HMS Goldfinch (1910)

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

HMS Goldfinch was an Acorn-class destroyer built for the Royal Navy. Completed in 1911, the ship spent her career in home waters and participated in the First World War as part of the Grand Fleet. She was wrecked in fog on Start Point, Sanday, one of the northern Orkney Isles, on the night of 18–19 February 1915. Her wreck was broken up for scrap in April 1919.

History
United Kingdom
Name	Goldfinch
Builder	Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company, Govan, Glasgow
Laid down	23 February 1910
Launched	12 July 1910
Commissioned	February 1911
Fate	Wrecked, 19 February 1915 Broken up for scrap, April 1919
General characteristics
Class and type	Acorn-class destroyer
Displacement	778 long tons (790 t)
Length	246 ft (75.0 m)
Beam	25 ft 8 in (7.8 m)
Draught	8 ft 6 in (2.6 m)
Installed power	4 × Yarrow boilers 13,500 shp (10,100 kW)
Propulsion	2 × steam turbines; 2 × shafts
Speed	27 knots (50 km/h; 31 mph)
Complement	72
Armament	2 × single 4 in (102 mm) guns 2 × single 12 pdr (3 in (76 mm)) guns 2 × single 21 in (533 mm) torpedo tubes

Description

Ordered as part of the 1909–1910 Naval Programme, the Acorn-class ships were improved versions of the earlier Beagle class.^[1] The ships displaced 778 long tons (790 t) at normal load and 873 long tons (887 t) at deep load. They had an overall length of 246 feet (75.0 m), a beam of 25 feet 8 inches (7.8 m) and a draught of 9 feet 2 inches (2.8 m). The ship was powered by a single Parsons steam turbine set which drove three propeller shafts using steam provided by four Yarrow boilers.^[2] The turbine was rated at 13,500 shaft horsepower (10,100 kW) and was intended to give a speed of not less than 26 knots (48 km/h; 30 mph). During her sea trials Goldfinch reached 28.1 knots (52.0 km/h; 32.3 mph) from 14,537 shp (10,840 kW).^[3] The Acorns carried a maximum of 153 long tons (155 t) of fuel oil in wartime that gave them a range of 1,620 nautical miles (3,000 km; 1,860 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph). Their crew numbered 70 officers and ratings.^[2]

The ships were armed with a pair of BL 4-inch (102 mm) Mk VIII gun in single mounts, one on the forecastle and the other on the stern and a pair of quick-firing (QF) 12-pounder (3-inch (76 mm)) guns, one on each broadside between the two forward funnels. Their torpedo armament consisted of two rotating torpedo tubes for 21-inch (533 mm) torpedoes amidships.^[4]

Construction and service

Goldfinch was laid down at Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company's Govan, Glasgow shipyard on 23 February 1910 and was launched on 12 July 1910 and was completed in February 1911.^[5]

On commissioning, Goldfinch joined the Second Destroyer Flotilla. On the night of 11 March 1911, a fire broke out in the radio room of Goldfinch while alongside at Devonport, destroying the radio equipment.^[6] Goldfinch remained part of the Second Flotilla in February 1913.^[7]

On the outbreak of the First World War in August 1914, the 2nd Destroyer Flotilla, including Goldfinch, joined the newly established Grand Fleet.^[8][9] Goldfinch ran aground on Start Point, Sanday in the Orkney Islands in fog on the night of 18/19 February 1915. While none of her crew was killed, Goldfinch was wrecked. The ship's remains were sold for scrap in 1919.^[10][11]

References

1. Gardiner & Gray 1985, p. 74
2. Friedman 2009, p. 295
3. March 1966, pp. 109–110
4. March 1966, p. 112
5. Friedman 2009, p. 306
6. "Naval Matters—Past and Prospective: Devonport Dockyard". The Marine Engineer and Naval Architect. Vol. 33. April 1911. p. 335.
7. "Fleets and Squadrons in Commission at Home and Abroad: Flotillas of the First Fleet". The Navy List. March 1913. p. 269a. Retrieved 25 June 2022 – via National Library of Scotland.
8. Jellicoe 1919, p. 9
9. Manning 1961, pp. 25–26
10. Kemp 1999, p. 15
11. "Hms Goldfinch: Start Point, Sanday, Orkney, North Sea". Royal Commission of the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland. Retrieved 26 June 2022.

Bibliography

• Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969]. Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy (Rev. ed.). London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN 978-1-86176-281-8.
• Friedman, Norman (2009). British Destroyers: From Earliest Days to the Second World War. Barnsley, UK: 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 0-85177-245-5.
• Jellicoe, John (1919). The Grand Fleet 1914–16: Its Creation, Development and Work. London: Cassell and Company. OCLC 859842281.
• Kemp, Paul (1999). The Admiralty Regrets: British Warship Losses of the 20th Century. Stroud, UK: Sutton Publishing Limited. ISBN 0-7509-1567-6.
• Manning, T. D. (1961). The British Destroyer. London: Putnam. OCLC 6470051.
• March, Edgar J. (1966). British Destroyers: A History of Development, 1892–1953; Drawn by Admiralty Permission From Official Records & Returns, Ships' Covers & Building Plans. London: Seeley Service. OCLC 164893555.

External links

• Photo of HMS Goldfinch
• Bow/forefoot of HMS Goldfinch on Start Point