HMS Nonpareil (1916)

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History
United Kingdom
NameNonpareil
OrderedNovember 1914
BuilderStephens, Linthouse
Laid down24 February 1915
Launched7 February 1916
Completed28 June 1916
Out of service9 May 1921
FateSold to be broken up
General characteristics
Class and typeAdmiralty M-class destroyer
Displacement948 long tons (963 t) (normal)
Length
  • 273 ft 4 in (83.3 m) (o/a)
  • 265 feet (80.8 m) (p.p.)
Beam26 ft 8 in (8.1 m)
Draught8 ft 11 in (2.7 m)
Installed power3 Yarrow boilers, 27,800 shp (20,700 kW)
PropulsionBrown-Curtiss steam turbines, 3 shafts
Speed34 knots (63 km/h; 39 mph)
Range2,530 nmi (4,690 km; 2,910 mi) at 15 kn (28 km/h; 17 mph)
Complement80
Armament

HMS Nonpareil was a Repeat Admiralty M-class destroyer that served in the Royal Navy during the First World War. The M class was an improvement on those of the preceding L class, capable of higher speed. Nonpareil had a largely uneventful war. Joining the Fourteenth Destroyer Flotilla of the Grand Fleet in 1916, the vessel was soon involved in an exercise that involved most of the dreadnoughts of the First and Third Battle Squadrons but did not take part in any fleet actions. In 1917, the destroyer was a participant in anti-ship and anti-submarine patrols, but these were unsuccessful and the ship did not engage any enemy warships. After the Armistice that ended the war, Nonpareil was initially put in reserve and then sold in 1921 to be broken up.

Design and development[edit]

Nonpareil was one of 22 Repeat Admiralty M-class destroyers ordered by the British Admiralty in late November 1914 as part of the Third War Programme soon after the start of the First World War.[1] The M class was an improved version of the earlier L class, required to reach a higher speed in order to counter rumoured new German fast destroyers. The remit was to have a maximum speed of 36 knots (67 km/h; 41 mph) and, although ultimately the destroyers fell short of that ambition in service, the extra performance that was achieved was valued by the navy. It transpired that the German warships did not exist.[2] The Repeat M class differed from the prewar vessels in having a raked stem and design improvements based on wartime experience.[3]

The destroyer had a length of 265 ft (80.8 m) between perpendiculars and 273 ft 4 in (83.3 m) overall, with a beam of 26 ft 8 in (8.1 m) and draught of 8 ft 11 in (2.7 m).[4] Displacement was 948 long tons (963 t) normal. Power was provided by three Yarrow boilers feeding Brown-Curtiss steam turbines rated at 27,800 shaft horsepower (20,700 kW). The turbines drove three shafts and exhausted through three funnels. Design speed was 34 knots (63 km/h; 39 mph), which the vessel exceeded on trials.[1][3] A total of 228 long tons (232 t) of oil was carried. Design range was 2,530 nautical miles (4,690 km; 2,910 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph), but actual endurance in service was less; sister ship Murray had a range of 2,240 nautical miles (4,150 km; 2,580 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph).[4]

Nonpareil had a main armament consisting of three single QF 4-inch (102 mm) Mk IV guns on the centreline, with one on the forecastle, one aft on a raised platform and one between the middle and aft funnels. Torpedo armament consisted of two twin torpedo tubes for 21 in (533 mm) torpedoes located aft of the funnels.[5][6] Two single 1-pounder 37 mm (1.5 in) "pom-pom" anti-aircraft guns were carried.[7] The anti-aircraft guns were later replaced by 2-pdr 40 mm (1.6 in) "pom-pom" guns.[4] The ship had a complement of 80 officers and ratings.[7]

Construction and career[edit]

Nonpareil was laid down by Stephens on 24 February 1915 at Linthouse, launched on 7 February the following year and completed on 28 June.[8][9] The vessel was the third of the name in service with the Royal Navy and was deployed as part of the Grand Fleet, joining the Fourteenth Destroyer Flotilla based at Scapa Flow.[10][11] On 4 July, the new flotilla was sent from Scapa Flow to the Humber.[12] On 22 November, the flotilla took part in exercises north of the Shetland Islands under the dreadnought Iron Duke that also involved the majority of the First and Third Battle Squadrons.[13]

During 1917, the Fourteenth Destroyer Flotilla was involved in anti-submarine operations, and for nine days from 15 June the destroyer was stationed off the Shetland Islands.[14][15] The operation did not lead to the destruction of any submarines and the Admiralty increasingly redeployed the destroyers of the Grand Fleet to escorting convoys.[16] Nonetheless, on 15 October, Nonpareil formed part of a large-scale operation, involving 30 cruisers and 54 destroyers deployed in eight groups across the North Sea in an attempt to stop a suspected sortie by German naval forces.[17] Despite these measures, the German light cruisers Bremse and Brummer managed to attack the regular convoy between Norway and Britain two days later, sinking two destroyers, Mary Rose and Strongbow, and nine merchant ships before returning safely to Germany.[18]

