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HMS Skirmisher (1905)
Encyclopedia
HMS Skirmisher was one of two Sentinel class
scout cruiser
s which served with the Royal Navy
. She was built by Vickers Limited
, laid down in July 1903, launched on 7 February 1905 and completed in July 1905 at a cost of about £282,000. She sported a partial turtle deck forward and shorter funnels than later ships of this type. She has been the only ship of the Royal Navy to bear the name Skirmisher.
but like other ships of this type was soon proved to be too slow for the role. As turbine engined destroyers came into service, they were rendered obsolete.
HMS Skirmisher began her career as leader of the 5th Destroyer Flotilla of the Home Fleet, based at Dover
(1907). She then moved to the 2nd Destroyer Flotilla (1909), 4th Destroyer Flotilla (1910) and finally the 7th Destroyer Flotilla at Portsmouth
from July 1913. During her early career, her captains included Walter Cowan
and William Boyle
, both of whom would later rise to the rank of Admiral
.
She began World War I
in service with the 7th Destroyer Flotilla based on the Humber
, commanding two divisions from the 7th Flotilla (eight torpedo boats), under the overall command of Admiral Ballard, Admiral of Patrols. On 16 December the Germans raided the Yorkshire Coast. When the first news reached him, Ballard put to sea on the Skirmisher, at the head of the flotilla. Heavy seas forced him to send the torpedo boats back to the Humber, but Ballard continued on alone up the Yorkshire coast. By midday he was off Flamborough Head
, just south of Scarborough. From there he signalled that there were no ships between him and the Humber (12.40 pm). He then continued north, and was able to report that the enemy had left the vicinity of Whitby
and Filey
Bay (at the northern and southern ends of the North York Moors
), at 9 a.m. and had not been seen since. This signal reached Admiral Beatty
at 1.18 p.m., during his unsuccessful attempt to catch the German battlecruiser
s that had carried out the raid.
In 1915 Skirmisher was temporarily attached to the 6th Light Cruiser Squadron on the Humber. In 1916 she was stationed in the Mediterranean and then the Aegean
in 1918. 1920, after the war she was stationed back at Immingham
in the Humber until 1920, when she was considered surplus to requirements. On 3 March she was sold for scrap to Ward, of Preston
.
Sentinel class cruiser
The Sentinel class was a two ship class of scout cruiser serving with the Royal Navy, and consisting of the ships HMS Sentinel and HMS Skirmisher.-History:...
scout cruiser
Scout cruiser
A scout cruiser was a type of warship of the early 20th Century, which were smaller, faster, more lightly armed and armoured than protected cruisers or light cruisers, but larger than contemporary destroyers...
s which served with the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
. She was built by Vickers Limited
Vickers Limited
Vickers Limited was a famous British engineering conglomerate that merged into Vickers-Armstrongs in 1927.-Early history:Vickers was formed in Sheffield as a steel foundry by the miller Edward Vickers and his father-in-law George Naylor in 1828. Naylor was a partner in the foundry Naylor &...
, laid down in July 1903, launched on 7 February 1905 and completed in July 1905 at a cost of about £282,000. She sported a partial turtle deck forward and shorter funnels than later ships of this type. She has been the only ship of the Royal Navy to bear the name Skirmisher.
Career
She was designed to act as a leader of a destroyer flotillaFlotilla
A flotilla , or naval flotilla, is a formation of small warships that may be part of a larger fleet. A flotilla is usually composed of a homogeneous group of the same class of warship, such as frigates, destroyers, torpedo boats, submarines, gunboats, or minesweepers...
but like other ships of this type was soon proved to be too slow for the role. As turbine engined destroyers came into service, they were rendered obsolete.
HMS Skirmisher began her career as leader of the 5th Destroyer Flotilla of the Home Fleet, based at Dover
Dover
Dover is a town and major ferry port in the home county of Kent, in South East England. It faces France across the narrowest part of the English Channel, and lies south-east of Canterbury; east of Kent's administrative capital Maidstone; and north-east along the coastline from Dungeness and Hastings...
