HMS Weymouth (1910)

HMS Weymouth in 1912
History
United Kingdom
Name	Weymouth
Namesake	Weymouth, Dorset
Builder	Armstrong Whitworth
Yard number	827
Laid down	19 January 1910
Launched	18 November 1910
Commissioned	October 1911
Fate	Sold for scrap, 2 October 1928
General characteristics (as built)
Class and type	Town-class light cruiser
Displacement	5,275 long tons (5,360 t)
Length	430 ft (131.1 m) p/p 453 ft (138.1 m) o/a
Beam	47 ft 6 in (14.5 m)
Draught	15 ft 6 in (4.72 m) (mean)
Installed power	22,000 shp (16,000 kW) 12 × Yarrow boilers
Propulsion	2 × shafts; 2 × Parsons steam turbines
Speed	25 kn (46 km/h; 29 mph)
Range	5,610 nautical miles (10,390 km; 6,460 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph)
Complement	475
Armament	8 × single BL 6 in (152 mm) Mk XI guns 4 × single QF 3-pounder 47 mm (1.9 in) guns 2 × 21 in (533 mm) torpedo tubes
Armour	Deck: .75–2 in (19–51 mm) Conning Tower: 4 in (102 mm)

HMS Weymouth was a

The Weymouth-class ships were considered protected cruisers, with an armoured deck providing protection for the ships' vitals. The armoured deck was 2 inches (51 mm) thick over the magazines and machinery, 1 inch (25 mm) over the steering gear and 0.75 inches (19 mm) elsewhere. The conning tower was protected by 4 inches of armour, with the gun shields having 3-inch (76 mm) armour, as did the ammunition hoists.^[5] As the protective deck was at waterline, the ships were given a large metacentric height so that they would remain stable in the event of flooding above the armoured deck. This, however, resulted in the ships rolling badly making them poor gun platforms.^[6] One problem with the armour of the Weymouths which was shared with the other Town-class ships was the sizable gap between the bottom of the gun shields and the deck, which allowed shell splinters to pass through the gap, which resulted in leg injuries to the ships' gun crews.^[7]

Construction and career

The ship was laid down on 19 January 1910 by

Weymouth was transferred to the Adriatic in December 1915. In 1916 she returned to home waters and was assigned to the 6th Light Cruiser Squadron of the Grand Fleet. In 1917 she was reassigned to the Mediterranean as part of the 8th Cruiser Squadron operating out of Brindisi. She was damaged by a torpedo from the Austro-Hungarian submarine SM U-31 on 2 October 1918. She was repaired and survived the war.^[1] She was sold on 2 October 1928 to Hughes Bolckow, of Blyth.^[8]

Notes

Bibliography

• Brown, David K. (2010). The Grand Fleet: Warship Design and Development 1906–1922. Barnsley, UK: Seaforth Publishing.
  ISBN 978-1-84832-085-7
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• ISBN 978-1-86176-281-8
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• ISBN 0-89839-256-X
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• ISBN 1-870423-74-7
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• Friedman, Norman (2010). British Cruisers: Two World Wars and After. Barnsley, South Yorkshire, UK: Seaforth.
  ISBN 978-1-59114-078-8
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• Friedman, Norman (2011). Naval Weapons of World War One. Barnsley, South Yorkshire, UK: Seaforth.
  ISBN 978-1-84832-100-7
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• Gardiner, Robert & Gray, Randal, eds. (1985). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press.
  ISBN 0-85177-245-5
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• Lyon, David (1977). "The First Town Class 1908–31: Part 1".
  ISBN 0-85177-132-7
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• Lyon, David (1977). "The First Town Class 1908–31: Part 2". Warship. 1 (2). London: Conway Maritime Press: 54–61.
  ISBN 0-85177-132-7
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• Lyon, David (1977). "The First Town Class 1908–31: Part 3". Warship. 1 (3). London: Conway Maritime Press: 46–51.
  ISBN 0-85177-132-7
  .
• Newbolt, Henry (1996). Naval Operations. History of the Great War Based on Official Documents. Vol. V (reprint of the 1931 ed.). Nashville, Tennessee: Battery Press.
  ISBN 0-89839-255-1
  .