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HMS Amethyst (1903)

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For other ships with the same name, see HMS Amethyst.
History
RN ensignUnited Kingdom
NameHMS Amethyst
BuilderElswick Naval Works
Laid downJanuary 1903
CompletedMarch 1905
FateSold for scrap in 1920
General characteristics
Class and typeTopaze-class Protected Cruiser
Displacement3,000 tons
Length360 ft (110 m)
Beam40 ft (12 m)
Draught14 ft 6 in (4.42 m)
Propulsion12,000 horsepower
Speed22.5 knots (42 km/h)
Armamentlist error: <br /> list (help)
12 x QF 4 inch

8 x 3 pounder guns

2 × 18-inch (450-mm) torpedo tubes
Armour1 inch gun shields, 2 0.5 inch deck armour
NotesSometimes known as the Gem class. The ship had a crew of 296.

HMS Amethyst was a third-class protected cruiser of the Topaze class of the Royal Navy.

She was laid down in January 1903 at Armstrong, Elswick, she was completed in March 1905.[1]

The HMS Amethyst was the first warship larger than a destroyer to be fitted with turbines. These turbines reduced her range by 1500 nautical miles when she was sailing at 10 knots, but it increased her range by 1000 nautical miles when she was traveling at 20 knots.

World War I

Once World War I broke out in 1914, the HMS Amethyst was assigned to the Harwich force of the Royal Navy. She participated in the Battle of Heligoland Blight under the command of Commodore Reginald Tyrwhitt. Later that year she was transferred to the 1st Light Cruiser Squadron of the Royal Navy.

Dardanelles Campaign

Minesweeping Operations

HMS "Amethyst" fought in the Battle of the Dardanelles in 1915. At 21:15 on 6th of March 1915, she entered the Dardanelles alongside HMS "Ocean", HMS "Majestic", destroyers and minesweepers[2]. At midnight of 7th March, destroyers opened fire on searchlights on the northern shore. At 00:30 a floating mine attached to a buoy was sighted. HMS "Amethyst" opened fire with maxim rifles but crew were unable to verify whether the mine sank. At 00:40, field guns opened fire on her from the northern shore and she replied with 4" common shells and 4" lyddite shells. At 02:00 the fleet retreated and returned to Tenedos[3].

On 8th March 1915 at 20:50, "Amethyst" proceeded up the Dardanelles on a mine destroying operation in conjunction with 6 destroyers and 2 picket boats[4]. The operation was unsuccessful owing to picket boats being unable make headway against the strong current. At 04:00 the operation was ordered to retire. At 04:50, field guns opened fire and hit the "Amethyst" with shrapnel and common shells, but there were no casualties. By 05:30 she had made it back to the entrance of the Dardanelles and proceeded back to Tenedos for re-coaling.[5]

On evening of 10th March, HMS "Amethyst" embarked on another operation to take out mines and searchlights, alongside HMS "Canopus", 2nd Division destroyers, 7 minesweepers and 2 picket boats.[6]. That night, minesweeper No. 339 was sunk by a mine explosion, but the crew were saved. "Amethyst" fired 12 rounds of 4" common shell at 3 searchlights. By 03:00 of the 11th, the flotilla was under heavy fire from numerous shore batteries as they retired back to the entrance of the Dardanelles, which they reached at 06:45.[7]

In the early hours of 14th March, "Amethyst" supported a further minesweeping flotilla of 7 trawlers and 5 picket boats. They came under fire from the Turkish forts and batteries at 03:50. At 04:00 "Amethyst" opened fire on a searchlight and battery. Forts 7 & 8 and a field battery opened accurate fire on the ship with common shell and shrapnel. At 04:10 the conning tower an other areas of the ship were hit and operation was aborted. 22 men were killed and their bodies transferred to HMS "Ribble" later that day for burial at sea, along with 1 officer and 3 men killed on the trawlers. 20 men were severely wounded and 8 severely wounded; they were transferred to the French hospital ship "Canada", but 4 men died of their wounds over the next few days. 10 were slightly injured but able to continue with their duties.[8]. Whilst being repaired back at Tenedos, "Amethyst" was joined by HMS "Inflexible", damaged by a mine, and HMS "Chelmer", damaged by shell fire.[9]

Gallipoli Landings

On 24th April 1915, half the 1st Battalion from the Scottish Borderers boarded from transport ship "B.11" at 16:15, before weighing anchor and proceeding with her sister ship, HMS "Sapphire", transport "B.11.", "N.2" and 7 trawlers[10]. The next day, she was stationed off 'Y-beach' on the northwest shore of the Gallipoli Peninsula. At 02:30 the troops were transferred to trawlers for the landing and then she took up station to support the British troops by bombarding enemy positions with 61 4" lyddite shells and 9 4" common shells.[11]. On the morning of the 27th April, the situation on Y-beach is reported as 'desperate' as "Amethyst" continued to bombard enemy positions on the cliffs. By mid-morning, surviving troops were beginning to come back on board: 1 officer with 112 non-commissioned officers (NCOs) and men with 5 wounded officers and 60 wounded NCOs and men from the Scottish Borderers and the Royal Marines. A further 2 wounded officers and 73 wounded NCOs and men were received from HMS "Sapphire". All the wounded were then transferred to HMS "Guilford Castle". That day "Amethyst" fired 200 4" lyddite shells and 80 4" common shells.[12].

