HMS Scourge (1910)

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

HMS Scourge was a Beagle-class destroyer, launched in 1910 and served in the Royal Navy. In 1913 she was transferred to the Third Destroyer Flotilla.^[2] She was used during the Gallipoli campaign to help transfer regiments to the shore at Anzac Cove and Suvla Bay. Subsequently, she assisted in the rescue of survivors from the sinking of HMHS Britannic.

HMS Scourge at sea 1914
History
United Kingdom
Name	HMS Scorpion
Builder	R. W. Hawthorn Leslie & Company[1]
Launched	11 February 1910[1]
Fate	Sold for scrap, 9 May 1921[1]
General characteristics
Class and type	Beagle-class destroyer
Displacement	860–940 long tons (874–955 t)
Length	275 ft (84 m)
Beam	27 ft 6 in (8.38 m)
Draught	8 ft 6 in (2.59 m)
Installed power	12,500 hp (9,300 kW)
Propulsion	Coal-fired boilers, 2 or 3 shaft steam turbines
Speed	27 knots (50 km/h; 31 mph)
Complement	96
Armament	1 × BL 4-inch (100 mm) L/40 Mark VIII guns, mounting P Mark V 3 × QF 12 pdr 12 cwt Mark I, mounting P Mark I 2 × single 21 inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes

Construction and result

Scourge was built by the Hawthorn Leslie and Company, and launched on 11 February 1910. She was 84 metres long and 8.4 metres wide. She had three funnels and three propellers, which enabled her to sail at speeds of up to 27 knots (50 km/h; 31 mph).

Gallipoli landings of WW1

HMS Scourge towing troops to the shore during the landing at Anzac Cove on 25 April 1915

At Suvla Bay on 6–7 August 1915 Scourge worked with five other Beagle destroyers as well as a Portuguese destroyer to tow troop landing craft to the shore.^[3]

Assistance with HMHS Britannic

The survivors from HMHS Britannic (including medical personnel and crew members) aboard HMS Scourge

HMS Scourge assisted after the sinking of the hospital ship HMHS Britannic while cruising through the Aegean during the Gallipoli operations. She received SOS and CQD from the Kea Channel; steamed towards the location. Scourge picked up 339 survivors and the rest rowed to land on Kea Island or got picked up by other ships afterwards.

Fate

HMS Scourge was sold on 9 May 1921 and scrapped at Briton Ferry.^[1]

References

1. Gardiner, Robert; Gray, Randal, eds. (1985). Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. London: Conway Maritime Press. pp. 73–74. ISBN 0-85177-245-5.
2. Admiralty (1914) The Navy List, H.M. Stationery Office, page 373.
3. Smith P. C. (1971) Hard lying: the birth of the destroyer, 1893-1913, page 113, Naval Institute Press. ISBN 9780870218286