History
United Kingdom
NamePheasant
OrderedMay 1915
BuilderFairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company, Govan, Glasgow
Launched23 October 1916
CommissionedDecember 1916
FateSunk by naval mine, 1 March 1917
General characteristics
Class and typeAdmiralty M-class destroyer
Displacement972 long tons (988 t) (normal)
Length273 ft 4 in (83.3 m) (o/a)
Beam26 ft 8 in (8.1 m)
Draught8 ft 6 in (2.6 m)
Installed power
Propulsion3 shafts; 1 steam turbine set
Speed34 knots (63 km/h; 39 mph)
Range2,100 nmi (3,900 km; 2,400 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph)
Complement76
Armament

HMS Pheasant was one of 85 Admiralty M-class destroyers built during the First World War for the Royal Navy. She hit and was sunk by a mine in 1917.

Description

The Admiralty M class were improved and faster versions of the preceding Laforey-class destroyer.[1] They displaced 972 long tons (988 t). The ships had an overall length of 273 feet 4 inches (83.3 m), a beam of 26 feet 8 inches (8.1 m) and a draught of 8 feet 6 inches (2.6 m). Pheasant was powered by a single Brown-Curtis direct-drive steam turbine turning three propeller shafts, using steam provided by three Yarrow boilers. The turbines developed a total of 25,000 shaft horsepower (19,000 kW) and gave a maximum speed of 34 knots (63 km/h; 39 mph). The ships carried a maximum of 228 long tons (232 t) of fuel oil that gave them a range of 2,100 nautical miles (3,900 km; 2,400 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph). The ships' complement was 76 officers and ratings.[2]

The ships were armed with three single QF 4-inch (102 mm) Mark IV guns and a QF 2-pounder (40 mm (1.6 in)) "pom-pom" anti-aircraft gun. They were also fitted with two above-water twin mounts for 21-inch (533 mm) torpedoes.[3]

Construction and career

Pheasant was ordered as part of the 5th War Emergency Programme in May 1915. She was built by Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company at its shipyard in Govan on the Clyde and launched on 23 October 1916. Completed in December she was assigned to the Grand Fleet,[4] joining the 15th Destroyer Flotilla.[5] On the morning of 1 March 1917 the destroyer, together with a number of armed trawlers, was taking part in a routine patrol of the Western entrance to Scapa Flow, the Grand Fleet's anchorage in the Orkneys. Pheasant was off Hoy when the trawlers observed a large explosion, due to Partridge striking a mine.[6] The destroyer sank with the loss of 89 lives.[7] The sinking has variously attributed to a drifting mine from a field laid by the German armed merchant cruiser Möwe in 1915–1916,[6][8] a mine laid by the submarine U-80 in January 1917,[6][9] or one laid by UC-43.[8] the Only one body and a small amount of debris was recovered by the trawlers.[6] The wreck lies roughly E-W, in 82 metres (269 ft) of water at 58°52.07′N 3°27.41′W / 58.86783°N 3.45683°W / 58.86783; -3.45683 and was found by divers from the Army Sub-Aqua Club on 13 May 1996.[8]

References

  1. ↑ Gardiner & Gray, p. 76
  2. ↑ Friedman, p. 296
  3. ↑ Gardiner & Gray, p. 79; March, p. 174
  4. ↑ Friedman, p. 309; March, pp. 179–180
  5. ↑ "Supplement to the Monthly Navy List Showing Organisation of the Fleet, Flag Officers' Commands &c.: I.—The Grand Fleet: Destroyer Flotillas of the Grand Fleet". The Navy List. January 1917. p. 12. Retrieved 25 March 2020 – via National Library of Scotland.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Naval Staff Monograph No 34, pp. 262–263.
  7. ↑ "Casualty Lists of the Royal Navy and Dominion Navies 1st - 31st MARCH 1917". naval-history.net. Retrieved 23 November 2019.
  8. 1 2 3 "HMS Pheasant". Canmore. Retrieved 10 October 2016.
  9. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit in WWI: HMS Partridge". Uboat.net. Retrieved 26 March 2020.

Bibliography

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