conway’s All the World’s Fighting Ships 1906 to 1922. Conway Maritime Press. 1985, Reprinted 1986, 1997, 2002, 2006. pp. 17–19. ISBN 0 85177 245 5.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 ""Arrowsmith" List – Part 1 Destroyer Prototypes through "River" Class". http://www.gwpda.org/naval/s0420000.htm. Retrieved 1 Jun 2013.
- Manning, Captain T.D. The British Destroyer. Godfrey Cave Associates. ISBN 0-906223-13-X.
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The original article can be found at HMS Ostrich (1900) and the edit history here.