After the Armistice that ended the war in 1918, the Royal Navy returned to a peacetime level of strength and both the number of ships and the amount of personnel needed to be reduced to save money.[19] The destroyer was transferred to reserve at Portsmouth.[20] However, that situation did not last long. The harsh conditions of wartime operations, exacerbated by the fact that the hull was not galvanised, meant that the ship was soon worn out.[21] Nonpareil was retired, and, on 9 May 1921, was sold to Ward to be broken up at Briton Ferry.[8]

Pennant numbers[edit]

Pennant number Date
G37 September 1915[22]
G53 January 1917[23]
G54 January 1918[23]
D0A September 1918[24]
F71 January 1919[25]

References[edit]

Citations[edit]

  1. ^ a b McBride 1991, p. 45.
  2. ^ Friedman 2009, p. 132.
  3. ^ a b Parkes & Prendergast 1969, p. 109.
  4. ^ a b c Friedman 2009, p. 296.
  5. ^ Preston 1985, pp. 76, 80.
  6. ^ March 1966, p. 174.
  7. ^ a b Preston 1985, p. 76.
  8. ^ a b Colledge & Warlow 2006, p. 245.
  9. ^ Friedman 2009, p. 308.
  10. ^ Manning & Walker 1959, p. 317.
  11. ^ "Destroyer Flotillas of the Grand Fleet". Supplement to the Monthly Navy List: 12. July 1916. Archived from the original on 15 December 2021. Retrieved 30 October 2023 – via National Library of Scotland.
  12. ^ Naval Staff Monograph No. 33 1927, p. 20.
  13. ^ Naval Staff Monograph No. 33 1927, p. 215.
  14. ^ Newbolt 1931, p. 55.
  15. ^ "Destroyer Flotillas of the Grand Fleet", Supplement to The Monthly Navy List, p. 12, July 1917, retrieved 30 October 2023 – via National Library of Scotland
  16. ^ Newbolt 1928, p. 383.
  17. ^ Newbolt 1931, p. 151.
  18. ^ Newbolt 1931, pp. 153–157.
  19. ^ Moretz 2002, p. 79.
  20. ^ "V Vessels in Reserve at Home Ports and Other Bases". The Supplement to the Monthly Navy List: 20. January 1919. Archived from the original on 13 April 2021. Retrieved 30 October 2023 – via National Library of Scotland.
  21. ^ Preston 1985, p. 80.
  22. ^ Bush & Warlow 2021, p. 64.
  23. ^ a b Bush & Warlow 2021, p. 65.
  24. ^ Dittmar & Colledge 1972, p. 66.
  25. ^ Bush & Warlow 2021, p. 51.

Bibliography[edit]

  • Bush, Steve; Warlow, Ben (2021). Pendant Numbers of the Royal Navy: A Complete History of the Allocation of Pendant Numbers to Royal Navy Warships & Auxiliaries. Barnsley: Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-526793-78-2.
  • Colledge, James Joseph; Warlow, Ben (2006). Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of All Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy. London: Chatham Press. ISBN 978-1-93514-907-1.
  • Dittmar, F.J.; Colledge, J.J. (1972). British Warships 1914–1919. Shepperton: Ian Allan. ISBN 978-0-71100-380-4.
  • Friedman, Norman (2009). British Destroyers: From Earliest Days to the First World War. Barnsley: Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84832-049-9.
  • Manning, Thomas Davys; Walker, Charles Frederick (1959). British Warship Names. London: Putnam. OCLC 780274698. Archived from the original on 14 April 2023. Retrieved 29 October 2023.
  • 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.
  • McBride, Keith (1991). "British 'M' Class Destroyers of 1913–14". In Gardiner, Robert (ed.). Warship 1991. London: Conway Maritime Press. pp. 34–49. ISBN 978-0-85177-582-1.
  • Monograph No. 33: Home Waters: Part VII: From June 1916 to November 1916 (PDF). Naval Staff Monographs (Historical). Vol. XVII. Naval Staff, Training and Staff Duties Division. 1927. Archived (PDF) from the original on 21 September 2022. Retrieved 29 October 2023.
  • Moretz, Joseph (2002). The Royal Navy and the Capital Ship in the Interwar Period. London: Routledge. ISBN 978-0-71465-196-5.
  • Newbolt, Henry (1928). Naval Operations: Volume IV. History of the Great War. London: Longmans, Green and Co. OCLC 1049894132.
  • Newbolt, Henry (1931). Naval Operations: Volume V. History of the Great War. London: Longmans, Green and Co. OCLC 220475309.
  • Parkes, Oscar; Prendergast, Maurice (1969). Jane's Fighting Ships 1919. Newton Abbott: David & Charles. OCLC 907574860.
  • Preston, Antony (1985). "Great Britain and Empire Forces". In Gardiner, Robert; Gray, Randal (eds.). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. London: Conway Maritime Press. pp. 1–104. ISBN 978-0-85177-245-5.
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