The sixth HMS Hazard was a Dryad-class torpedo gunboat

Dryad class torpedo gunboat

The Dryad-class torpedo gunboat was the last class of torpedo gunboat built for the Royal Navy. This type of vessel was rapidly replaced by the faster torpedo boat destroyer, and all of the class were converted to minesweepers during World War I, with the exception of Hazard, which became a...

. She was launched in 1894 and was converted into the world's first submarine depot ship in 1901. She collided with Submarine A3 on 2 February 1912, killing 14 men, and was herself sunk in collision with SS Western Australia on 28 January 1918.

Design

Ordered under the Naval Defence Act of 1889

Naval Defence Act 1889

The Naval Defence Act 1889 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, instituted on May 31, 1889 to increase the United Kingdom's naval strength and formally adopt the country’s "two-power standard." The standard called for the Royal Navy to maintain a number of battleships at least equal...

, which established the "Two-Power Standard", the class was contemporary with the first torpedo boat destroyers. With a length overall of 262 in 6 in (80.01 m), a beam of 30 in 6 in (9.3 m) and a displacement of 1,070 tons, these torpedo gunboats were not small ships by the standard of the time; they were larger than the majority of World War I destroyers. Hazard was engined by Fairfield with two sets of vertical triple-expansion steam engines, two locomotive-type boilers, and twin screws. This layout produced 3500 ihp, giving her a speed of 18.2 knots (35.7 km/h). She carried between 100 and 160 tons of coal and was manned by 120 sailors and officers.

Armament

The armament when built comprised two QF 4.7 inches (11.9 cm) guns

QF 4.7 inch Gun Mk I - IV

The QF 4.7 inch Gun Mks I, II, III, and IV were a family of United-Kingdom 120-mm naval and coast defence guns of 1888 and 1890s which served with the navies of various countries. They were also mounted on various wheeled carriages to provide the British Army with a long range gun...

, four 6-pdr guns and a single 5-barrelled Nordenfelt machine gun. Her primary weapon was five 18-inch (450-mm) torpedo tubes

British 18 inch torpedo

There have been a number of 18 inch torpedoes in service with the United Kingdom. These have been used on ships of the Royal Navy and aircraft of both the Fleet Air Arm and Royal Air Force...

,British "18 inch" torpedoes were 17.72 inches (45.0 cm) in diameter with two reloads. On conversion to a minesweeper in 1914 two of the five torpedoes were removed.

Naval review of 1897

On 26 June 1897 Halcyon was present at the Fleet Review at Spithead in celebration of Queen Vicoria

Victoria of the United Kingdom

Victoria was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India....

's Diamond Jubilee.

"Pacification of Crete"

Hazard was present during 1897 and 1898 at the campaign by the Great Powers to pacify Crete. A council of Naval officers ordered that the Customs House at Candia be turned over to the British in order to initiate a system of export duties. On 6 September 1898 a well-armed mob attacked the small force of soldiers and sailors at the customs house, and concurrently the British camp and hospital at the other end of the town were assaulted. Hazard opened fire on the town with her 4.7-inch guns when no support was provided by the Turkish troops charged with keeping order. The mob turned their attentions on the native Christian community, killing upwards of 1,000 men, women and children. Hazard lost four seamen killed and several wounded; Lieutenant Lewes, the commanding officer of Hazard was promoted to Commander, and Surgeon William Job Maillard

William Job Maillard

Staff Surgeon William Job Maillard VC was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces....

 was awarded the Victoria Cross

Victoria Cross

The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....

. A monument to the killed seaman has been placed in the Upper Barracca at Malta.

Submarine depot ship

In 1901 she was converted into the world's first submarine depot ship

Submarine tender

A submarine tender is a type of ship that supplies and supports submarines.Submarines are small compared to most oceangoing vessels, and generally do not have the ability to carry large amounts of food, fuel, torpedoes, and other supplies, nor to carry a full array of maintenance equipment and...

, the only ship of her class to be so converted. Her first captain in the new role was Captain Reginald Bacon

Reginald Bacon

Admiral Sir Reginald Hugh Spencer Bacon, KCB, KCVO, DSO was an officer in the Royal Navy noted for his technical abilities who was described by the First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir Jacky Fisher, as the man "acknowledged to be the cleverest officer in the Navy".-Family:Reginald was born at Wiggonholt in...

, who held the post of "Inspecting Captain of submarine boats". She was despatched to Barrow-in-Furness

Barrow-in-Furness

Barrow-in-Furness is an industrial town and seaport which forms about half the territory of the wider Borough of Barrow-in-Furness in the county of Cumbria, England. It lies north of Liverpool, northwest of Manchester and southwest from the county town of Carlisle...

 to take up her new task. In the summer of 1902 Hazard led a group consisting of HM Submarines No.2

Holland 2

HMS Holland 2 was the second Royal Navy submarine to be built, and the first to be given a non-secret launch, in February 1902.She was the second of the Holland-class submarines. Holland No. 2 was laid down on 4 February 1901 and commissioned on 1 August 1902...

 and No.3

Holland 3

Holland 3 was a Royal Navy submarine launched on 9 May 1902. The submarine was designed by Vickers at Barrow-in-Furness and was laid down on 4 February 1901. The submarine was commissioned on 1 August 1902. Holland 3 sank in trials in 1911 and was then sold on 7 October 1913.-External links:*...

, and Torpedo Boat No.42 to Portsmouth, where, together with submarines No.1

Holland 1

Holland 1 was the first submarine commissioned by the Royal Navy, the first in a six-boat batch of the Holland-class submarine. She was lost in 1913 while under tow to the scrapyard following decommissioning...

, No.4

Holland 4

Holland-class submarine No 4 was launched on the 23 May 1902. She was built by Vickers, at Barrow in Furness, Cumbria, United Kingdom, and was laid down in 1902. She was commissioned into the Royal Navy on 2 August 1903. In 1905 the submarine was fitted with a conning tower...

 and No.5

Holland 5

Holland 5 was the last of the five Holland-class submarines ordered by the British Admiralty to evaluate the potential of the submarine with the Royal Navy...

, they formed the First Submarine Flotilla.

Collision with submarine A3

On 2 February 1912 Hazard, under the command of Lieutenant Charles J C Little, collided with the submerged submarine A3

HMS A3

HMS A3 was an early Royal Navy submarine.She was a member of the first British A-class of submarines, although slightly bigger than the lead boat, . She was built at Vickers, Barrow-in-Furness and was commissioned on 13 July 1904. She was accidentally rammed whilst surfacing by the submarine tender...

. The submarine was in the process of surfacing during exercises when she was struck; the stricken boat sank with the loss of all 14 personnel on board.

World War I

In August 1914 Hazard was serving as the depot for the Fourth Submarine Flotilla.

Loss

On 28 January 1918 she collided with the hospital ship SS Western Australia in the English Channel and sank off Portland Bill

Portland Bill

Portland Bill is a narrow promontory of Portland stone, which forms the most southerly part of Isle of Portland, and therefore also the county of Dorset, England....

.