HMS Rapid (1916)

HMS Rapid was a destroyer of the M class which served with the Royal Navy. Launched by Thornycroft on 15 July 1916 as the first of six similar ships, the destroyer served as part of the Grand Fleet during World War I. The design was used as the basis for the subsequent five ships of the R-class also built by the yard. Rapid served in escort and patrol roles, principally providing defence from submarines as part of the Grand Fleet until it was disbanded at the end of the War. After the end of hostilities, the vessel served in minor roles, including briefly as part of the Admiralty Compass Department, but was sold to be scrapped on 20 April 1927.

For other ships with the same name, see HMS Rapid.
HMS Patriot was an earlier Thornycroft M-class, seen here in 1922
History
United Kingdom
Name: Rapid
Builder: Thornycroft, Woolston, Southampton
Yard number: 827
Laid down: 12 August 1915
Launched: 15 July 1916
Commissioned: 19 September 1916
Decommissioned: 20 April 1927
Fate: Broken up at Garston, Liverpool
General characteristics
Class and type: Thornycroft M-class destroyer
Displacement: 1,033 long tons (1,050 t) standard 1,208 long tons (1,227 t) full
Length: 274 ft (83.5 m)
Beam: 27 ft 6 in (8.4 m)
Draught: 10 ft (3.0 m)
Propulsion:
Speed: 35 kn (40 mph; 65 km/h)
Range: 3,450 nmi (6,390 km) at 20 kn (37 km/h)
Complement: 82
Armament:

Design
Main article: Thornycroft M-class destroyer

Rapid was one of two M-class destroyers ordered by the British Admiralty from John I. Thornycroft & Company in May 1915 as part of the Fifth War Construction Programme. Rapid and Ready were the fifth and sixth of the Thornycroft M-class; they differed from the 85 destroyers built to the Admiralty design in having more powerful engines, which gave them a higher potential speed.[1] The speed increase was to combat a rumoured German design that was capable of 36 knots (67 km/h; 41 mph).[2]

Rapid was 274 feet (84 m) long overall and 265 feet (81 m) long between perpendiculars, with a beam of 27 feet 6 inches (8.38 m) and a draught of 10 feet (3.0 m).[3] Displacement was 1,033 long tons (1,050 t) normal and 1,208 long tons (1,227 t) full load.[4] Three Yarrow boilers fed steam to two sets of Brown-Curtis steam turbines rated at 27,500 shp (20,500 kW) and driving two shafts, giving a design speed of 35 knots (65 km/h; 40 mph), although the ship reached 35.45 knots (65.65 km/h; 40.80 mph) during trials.[3] Three funnels were fitted, the centre one being wider than the others, a feature shared with the R-class destroyers designed by Thornycroft.[4] A total of 275 long tons (279 t) of oil were carried, giving a design range of 1,620 nautical miles (3,000 km; 1,860 mi) at 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph).[5]

Armament consisted of three QF 4in Mk IV guns on the ship's centreline, with one on the forecastle, one aft and one between the second and third funnels.[3] Four 21 in (533 mm) torpedoes were carried in two twin rotating mounts.[6] By 1920, the ship was equipped with a single 2-pounder (40 mm) pom-pom anti-aircraft gun.[7] Fire control included a single Dumaresq and a Vickers range clock.[8] The vessel had a complement of 82 officers and men.[3]

Service

Rapid was laid down on 12 August 1915 and launched on 15 July 1916.[9] On commissioning on 19 September 1916, the ship joined the Grand Fleet, initially with the Fifteenth Destroyer Flotilla.[1][10] Ocassionally, the vessel operated alone. On 17 May 1917, the ship rescued the survivors from the British armed merchantman Middlesex, which had been sunk by the German submarine U-30 the previous day. In the process, Rapid was involved in a friendly fire incident when it mistook the British submarine E54, which was simultaneously approaching the lifeboats, for an enemy and subjected it to gunfire and a depth charge attack, albeit without sinking it.[11]

