HMS Nonsuch (1915)

HMS Nonsuch 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. Originally laid down as HMS Narcissus but renamed before being launched in 1915, Nonsuch joined the Twelfth Destroyer Flotilla of the Grand Fleet. During the Battle of Jutland in 1916, after being attacked by the light cruisers of the German High Seas Fleet, the warship rescued the damaged destroyer Acasta. The vessel formed part of the screen for the dreadnought battleships of the First Battle Squadron during the Second Battle of Heligoland Bight in 1917. In both actions, the destroyer reported no hits. After the Armistice that ended the war, Nonsuch was initially put in reserve and then sold in 1921 to be broken up.

For other ships with the same name, see HMS Narcissus and HMS Nonsuch.
History
United Kingdom
NameNonsuch
OrderedNovember 1914
BuilderPalmers, Jarrow
Laid down17 November 1914
Launched7 December 1915
CompletedFebruary 1916
Out of service9 May 1921
FateSold to be broken up
General characteristics
Class and typeAdmiralty M-class destroyer
Displacement1,026 long tons (1,042 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, 26,030 shp (19,410 kW)
PropulsionParsons geared 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

Design and development

Nonsuch was one of the nine Repeat Admiralty M-class destroyers ordered by the British Admiralty in early November 1914 as part of the Second 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 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).[3] Displacement was 1,026 long tons (1,042 t) normal. Power was provided by three Yarrow boilers feeding Parsons geared steam turbines rated at 26,030 shaft horsepower (19,410 kW).[1] The turbines drove three shafts and exhausted through three funnels. Design speed was 34 knots (63 km/h; 39 mph).[4] 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).[3]

Nonsuch 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.[3] The ship had a complement of 80 officers and ratings.[7]

Construction and career

Narcissus was laid down by Palmers on 17 November 1914 at Jarrow, but was renamed Nonsuch before being launched on 7 December the following year.[8][9] Completed three months later in April 1916, the vessel was the ninth of the name in service with the Royal Navy.[10][11] The destroyer was deployed as part of the Grand Fleet, joining the Tweflth Destroyer Flotilla based at Scapa Flow.[12][13]

On 30 May, the destroyer sailed with the Grand Fleet to confront the German High Seas Fleet in what would be the Battle of Jutland, forming part of the Second Division of the Flotilla that included sister ship Menace.[14] The vessel was deployed in action against the German light cruisers Frankfurt and Pillau. However, as the destroyers manoeuvred, the cruisers attacked Menace and Nonsuch, which were at the rear of the flotilla. Nonsuch, veering swiftly to avoid being hit, lost touch with the remainder of the flotilla. Shortly afterwards, the vessel encountered the destroyer Acasta, previously damaged in the engagement, and towed the stricken ship back to Aberdeen, arriving on 2 June.[15][16][17]

On 19 January 1917, Nonsuch was transferred to Harwich, soon after joining a minesweeping operation on the Swarte Bank in the North Sea. The destroyer remained based in Harwich, although still a member of the Tweflth Destroyer Flotilla.[18][19] On 17 November, the destroyer took part in the Second Battle of Heligoland Bight, escorting the First Battle Squadron led by the dreadnought battleship Revenge.[20] The warship saw no action in the battle.[21] The flotilla subsequently took part in a large exercise with other flotillas and fleets of the Grand Fleet, led by the dreadnought battleship Iron Duke, between 22 and 24 November.[22] At the end of the war, Nonsuch was part of the Third Destroyer Flotilla.[23]

After the Armistice that ended the war, 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.[24][25] However, the harsh conditions of wartime operations, exacerbated by the fact that the hull was not galvanised, meant that the ship was soon worn out.[26] Nonsuch was declared superfluous to operational requirements, retired, and, on 9 May 1921, was sold to Ward, arriving at Milford Haven in September the following year to be broken up.[9]

Pennant numbers
Pennant number Date
G12September 1915[27]
G39January 1917[28]
G38January 1918[28]
GA5September 1918[29]
G19January 1919[27]

References

Citations
  1. McBride 1991, p. 45.
  2. Friedman 2009, p. 132.
  3. Friedman 2009, p. 296.
  4. Parkes & Prendergast 1969, p. 109.
  5. Preston 1985, pp. 76, 80.
  6. March 1966, p. 174.
  7. Preston 1985, p. 76.
  8. "Palmers Shipbuilding And Iron Company (Limited)". The Times. No. 42071. 10 April 1919.
  9. Colledge & Warlow 2006, p. 245.
  10. Friedman 2009, p. 308.
  11. Manning & Walker 1959, p. 317.
  12. Naval Staff Monograph No. 32 1927, p. 45.
  13. "Destroyer Flotillas of the Grand Fleet". Supplement to the Monthly Navy List: 12. April 1916. Retrieved 16 August 2023 – via National Library of Scotland.
  14. Brooks 2016, p. 155.
  15. Brooks 2016, pp. 417.
  16. Corbett 1920, p. 404.
  17. Newbolt 1928, p. 1.
  18. Newbolt 1928, p. 73.
  19. "Destroyer Flotillas of the Grand Fleet". Supplement to the Monthly Navy List: 12. April 1917. Retrieved 16 August 2023 – via National Library of Scotland.
  20. Newbolt 1931, p. 169.
  21. Newbolt 1931, pp. 175–177.
  22. Naval Staff Monograph No. 33 1927, p. 215.
  23. "Destroyer Flotillas of the Grand Fleet". Supplement to the Monthly Navy List: 12. October 1918. Retrieved 16 August 2023 – via National Library of Scotland.
  24. Moretz 2002, p. 79.
  25. "V Vessels in Reserve at Home Ports and Other Bases". The Supplement to the Monthly Navy List: 17. July 1919. Retrieved 16 August 2023 – via National Library of Scotland.
  26. Preston 1985, p. 80.
  27. Bush & Warlow 2021, p. 62.
  28. Bush & Warlow 2021, p. 64.
  29. Bush & Warlow 2021, p. 69.

Bibliography
  • Brooks, John (2016). The Battle of Jutland. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-1-107-15014-0.
  • 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.
  • Corbett, Julian S. (1920). Naval Operations: Volume III. History of the Great War. London: Longmans, Green and Co. OCLC 1049894619.
  • 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. 32: Lowestoft Raid: 24th – 25th April, 1916 (PDF). Naval Staff Monographs (Historical). Vol. XVI. The Naval Staff, Training and Staff Duties Division. 1927.
  • 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.
  • Newbolt, Henry (1928). Naval Operations: Volume IV. History of the Great War. London: Longmans, Green and Co. OCLC 1049894132.
  • Moretz, Joseph (2002). The Royal Navy and the Capital Ship in the Interwar Period. London: Routledge. ISBN 978-0-71465-196-5.
  • 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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