E Coast R.N. Named Ships

[E28]

Good plan Hornbeam. The pair we could donate are ex Walney, M104, which paid off in 2010 and has been hiding gutted in Pompey dockyard since. In 2014 she was available to purchase and by 2018 she was offered for guide £30,000 by DESA to anyone for any purpose. No takers. In 2024 she is still a total embarrassment but only for sale for recycling.

The other she could be paired with is Bangor, M109, which was heavily modified by Chiddingfold during a parking evolution in Bahrain earlier this year. Loadsa stuff online re this drama.

But we can do much better than that as in 1916 two Tribal, actually F class, destroyers were injured in action, here is the first...

Zulu, which on 8 november 1916 hit a mine laid by UC 1 +19-07-1917, losing her stern, towed to Calais to ensure she remained water tight then on to Chatham.

Nubian was in a melee with the Germans on 27 october in the Dover strait when she was torpedoed and lost her forward part, run aground, salved then towed to Chatham in this state...

where engineers did some serious head scratching then calculated that the pair were not beyond salvation, but with a large amount of mathematics and blunted pencils a positive outcome was certain. Despite being from 2 different builders the remarkable outcome became a new Tribal, HMS Zubian.

The following is from a well regarded naval site, to which i give all credit as a site and to the individuals who contributed...

https://naval-history.net/WW1Memoir-Zubian.htm

Some superb images here, Zubian post war was scrapped by Fryer in Sunderland from december 1919.

The likelihood of this name Zubian ever being used again is nil, but well illustrates mans ingenuity in the face of adversity.

[Hornbeam]

When it came to the disposal of Vessels this sort of Advert appeared in many Maritime Publications.
Some interesting Boats/Vessels, with the larger Vessels BISCO were the preferred Bidder until 1960, other Shipbreakers were available, the smaller Vessels were available to all at the right price, these lists made fascinating reading as the M.O.D.(Navy) also disposed of the R.A.F. Vessels that were surplus to requirements.

[Hornbeam]

When it comes to small ships disposals this very smart looking Houseboat ex British Power Boat built M.G.B.certainly would be my choice. Judging by the Stern of the vessel in front she also looks ex Military.

[E28]

In 1914 there was an awful lot of rubber and coffee in Brazil, alas, the market for such commodities had collapsed, the Country's predicament was deteriorating whilst at Barrow-in-Furness three gunboats were nearing completion with no means of payment, so the British government fearing the trio could fall into inapproprite hands raided the public purse and that august they became HMS Humber, Mersey and Severn.

Forward they mounted a Vickers twin 6" BL turret with a peculiar arrangement where the 2 pieces were incompatible, the rh termed the Mk XIV, the lh Mk XV plus sundry smaller guns including a novel 4.7" howitzer.

Britain declared war that august when it was discovered these very shallow draft gunboats could float in 6' of water so could prove ideal in shore bombardment duties off the Belgian coast close inshore with almost impunity which is where they were employed during the autumn of 1914 once their dire steaming abilities had been mastered, invariably having to be towed across from Dover. They were so successful only Humber kept her original twin 6" as the pairs in her 2 sisters became worn and no suitable replacements could be found so a single 6" Mk VII was substituted which sat looking uncomfortable above the barbette. Additionally all 3 had another 6" added on the quarterdeck, and as such, Humber was the only one to ever have three 6" guns as she always retained the twin forward.

In november 1914 the Admiralty ordered 4 new 14" ships with the guns sourced from the USA known as M.1 - M.4 and titled monitors, their sole task was shore bombardment duties, they could not take on any enemy warship, and thereafter our trio also inherited the title monitor despite officially being gunboats.

Having proved their abilities off Belgium more ambitious plans were formulated against the Ottomans and they were dispatched to the Med...

http://thamestugs.co.uk/RUFIJI-TOW-1915.php

which details the lengthy procedures for the tow to Malta, but only read down to the Malta interlude part. Thanks to all from thamestugs and the tug community for this link, most valuable.

This photo at Malta in april 1915 shows Humber with her twin 6"outboard of sister Severn taken from tender Trent which also has Mersey between her and Severn. Preparations are being made for their next ventures, Humbers camouflage totally differs from the other pair with their palm trees.