The flotilla was also employed collectively in larger operations, although these sorties were also not always as successful. For example, during an anti-submarine patrol in the North Sea as part of a convoy run from Lerwick between 15 and 24 June 1917, Rapid launched twelve attacks, none of which led to the destruction of any submarines.[12] The destroyer was also employed on escort duties and it was during one these operations in the North Sea during August 1917 that Rapid, along with the destroyer Tirade, unsuccessfully attacked a fleeing German submarine.[13] Rapid continued to serve with the Fifteenth Destroyer Flotilla until the end of the war.[14]

When the Grand Fleet was disbanded, Rapid was kept on "miscellaneous service."[15][lower-alpha 1] In 1921, the ship was seconded to the Compass Department of the Admiralty, which had responsibility for many of the scientific instruments used on board ships of the Navy.[17] However, in 1923, the Navy decided to scrap many of the older destroyers, up to and including some of the M-class, in preparation for the introduction of newer and larger vessels.[18] Despite having little over a decade in service, Rapid was retired and sold to G Cohen for breaking up on 20 April 1927.[9]

Pennant numbers
Pennant Number Date
G63September 1915[19]
G78January 1917[19]
G83January 1918[19]

Notes
  1. Contemporary documents also list a HMS Rapid in Gibraltar but this was an older vessel.[16]
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References

Citations
  1. Friedman 2009, p. 308.
  2. Friedman 2009, p. 132.
  3. Parkes & Prendegast 1919, p. 110.
  4. Gardiner & Gray 1985, p. 79.
  5. March 1966, p. 143.
  6. Gardiner & Gray 1985, p. 80.
  7. March 1966, p. 146.
  8. "Fire Control in H.M. Ships". The Technical History and Index: Alteration in Armaments of H.M. Ships during the War. 3 (23): 31. 1919.
  9. Colledge & Warlow 2006, p. 331.
  10. "Destroyer Flotillas of the Grand Fleet", The Navy List, p. 12, October 1916, retrieved 12 October 2018 – via National Library of Scotland
  11. Naval Staff Monograph No. 35 1939, p. 30.
  12. Newbolt 1931, pp. 54–56.
  13. Williams 1997, p. 151.
  14. "Destroyer Flotillas of the Grand Fleet". The Navy List: 12. October 1918. Retrieved 12 October 2018 – via National Library of Scotland.
  15. "Vessels on Miscellaneous Service". The Navy List: 710. January 1920. Retrieved 12 October 2018 – via National Library of Scotland.
  16. Winfield & Lyon 2004, p. 293.
  17. "Local Defence and Training Establishments, Patrol Flotillas, Etc", The Navy List, p. 704, January 1921, retrieved 12 October 2018 – via National Library of Scotland
  18. Friedman 2009, p. 180.
  19. Dittmar & Colledge 1972, p. 68.

Bibliography
  • Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006). Ships of the Royal Navy: A Complete Record of All Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy From the 15th Century to the Present. London: Chatham. ISBN 1-93514-907-5.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Dittmar, F.J.; Colledge, J.J. (1972). British Warships 1914–1919. Shepperton: Ian Allan. ISBN 0-7110-0380-7.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Friedman, Norman (2009). British Destroyers: From Earliest Days to the First World War. Barnsley: Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84832-049-9.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Gardiner, Robert; Gray, Randal, eds. (1985). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-245-5.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • March, Edgar J. (1966). British Destroyers: A History of Development 1892–1953. London: Seeley Service & Co. ISBN 1-84832-049-3.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Monograph No. 35: Home Waters Part IX: 1st May 1917 to 31st July 1917. Naval Staff Monographs (Historical). IX. Naval Staff, Training and Staff Duties Division. 1939.
  • Newbolt, Henry (1931). Naval Operations: Vol. V. History of the Great War. London: Longmans, Green and Co. Retrieved 25 March 2020 – via Archive.org.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Parkes, Oscar; Prendegast, Maurice (1919). Jane’s Fighting Ships. London: Sampson Low, Marston & Co. Ltd.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Williams, M. W. (1997). "HMS Tirade and the sinking of UC-55". In Mclean, David; Preston, Antony (eds.). Warship 1997-1998. London: Conway Maritime. ISBN 0-85177-722-8.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Winfield, Rif; Lyon, David (2004). The Sail and Steam Navy List: All the Ships of the Royal Navy 1815–1889. London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN 1-86176-032-9.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
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