Cricket-class destroyer
The Cricket class and following classes of coastal destroyers were a series of small torpedo boat destroyers (TBDs) intended to complement the Royal Navy's Tribal-class destroyers. The thirty-six vessels which broadly comprised this group actually consisted of several distinct classes, as each contractor built to their own designs.
HMS Cricket | |
Class overview | |
---|---|
Name: | Cricket class and subsequent classes |
Builders: | J S White, Thornycroft, Yarrow, Denny, Hawthorn Leslie, Palmer |
Operators: |
|
Completed: | 36 |
Lost: | 6 |
Scrapped: | 30 |
General characteristics First five (TB.1 to TB.5) | |
Type: | Coastal destroyer (from October 1906, 1st class torpedo boats) |
Displacement: |
|
Length: | 178 ft (54 m) overall, 175 ft (53 m) between perpendiculars |
Beam: | 17 ft 6 in (5.33 m) |
Draught: | 6 ft 1.5 in (1.867 m) |
Propulsion: | 2 Yarrow boilers, 3 Parsons turbines generating 3,600 shp (2,700 kW) on three shafts |
Speed: | 26 knots (48 km/h; 30 mph) |
Range: | 21.7–37 t of oil |
Complement: | 39 |
Armament: |
|
Notes: | White's Cricket class |
General characteristics Next five (TB.6 to TB.10) | |
Type: | Coastal destroyer (from October 1906, 1st Class torpedo boats) |
Displacement: |
|
Length: | 171 ft 6 in (52.27 m) overall, 166 ft 6 in (50.75 m) between perpendiculars |
Beam: | 17 ft 6 in (5.33 m) |
Draught: | 6 ft 4.5 in (1.943 m) |
Propulsion: | 2 Yarrow boilers, 3 Parsons turbines generating 3,750 shp (2,800 kW) on three shafts |
Speed: | 26 knots (48 km/h; 30 mph) |
Range: | 21–35.6 t of oil |
Complement: | 39 |
Armament: |
|
Notes: | Thornycroft's Gadfly class |
General characteristics Next pair (TB.11 and TB.12) | |
Type: | Coastal destroyer (from October 1906, 1st Class torpedo boats) |
Displacement: |
|
Length: | 175 ft 9 in (53.57 m) overall, 172 ft 0 in (52.43 m) between perpendiculars |
Beam: | 18 ft 0 in (5.49 m) |
Draught: | 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) (trials) |
Propulsion: | 2 Yarrow boilers, 3 Parsons turbines generating 4,000 shp (3,000 kW) on three shafts |
Speed: | 27 knots (50 km/h; 31 mph) (trials) |
Range: | 23.8–39.5 t of oil |
Complement: | 39 |
Armament: |
|
Notes: | Yarrow's Mayfly class |
General characteristics Subsequent 24 boats (TB.13 to TB.36) (average of six builders' designs) | |
Type: | 1st class torpedo boats |
Displacement: |
|
Length: | 185 ft (56 m) overall, 177 ft (54 m) between perpendiculars |
Beam: | 18 ft 0 in (5.49 m) |
Draught: | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) |
Propulsion: | 2 Yarrow boilers, 3 Parsons turbines generating 4,000 shp (3,000 kW) on three shafts |
Speed: | 26 knots (48 km/h; 30 mph) |
Complement: | 39 |
Armament: |
|
Notes: | built by six different builders |
The first twelve vessels (comprising White's Cricket class, Thornycroft's Gadfly class and Yarrow's Mayfly class) were ordered in 1905 and launched in early 1906. In practice they were not strong enough for open ocean operations and were reclassified as 1st class torpedo boats. These first twelve had been given names but in October 1906 - after the first two vessels ran trials but before any had been delivered - all were then given the numbers TB 1 to TB 12 and their names were withdrawn.
The following two batches—each of twelve more boats, comprising TB 13 to TB 24 ordered under the under the 1906–07 Programme, and TB 25 to TB 36 under the 1907–08 Programme—were only ever given numbers and were on average 10 ft (3.0 m) longer. These were only ever classified as 1st class torpedo boats. The last boat was launched in 1909. Those that survived the war (six were wartime losses) were sold off from 1919 to 1921.
They were built by six different yards (thirteen by White at Cowes, nine by Thornycroft at Woolston, Hampshire, four each by Denny at Dumbarton and Hawthorn at Hebburn, and three each by Yarrow at Cubitt Town and Palmers at Jarrow).
The boats differed in detail as each shipbuilder was allowed to construct to their own design, and the designs were modified and enlarged for the later batches, but all had two funnels with one of the torpedo tubes on the stern. These vessels closely resembled the earliest 26-knotter TBDs of 1892–93, having 'turtle-back' forecastles and carried a similar armament.
By 1914 all boats were serving in North Sea Patrol Flotillas or the Nore Local Defence Flotilla. TB 4 and TB 24 won the Battle Honour Belgian Coast 1915. In 1918 the four Denny-built boats were sent to the Mediterranean: TB 17 and TB 18 served at Gibraltar, TB 29 and TB 30 at Malta, where these went to the breakers in 1919.
