HMS Tourmaline (1919)

HMS Tourmaline was an S-class destroyer which served with the Royal Navy during the Greco-Turkish War and the Russian Civil War. Tourmaline was one of the destroyers ordered from Thornycroft with more powerful geared turbines than the majority of the class and design changes like a raised forecastle that improved seakeeping. Launched on 19 April 1919, the vessel operated as part of the Fourth Destroyer Flotilla serving with the Atlantic and Mediterranean Fleets. After serving in the Black Sea and Sea of Marmara, during which sisterships Speedy and Tobago were lost, Tourmaline led the Gibraltar Local Defence Flotilla. With the signing of the London Naval Treaty, the Royal Navy needed to retire some destroyers to meet the tonnage requirement and Tourmaline was chosen for retirement. Thus, after just over ten years service, the destroyer was decommissioned on 28 November 1931 and scrapped.

For other ships with the same name, see HMS Tourmaline.

Sistership HMS Tobago
History
United Kingdom
Name:	HMS Tourmaline
Namesake:	Tourmaline
Ordered:	June 1917
Builder:	Thornycroft
Laid down:	January 1918
Launched:	19 April 1919
Commissioned:	18 December 1919
Out of service:	28 November 1931
Fate:	Broken up
General characteristics
Class and type:	S-class destroyer
Displacement:	1,087 long tons (1,104 t) standard 1,240 long tons (1,260 t) deep load
Length:	266 ft 9 in (81.3 m) between perpendiculars
Beam:	27 ft 4 in (8.3 m)
Draught:	10 ft 4 in (3.15 m)
Propulsion:	3 Yarrow boilers 2 geared Brown Curtis steam turbines, 29,000 shp
Speed:	36 knots (41 mph; 67 km/h)
Range:	3,450 nautical miles (6,390 km) at 20 knots (37 km/h)
Complement:	90
Armament:	3 × QF 4 inches (102 mm) Mark IV guns 1 × single 2-pounder (40 mm) "pom-pom" Mk. II anti-aircraft gun 4 × 21 in (533 mm) torpedo tubes (2×2) 2 × 21 in (533 mm) torpedo tubes (1×1)

Design

Main article: S-class destroyer

Tourmaline was one of three S-class destroyers ordered by the British Admiralty from Thornycroft in June 1917 as part of the Twelfth War Construction Programme.[1] The design was based on the R-class destroyer Rosalind built by the shipyard. Compared to the standard S-class vessels, the design, also known as Modified Rosalind, was longer, with a raised forward gun position and 18 in (457 mm) torpedo tubes moved to a new position, both of which improved seakeeping.[2] In a similar way to previous designs, Thornycroft also installed more powerful machinery to give the warship a higher top speed. This also enabled a more stable hull design with a greater beam and a metacentric height of 2 ft 10 in (0.86 m).[3]

Tourmaline had a overall length of 275 ft 9 in (84.05 m) and a length of 266 ft 9 in (81.31 m) between perpendiculars. Beam was 27 ft 4 in (8.33 m) and draught 10 ft 4 in (3.15 m).[4] Displacement was 1,087 long tons (1,104 t) normal and 1,240 long tons (1,260 t) full load. Three Yarrow boilers fed steam to two sets of Brown-Curtis geared steam turbines rated at 29,000 shaft horsepower (22,000 kW) and driving two shafts, giving a design speed of 36 knots (67 km/h; 41 mph) in light load and 32 knots (59 km/h; 37 mph) at full load. Two funnels were fitted, the forward one larger in diameter. 250 tons of oil were carried, giving a design range of 3,450 nautical miles (6,390 km; 3,970 mi) at 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph). Complement was 90 officers and ratings.[1]

Armament consisted of three QF 4in Mk IV guns on the ship's centreline.[4] One was mounted raised on the forecastle, one between the funnels and one aft.[5] The ship also mounted a single 2-pounder (40 mm) pom-pom anti-aircraft gun for air defence. A total of six torpedoes were fitted, consisting of four 21 in (533 mm) tubes in two twin rotating mounts aft and two 18 in (457 mm) tubes on fixed mounts fitted athwartships.[1] Fire control included a single Dumaresq and a Vickers range clock.[6]

