HMS Oberon (1916)

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

History
United Kingdom
NameHMS Oberon
OrderedFebruary 1915
BuilderDoxford, Sunderland
Launched29 September 1916
CompletedDecember 1916
Out of service9 May 1921
FateSold to be broken up
General characteristics
Class and typeAdmiralty M-class destroyer
Displacement
Length265 ft (81 m) (p.p.)
Beam26 ft 9 in (8 m)
Draught16 ft 3 in (5 m)
Installed power3 Yarrow boilers, 25,000 shp (19,000 kW)
PropulsionBrown-Curtis steam turbines, 3 shafts
Speed34 knots (63.0 km/h; 39.1 mph)
Range3,450 nmi (6,390 km; 3,970 mi) at 15 kn (28 km/h; 17 mph)
Complement76
Armament

HMS Oberon was a Repeat Admiralty M-class destroyer which served in the Royal Navy during the First World War. The M class were an improvement on the previous L-class, capable of higher speed. The vessel was launched in 1916 and joined the Grand Fleet. Oberon joined the Thirteenth Destroyer Flotilla which, in 1917, participated in a large anti-submarine warfare operation in the North Sea. The sortie led to three German submarines being sunk, although Oberon was not directly involved in these attacks. In 1918, the flotilla was involved in one of the final sorties of the Grand Fleet, but again the destroyer saw no action at the time. After the Armistice that marked the end of the First World War, Oberon was placed in reserve, decommissioned and, in 1921, sold to be broken up.

Design and development[edit]

Oberon was one of sixteen Repeat Admiralty M-class destroyer destroyers ordered by the British Admiralty in February 1915 as part of the Fourth War Construction Programme.[1] The M-class was an improved version of the earlier L-class destroyers, required to reach a higher speed in order to counter rumoured German fast destroyers. The remit was to have a maximum speed of 36 knots (67 km/h; 41 mph) and, although the eventual design did not achieve this, the greater performance was appreciated by the navy. It transpired that the German ships 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 was 265 feet (81 m) long between perpendiculars, with a beam of 26 feet 9 inches (8 m) and a draught of 16 feet 3 inches (5 m). Displacement was 950 long tons (970 t) normal and 1,021 long tons (1,037 t) at full load. Power was provided by three Yarrow boilers feeding Brown-Curtis steam turbines rated at 25,000 shaft horsepower (19,000 kW) and driving three shafts, to give a design speed of 34 knots (63 km/h; 39 mph).[3] Three funnels were fitted and 296 long tons (301 t) of oil was carried, giving a design range of 3,450 nautical miles (6,390 km; 3,970 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph).[4]

Armament consisted of three single QF 4-inch (102 mm) Mk IV guns on the ship's centreline, with one on the forecastle, one aft on a raised platform and one between the middle and aft funnels. A single 2-pounder 40 mm (2 in) "pom-pom" anti-aircraft gun was carried, while torpedo armament consisted of two twin mounts for 21 in (533 mm) torpedoes.[5] The ship had a complement of 80 officers and ratings.[6]

Construction and career[edit]

Laid down at their shipyard in Sunderland, Oberon was launched by William Doxford & Sons on 29 September 1916 and completed during December the same year.[3] The destroyer was the fourth Royal Navy ship to bear the name.[7] On commissioning, Oberon was deployed as part of the Grand Fleet, joining the Thirteenth Destroyer Flotilla based at Rosyth.[8][9] Between 1 and 10 October 1917, the flotilla took part in a large exercise to detect and trap German submarines in the North Sea.[10] Although Oberon was not directly involved, three enemy boats were sunk in the operation.[11] The flotilla took part in the Royal Navy's engagement with one of the final sorties of the German High Seas Fleet during the First World War, on 24 April 1918, although the two fleets did not actually meet and the destroyer saw no action.[12]

After the armistice, the Grand Fleet was disbanded and Oberon was placed in reserve with a reduced company at the Nore on 28 November 1919.[13] The harsh conditions of wartime service, exacerbated by the fact that the hull was not galvanised and operations often required high speed in high seas, meant that the destroyer was worn out and ready for retirement.[14] Oberon was decommissioned, and sold to Thos. W. Ward at Rainham, Kent, on 9 May 1921 to be broken up.[15]

Pennant numbers[edit]

Pennant Number Date
G80 September 1915[16]
F27 January 1917[17]
F36 January 1918[18]
H35 March 1918[19]
F84 January 1919[20]

References[edit]

Citations[edit]

  1. ^ McBride 1991, p. 45.
  2. ^ Friedman 2009, p. 132.
  3. ^ a b c Parkes & Prendergast 1969, p. 109.
  4. ^ Friedman 2009, p. 296.
  5. ^ March 1966, p. 174.
  6. ^ Preston 1985, p. 79.
  7. ^ Manning & Walker 1959, p. 321.
  8. ^ "Destroyer Flotillas of the Grand Fleet". The Navy List: 12. January 1917. Retrieved 24 April 2022 – via National Library of Scotland.
  9. ^ Naval Staff Monograph No. 35 1939, p. 265.
  10. ^ Newbolt 1931, p. 145.
  11. ^ Newbolt 1931, p. 149.
  12. ^ Newbolt 1931, p. 287.
  13. ^ "626 Oberon", The Navy List, p. 817, July 1920, retrieved 24 April 2022 – via National Library of Scotland
  14. ^ Preston 1985, p. 80.
  15. ^ Colledge & Warlow 2006, p. 248.
  16. ^ Dittmar & Colledge 1972, p. 67.
  17. ^ Bush & Warlow 2021, p. 47.
  18. ^ Bush & Warlow 2021, p. 48.
  19. ^ Bush & Warlow 2021, p. 72.
  20. ^ Bush & Warlow 2021, p. 52.

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, J.J.; 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.
  • 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. 35: Home Waters Part IX: 1st May 1917 to 31st July 1917 (PDF). Naval Staff Monographs (Historical). Vol. XIX. Naval Staff, Training and Staff Duties Division. 1939.
  • 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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