Boats
Original Name | Number | Builder[1] | Laid down | Launched[1] | Completion[1] | Fate |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1905–1906 Programme | ||||||
Cricket | TB 1 | J. Samuel White | 12 September 1905 | 23 January 1906 | December 1906 | Sold 7 October 1920[1] |
Dragonfly | TB 2 | J. Samuel White | 15 September 1905 | 11 March 1906 | January 1907 | Sold 7 October 1920[1] |
Firefly | TB 3 | J. Samuel White | 18 September 1905 | 1 September 1906 | February 1907 | Sold 7 October 1920[1] |
Sandfly | TB 4 | J. Samuel White | 18 September 1905 | 30 October 1906 | April 1907 | Sold 7 October 1920, Wrecked 11 January 1921 on way to scrapping[1] |
Spider[2] | TB 5 | J. Samuel White | 18 September 1905 | 15 December 1906 | 1907 | Sold for scrapping 7 October 1920. |
Gadfly | TB 6 | Thornycroft | 1 September 1905 | 24 June 1906 | December 1906 | Sold 22 October 1920[1] |
Glowworm | TB 7 | Thornycroft | 25 September 1905 | 20 December 1906 | February 1907 | Sold 9 May 1921[1] |
Gnat | TB 8 | Thornycroft | 4 October 1905 | 1 December 1906 | March 1907 | Sold 9 May 1921[1] |
Grasshopper | TB 9 | Thornycroft | 1 November 1905 | 18 March 1907 | June 1907 | Sank following collision in North Sea, 26 July 1916[3] |
Greenfly | TB 10 | Thornycroft | 2 November 1905 | 15 February 1907 | May 1907 | Mined in North Sea, 10 June 1915[4] |
Mayfly | TB 11 | Yarrow | 23 November 1905 | 29 January 1907 | May 1907 | Mined in North Sea, 17 March 1916[4] |
Moth | TB 12 | Yarrow | 23 November 1905 | 15 March 1907 | May 1907 | Mined in North Sea, 10 June 1915[4] |
1906–1907 Programme | ||||||
TB 13 | J. Samuel White | 14 March 1907 | 10 July 1907 | May 1908 | Sank following collision in North Sea, 26 January 1916[4] | |
TB 14 | J. Samuel White | 18 March 1907 | 26 September 1907 | May 1908 | Sold 7 October 1920[1] | |
TB 15 | J. Samuel White | 20 March 1907 | 19 November 1907 | May 1908 | Sold 7 October 1920[1] | |
TB 16 | J. Samuel White | 12 July 1907 | 23 December 1907 | July 1908 | Sold 7 October 1920[1] | |
TB 17 | Denny | 4 April 1907 | 21 December 1907 | April 1908 | Sold 1919 at Gibraltar[1] | |
TB 18 | Denny | 4 April 1907 | 15 February 1908 | June 1908 | Sold 1920 at Gibraltar[1] | |
TB 19 | Thornycroft | 13 March 1907 | 7 December 1907 | 2 June 1908 | Sold 9 May 1921[1] | |
TB 20 | Thornycroft | 20 March 1907 | 21 January 1908 | 19 August 1908 | Sold 9 May 1921[1] | |
TB 21 | Hawthorn | 7 May 1907 | 20 December 1907 | March 1908 | Sold 7 October 1920[1] | |
TB 22 | Hawthorn | 7 May 1907 | 1 February 1908 | March 1908 | Sold 7 October 1920[1] | |
TB 23 | Yarrow | 10 February 1907 | 5 December 1907 | 19 February 1908 | Sold 9 May 1921[1] | |
TB 24 | Palmers | 2 April 1907 | 19 March 1908 | June 1908 | Wrecked off Dover, 28 January 1917[4] | |
1907–1908 Programme | ||||||
TB 25 | J. Samuel White | 30 December 1907 | 28 August 1908 | 22 January 1909 | Sold 9 May 1921[1] | |
TB 26 | J. Samuel White | 30 December 1907 | 28 August 1908 | February 1909 | Sold 9 May 1921[1] | |
TB 27 | J. Samuel White | 2 February 1908 | 29 September 1908 | March 1909 | Sold 9 May 1921[1] | |
TB 28 | J. Samuel White | 27 February 1908 | 29 October 1908 | 8 April 1909 | Sold 9 May 1921[1] | |
TB 29 | Denny | 20 February 1908 | 29 September 1908 | November 1909 | Sold 28 November 1919 at Malta[1] | |
TB 30 | Denny | 20 February 1908 | 29 September 1908 | January 1910 | Sold 28 November 1919 at Malta[1] | |
TB 31 | Thornycroft | 8 February 1908 | 10 October 1908 | February 1910 | Sold 9 May 1921[1] | |
TB 32 | Thornycroft | 9 February 1908 | 23 November 1908 | March 1910 | Sold 9 May 1921[1] | |
TB 33 | Hawthorn | 17 January 1908 | 22 February 1909 | June 1910 | Sold 24 August 1922[1] | |
TB 34 | Hawthorn | 7 February 1908 | 22 February 1909 | August 1910 | Sold 9 May 1921[1] | |
TB 35 | Palmers | 4 February 1908 | 19 April 1909 | August 1910 | Sold 24 August 1922[1] | |
TB 36 | Palmers | 20 March 1908 | 6 May 1909 | September 1910 | Sold 9 May 1921[1] |
References
Notes
- Friedman 2009, p. 305.
- HMS Spider Archived June 12, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
- Moore 1997, p. 315.
- Dittmar, F. J. and J. J. Colledge. "SHIPS OF THE ROYAL NAVY, 1914–1919 – in ALPHABETICAL ORDER (Part 2 of 2)", British Warships 1914–1919. Naval-history.net. Retrieved 30 June 2013.
Bibliography
- Friedman, Norman. British Destroyers: From Earliest Days to the Second World War. Barnsley, UK: Seaforth Publishing, 2009. ISBN 978-1-84832-049-9.
- Moore, John. Jane's Fighting Ships of World War I. London:Studio, 1990. ISBN 1-85170-378-0.
- Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921 1985, Conway Maritime Press pp. 72–73