Service

Laid down in January 1918, Tourmaline was launched on 19 April 1919.[7] On completion on 18 December that year, the ship joined the Fourth Destroyer Flotilla of the Atlantic Fleet under the C-class light cruiser Castor.[8] As part of fleet led by the dreadnought battleship Iron Duke, the ship was assigned to Constantinople as part of a wider presence to represent British interests in the conflicts in the Black Sea.[9] The fleet was soon in action in support the Volunteer Army fighting in the Southern Front of the Russian Civil War.[10] For the destroyers, this often involved operations close to the coast in areas were the risks were highest. For example, while Tourmaline and sistership Tobago patrolled the area of the Black Sea between Novorossiysk and Tuapse between 1 and 10 November 1920, Tobago was fatally crippled after striking a mine.[11]

Soon afterwards, Tourmaline was also damaged. After a period back in UK waters, when departing Portland on 17 January 1921 to rejoin the Fleet, the ship collided with the Yarrow-built S-class destroyer Turquoise and had to instead sail to Portsmouth for repairs.[12] Soon afterwards, the Flotilla was allocated to the Mediterranean Fleet. The destroyer formed part of a fleet part of the Royal Navy’s presence in the Greco-Turkish War.[13] The ship was allocated to Constantinople and patrolled the areas around the Sea of Marmara[14] It was while on this service that the ship took on the survivors from sistership Speedy when that vessel sank on 24 September 1922 with the loss of ten lives.[15] Following the end of this operation, on 15 May 1926, Tourmaline was recommissioned in Gibraltar to lead the Local Defence Flotilla.[16] On 22 April 1930, the London Naval Treaty was signed which limited total destroyer tonnage in the Navy.[17] Tourmaline was one of those chosen to be retired and, on 28 November 1931, the destroyer was sold to Thos W Ward and broken up at Grays.[18]

Pennant numbers

Pennant Number	Date
D83	December 1919[19]

References

Citations

1. Gardiner & Gray 1985, p. 85.
2. Friedman 2009, p. 158.
3. March 1966, p. 220.
4. Parkes & Prendegast 1920, p. 91.
5. Friedman 2009, p. 163.
6. "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.
7. March 1966, p. 215.
8. "Tourmaline". The Navy List: 876. April 1920. Retrieved 10 June 2020 – via National Library of Scotland.
9. Halpern 2019, p. 141.
10. Kettle 1992, p. 272.
11. Halpern 2019, p. 286–287.
12. "Naval & Military Intelligence". The Times. 20 January 1921. p. 1.
13. Halpern 2019, p. 264.
14. "Naval & Military Intelligence". The Times. 2 November 1922. p. 20.CS1 maint: date and year (link)
15. Edwards 1939, p. 61.
16. "Mediterranean Fleet". The Navy List: 275. July 1931.
17. Friedman 2009, p. 211.
18. Colledge & Warlow 2006, p. 331.
19. Dittmar & Colledge 1972, p. 75.

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 978-1-85367-566-9.
• Dittmar, F.J.; Colledge, J.J. (1972). British Warships 1914–1919. Shepperton: Ian Allan. ISBN 978-0-71100-380-4.
• Edwards, Kenneth (1939). The Grey Diplomatists. London: Rich & Cowan.
• Friedman, Norman (2009). British Destroyers: From Earliest Days to the First World War. Barnsley: Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84832-049-9.
• Gardiner, Robert; Gray, Randal, eds. (1985). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 978-0-85177-245-5.
• Halpern, Paul (2019). The Mediterranean Fleet, 1919-1929. London: Routledge. ISBN 978-1-91142-387-4.
• Kettle, Michael (1992). Churchill and the Archangel Fiasco. London: Routledge. ISBN 978-0-41508-286-0.
• March, Edgar J. (1966). British Destroyers: A History of Development, 1892–1953. London: Seeley Service. OCLC 164893555.
• Parkes, Oscar; Prendegast, Maurice (1920). Jane’s Fighting Ships. London: Sampson Low, Marston & Co. Ltd.