(1907). She then moved to the 2nd Destroyer Flotilla (1909), 4th Destroyer Flotilla (1910) and finally the 7th Destroyer Flotilla at Portsmouth
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
from July 1913. During her early career, her captains included Walter Cowan
Walter Cowan
Admiral Sir Walter Henry Cowan, 1st Baronet, KCB, MVO, DSO & & Bar , known as Tich Cowan, was a British Royal Navy admiral who saw service in both World War I and World War II; in the latter he was one of the oldest British servicemen on active duty.-Early days:Cowan was born in Crickhowell,...
and William Boyle
William Boyle, 12th Earl of Cork
Admiral of the Fleet William Henry Dudley Boyle, 12th Earl of Cork, 12th Earl of Orrery GCB GCVO RN was a career Royal Navy officer who had achieved the rank of full Admiral before succeeding a cousin in 1934 to the family titles, chief of which is Earl of Cork...
, both of whom would later rise to the rank of Admiral
Admiral
Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
.
She began World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
in service with the 7th Destroyer Flotilla based on the Humber
Humber
The Humber is a large tidal estuary on the east coast of Northern England. It is formed at Trent Falls, Faxfleet, by the confluence of the tidal River Ouse and the tidal River Trent. From here to the North Sea, it forms part of the boundary between the East Riding of Yorkshire on the north bank...
, commanding two divisions from the 7th Flotilla (eight torpedo boats), under the overall command of Admiral Ballard, Admiral of Patrols. On 16 December the Germans raided the Yorkshire Coast. When the first news reached him, Ballard put to sea on the Skirmisher, at the head of the flotilla. Heavy seas forced him to send the torpedo boats back to the Humber, but Ballard continued on alone up the Yorkshire coast. By midday he was off Flamborough Head
Flamborough Head
Flamborough Head is a promontory of on the Yorkshire coast of England, between the Filey and Bridlington bays of the North Sea. It is a chalk headland, and the resistance it offers to coastal erosion may be contrasted with the low coast of Holderness to the south...
, just south of Scarborough. From there he signalled that there were no ships between him and the Humber (12.40 pm). He then continued north, and was able to report that the enemy had left the vicinity of Whitby
Whitby
Whitby is a seaside town, port and civil parish in the Scarborough borough of North Yorkshire, England. Situated on the east coast of Yorkshire at the mouth of the River Esk, Whitby has a combined maritime, mineral and tourist heritage, and is home to the ruins of Whitby Abbey where Caedmon, the...
and Filey
Filey
Filey is a small town and civil parish in North Yorkshire, England. It forms part of the borough of Scarborough and is located between Scarborough and Bridlington on the North Sea coast. Although it started out as a fishing village, it has a large beach and is a popular tourist resort...
Bay (at the northern and southern ends of the North York Moors
North York Moors
The North York Moors is a national park in North Yorkshire, England. The moors are one of the largest expanses of heather moorland in the United Kingdom. It covers an area of , and it has a population of about 25,000...
), at 9 a.m. and had not been seen since. This signal reached Admiral Beatty
David Beatty, 1st Earl Beatty
Admiral of the Fleet David Richard Beatty, 1st Earl Beatty, GCB, OM, GCVO, DSO was an admiral in the Royal Navy...
at 1.18 p.m., during his unsuccessful attempt to catch the German battlecruiser
Battlecruiser
Battlecruisers were large capital ships built in the first half of the 20th century. They were developed in the first decade of the century as the successor to the armoured cruiser, but their evolution was more closely linked to that of the dreadnought battleship...
s that had carried out the raid.
In 1915 Skirmisher was temporarily attached to the 6th Light Cruiser Squadron on the Humber. In 1916 she was stationed in the Mediterranean and then the Aegean
Aegean Sea
The Aegean Sea[p] is an elongated embayment of the Mediterranean Sea located between the southern Balkan and Anatolian peninsulas, i.e., between the mainlands of Greece and Turkey. In the north, it is connected to the Marmara Sea and Black Sea by the Dardanelles and Bosporus...
in 1918. 1920, after the war she was stationed back at Immingham
Immingham
Immingham is a town in North East Lincolnshire, located on the south bank of the Humber Estuary...
in the Humber until 1920, when she was considered surplus to requirements. On 3 March she was sold for scrap to Ward, of Preston
City of Preston, Lancashire
The City of Preston is a city and non-metropolitan district in Lancashire, England. It is located on the north bank of the River Ribble, and was granted city status in 2002, becoming England's 50th city in the 50th year of Queen Elizabeth II's reign...
.