HMS Birkenhead (1915)

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
For other ships with the same name, see HMS Birkenhead.

History
Greece
NameAntinavarchos Kountouriotis
NamesakePavlos Kountouriotis
BuilderCammell Laird, Birkenhead, England
Laid down21 March 1914
Launched18 January 1915
FateSold to the United Kingdom, 1915
United Kingdom
NamesakeBirkenhead
Acquired1915
CommissionedMay 1915
RenamedHMS Birkenhead
FateSold for scrap, 26 October 1921
General characteristics (as built)
Class and typeTown-class light cruiser
Displacement5,235 long tons (5,319 t)
Length
  • 430 ft (131.1 m) p/p
  • 456 ft 6 in (139.1 m) o/a
Beam49 ft 10 in (15.2 m)
Draught15 ft 3 in (4.65 m) (mean)
Installed power
Propulsion4 × shafts; 3 × Parsons steam turbines
Speed25.5 kn (47.2 km/h; 29.3 mph)
Complementabout 500
Armament
Armour

HMS Birkenhead was one of two

government, and entered service with the Royal Navy
.

Design and description

Based on the Birmingham

anti-aircraft guns, but these were still under development in 1915 and a pair of 3-pounder guns on high-angle mounts were substituted instead.[2]

Birkenhead was 456 feet 6 inches (139.1 m)

propeller shafts, that were rated at 25,000 shaft horsepower (19,000 kW) for a design speed of 25.5 knots (47.2 km/h; 29.3 mph). The boilers used both fuel oil and coal, with 1,070 long tons (1,087 t) of coal and 352 long tons (358 t) tons of oil carried.[1]

Two of the 5.5-inch guns were mounted on the centreline fore and aft of the

torpedo tubes.[4]

Service

The ship was

First World War in August 1914, Greece continued to pay for the two cruisers, and construction continued for Greece, with Antinavarhos Kountoriotis being launched on 18 January 1915.[5][6] However, with the war dragging on with no sign of a quick result, the Admiralty soon decided to purchase the two ships, with Antinavarhos Kountoriotis being renamed Birkenhead.[1][7] She was completed in July 1915.[6]

Like her

accommodation ship Caribbean got into difficulties in heavy weather off Cape Wrath when on passage to Scapa Flow. On receipt of Caribbean's distress signals, Birkenhead set out from Scapa to assist, and together with several tugs and yachts, rescued all but 15 of Caribbean's crew before the accommodation ship sank on the next morning.[9] Birkenhead continued her work-up and training before formally joining the 3rd Light Cruiser Squadron on 6 November.[10] On 31 May to 1 June 1916, Birkenhead and Chester both took part in the Battle of Jutland. Birkenhead survived the battle, and the war[1] and was sold for scrap on 26 October 1921 to Cashmore, of Newport.[11]

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d Preston, p. 58
  2. ^ Lyon, Part 2, p. 57
  3. ^ Friedman 2010, p. 384
  4. ^ Lyon, Part 2, pp. 55–57
  5. ^ Lyon Part 1, p. 54.
  6. ^ a b Lyon Part 3, p. 50.
  7. ^ Lyon Part 1, pp. 54, 56.
  8. ^ Gardiner & Gray, pp. 58–59.
  9. ^ Jellicoe p 247.
  10. ^ Jellicoe pp. 253, 257.
  11. ^ Lyon, Part 3, p. 51

Bibliography

External links
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