In the 2nd instalment let's look at their further adventures many miles from Blighty.

[E28]

When Mersey and Severn departed Malta on 28 april 1915 with their attendant flotilla there was a specific task to undertake off the east African coast which would prove eminently successful and became the first full extensive use of seaplanes for fire coordination with warships, Koenigsberg would not have been dispatched without such co operation.

Humber was left languishing in Malta, no decision had been made for her future employment until the Dardanelles campaign took a turn for the worse, now her future would diverge from her 2 sisters the trio not meeting again until september 1918. Humber was rapidly prepared for the tow for Mudros on Limnos to lend weight to the new Gallipoli operations, the tug chosen was amongst those previously involved in taking her to Malta, the admiralty hired steam screw tug Danube...

which we can see here alongside Humber as the pair arrive in the safe anchorage and base at Mudros. Built as Danube II for T C D Co Ltd in 1910 of 227 grt and 100' length Danube, still with her house colours painted on her funnel, would have towed Humber using a 5 1/2" hawser accompanied by other escorting vessels for the gunboats ships company and assistance in negotiating the numerous Greek islands. Humber still has all the safety measures fitted for towing, the aft 6" is clearly visible, she has a 3 pdr HA gun where the searchlight was, her other 3 pdrs and of course her 2 single howitzers amidships on the boat deck.

Yes the howitzers. Once in action these pieces proved really beneficial and would have been a real hoot to shoot. They were 4.7" with a 7' length, could fire at upto 70 degrees and the muzzle velocity was so low you could see the shell travel its max of 10,000 yards at half elevation. Humber remained off Gallipoli for the remainder of 1915, her fun firepower being hugely beneficial, she was the only warship with a purpose built howitzer before being withdrawn, and thereafter saw extensive service in places no one had ever heard of but saw no further action to speak of. During 1916 and 1917 she operated off north Africa, east of Suez, middle east, Ismailia, jiddah, Akaba with numerous return trips to Suez when by 1918 she would have clocked up some extensive miles, many under tow.

[northeast]

A fine write-up with a most interesting photo, thanks Sean.

[Hornbeam]

Anti roll Dampers?

[Hornbeam]

Forget about Napier Deltics and the whining Gear Noise fancy setting up the Timing Gears on this partially stripped engine. Four of these (complete) were fitted to a Fairmile D style of Craft for operations in the South Pacific which was a Bristol Engine Company proposal. These Bristol Radial Sleeve valve Engines normally fitted to both Halifax and Lancaster Mk2 aircraft along with others were thought to be by Bristol the answer to both cooling and maintenance problems when operating in the Pacific area getting rid of pumps, coolers, pipe work etc.
A vessel was built to accommodate the Four Engines to carry out Trials on the this idea but unfortunately problems occurred with the air cooling of the engines by Fans when it was found that the power required to turn the Fans severely depleted the propulsion power. and the idea was scrapped.
There is a similarity between the Deltic and the Hercules in that the both needed to be turned over by hand a number of times to prevent hydraulic locking in the lower cylinders which for those who worked in the black hole of the “Tons” will remember.

[E28]

Returning to my post of last sat 3 aug with Humber being brought into Mudros by Danube i will mention that this tug is clearly visible in the earlier Rufiji tow link...

where this is straight from the image, including text but now needs a little further explanation.

The 2 gunboats forecastles of Severn to the left and Mersey are clearly visible with their single 6" guns, then in addition to the tug T A Jolliffe on the right is our subject Danube with her distinctive red over yellow funnel bands which i think is very unusual for a hired / requisitioned tug to retain, the rest of the appendage is black.

Note lack of any camouflage on the gunboats as in the 30 july attachment, it may imply this was taken earlier from Trent shortly after arrival in Malta.

Not in the photo is Humber which departed after her 2 sisters and had arrived in tow of Danube at Mudros on or by 28 june 1915. This tug remained in the Med well into 1916 when she was recalled to Blighty for home duties with a new crew and despite her Admiralty transport rename was still referred to as Danube II

[teesships]

.... and more details and photos of T.A. JOLLIFFEE on Dave's site at:
http://www.tynetugs.co.uk/tajolliffe1901.html

Ron M