SMS Radetzky (1854)
SMS Radetzky was a screw frigate in the Austro-Hungarian Navy, built in England in 1856 and lost through explosion of the powder magazine in 1869.
 The Austrian frigate Radetzky | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 Austria-Hungary | |
| Name | Radetzky |
| Namesake | Joseph Radetzky |
| Launched | 13 April 1854 |
| Fate | Exploded and sank on February 20, 1869 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Screw frigate |
| Displacement | 2198 tons |
| Length | 58.5 m length overall |
| Installed power | 300 nominal horse power |
| Propulsion | Steam |
| Speed | 12 knots |
| Complement | 368 |
| Armament | 20 x 30pdr, 9 x 24pdr, 2 x 4pdr |
Construction
Radetzky was built by Money Wigram & Sons of London, in their shipyard at Northam, Southampton. The ship, named after nobleman and field marshal Joseph Radetzky von Radetz, was launched on 13 April 1854.[1] After initial fitting-out in Southampton, the frigate sailed for the Mediterranean, returning to England on 9 August.[2] She subsequently sailed to the River Thames for installation of her 300 nhp engines by Maudslay, Sons and Field, which was completed on 1 October 1854.[1][3]
Service record
She participated in the Battle of Heligoland during the Second Schleswig War in 1864 and the Battle of Lissa during the Austro-Prussian War in 1866, the former sometimes cited as the 'last clash of wooden warships.'
Loss
In 1869, the ship's powder magazine exploded off the coast of Vis and she sank. Of the complement of 368 men, 345 died in the incident.[4] Following the rediscovery of the wreck in 2014, a memorial service was held, and the names of those who perished are retained in the church on Sveti Klement.
References
- "Southampton". Evening Mail. No. 13153. London. 14 April 1854. p. 5. Retrieved 5 December 2022 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- "Nsval and Military Intelligence". The Sun. No. 20013. London. 11 August 1856. p. 4. Retrieved 5 December 2022 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- "Military and Naval Intelligence". The Times. No. 22488. London. 2 October 1856. p. 10. Retrieved 5 December 2022 – via Gale.
- "The Austrian frigate Radetzky". No. Volume: 54, Issue: 1529. The Illustrated London News. 13 March 1869. p. 269. Retrieved 18 April 2021.
The terrible disaster which happened on the, 20th ult. to the Austrian frigate Radetzky, by the blowing up of the powder-magazine and total destruction of the ship, while cruising off Lissa, in the Adriatic, has been mentioned in this Journal. Only twenty three men were saved, and most of these had suffered more or less injury. The Radetzky, which was built in England, was a wooden frigate of 1826 tons, 300-horse power, and 30 guns, and had 368 men on board, mostly recruits. This ship took an active part in the fight against the Danes before Heligoland in 1864. She was not engaged in the naval battle of Lissa in 1866, but most of the officers on board were; and Captain Danfalik, who commanded, was there on board the ship Donau
Sources
- Chesneau, Roger; Kolesni, Eugene. Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0851771335.
- Scotti, Giacomo. Lissa, 1866. La grande battaglia per l'Adriatico. Trieste, Lint. ISBN 8881902117.
- "SMS Graf Radetzky (+1869)". Wrecksite. 2017-06-04. Retrieved 2019-05-17.
- D. Zeljko Selak (2014-04-26). "Commemoration and scientific conference 'Viški memento' held". hrsvijet. Retrieved 2021-01-04.
- "Last Clash of Wooden Warships: Heligoland 1864". Iron Mike Magazine. Archived from the original on 23 October 2022. Retrieved 2021-01-04.