Over the following days, "Amethyst" continued to provide support to the operations on 'W', 'Y' and 'Z' beaches. On 3rd May, Amethyst lay off 'Z' beach and reported heavy gunfire on shore and large calibre enemy shells landing in the proximity of the British ships. At 11:43 shells fell 100 and 20 yards short of the "Amethyst" and exploded whilst she was being refueled with coal. Fragments hit the ship and coaling was aborted. A further shell struck the coaling ship "Nevisbrooke" putting the steering gear out of action and inflicting numerous holes in the superstructure. All the ships in the area moved away and the enemy firing ceased.[13]

Mediterranean

On 21 May 1915, HMS "Amethyst" left the Dardanelles theatre[14] for Malta and thence redeployed to Brindisi and Taranto in Southern Italy to patrol for German and Austro-Hungarian submarines, often in the company of her sister ship's HMS "Topaze" and HMS "Sapphire".

South America

HMS "Amethyst" was assigned to South America, and left Gibraltar on 8th May 1916[15], for the remainder of the war. On 23 November 1916, Commander, the Earl of Glasgow D.S.O. took over command whilst the ship was stationed at Viçosa Reef, off the coast of Brazil[16]. In December 1916, "Amethyst" was ordered to hunt down a German Raider, SMS "Möwe", which had been reported to be lurking somewhere in the mid-Atlantic. "Amethyst" was supported by two armed merchant cruisers: HMS "Macedonia", HMS "Orama", and two colliers SS "Minieh" and SS "Daleham".[17]. On 11th January 1917, collier "Minieh" failed to rendezvous with the rest of the squadron and a search was begun. "Amethyst" gave chase after an unknown steamer at 17:26, but gave up and returned to the squadron at 18:00.[18]. On the 13th, having thought they had seen a warship and a collier, the search was abandoned and the squadron returned to the Port of Bahia[19]. "Minieh" had in fact met SMS "Möwe" on the 9th January and been sunk[20]. "Amethyst" last saw her at 06:38 on the 9th and then reported seeing smoke at18:50[21], however, HMS "Orama" reports this as a Swedish merchant ship[22]. HMS "Macedonia" reported nothing untoward[23].

On 24th Jan, "Amethyst" was joined by HMS "Glasgow" as they resumed the hunt for the enemy raider[24], but gave up on 30th January after meeting up with collier "Headcliffe" and RMS "Edinburgh Castle", an armed merchant cruiser, for resupplies before and heading back to the Brazilian coast.

On 29th April 1917, "Amethyst" and HMS "Glasgow" set out from Abrolhos Rocks to patrol for enemy raiders in the mid-Atlantic[25]. They were supported by "Edinburgh Castle" and S.S. "Ooma" a collier. After encountering only a few harmless vessels, "Amethyst" docked at Port of Bahia on 9th May, and then set out on patrol again, supported by a collier, "Langholm" until the 18th May[26]. Despite not encountering enemy vessels, on 15th June, 8 German prisoners of war were transferred to "Amethyst" from "Macedonia"[27] and then moved onto HMS "Glasgow" on the 19th[28].

On 31st May 1918, "Amethyst" left Bahia, Brazil to return to Devonport.[29]. On the way home, she met HMS "Britannia" off the coast of Sierra Leone and 295 cases of gold bullion (worth an estimated £1 million)[30]. The following day (10th June 1918) Vice Admiral Sir Edward Charlton, the outgoing commander in chief of the Cape of Good Hope Station boarded and his flag was transferred from HMS "Britannia"[31]. He left the ship when it arrived at Devonport on 25th June[32]. A less pleasant occurrence on the return home was a possible outbreak of the flu pandemic going on at the time. Prior to arriving in Gibraltar the ship's log records 4 crew sick but after arrival this grew rapidly, peaking a week later with 40 crew reported sick.

On 1st July 1918, HMS "Amethyst" left Devonport for Barrow-in-Furness[33] where she went into dry dock for the remainder of the war.

Post World War I

The HMS Amethyst was recommissioned on 20th November 1918[34]. On the way to Gibraltar she stopped in Lisbon for the funeral of the Late President of Portugal, Sidónio Pais on 21st December[35].

The end came for HMS "Amethyst" on the 10th February 1919 when the last of her crew left her at Malta.[36]

She was sold for scrap in 1920.

References

  1. ^ Milford, Darren. "World War I Naval Combat". Retrieved 30 November 2010.
  2. ^ Ship's log: http://oldweather.s3.amazonaws.com/ADM53-33548/ADM53-33548-008_0.jpg
  3. ^ Ship's log: http://oldweather.s3.amazonaws.com/ADM53-33548/ADM53-33548-008_1.jpg
  4. ^ Ship's log: http://oldweather.s3.amazonaws.com/ADM53-33548/ADM53-33548-009_0.jpg
  5. ^ Ship's log: http://oldweather.s3.amazonaws.com/ADM53-33548/ADM53-33548-009_1.jpg
  6. ^ Ship's log: http://oldweather.s3.amazonaws.com/ADM53-33548/ADM53-33548-010_0.jpg
  7. ^ Ship's log: http://oldweather.s3.amazonaws.com/ADM53-33548/ADM53-33548-010_1.jpg
  8. ^ Ship's log: http://oldweather.s3.amazonaws.com/ADM53-33548/ADM53-33548-012_0.jpg
  9. ^ Ship's log: http://oldweather.s3.amazonaws.com/ADM53-33548/ADM53-33548-014_0.jpg
  10. ^ Ship's log: http://oldweather.s3.amazonaws.com/ADM53-33548/ADM53-33548-035_0.jpg
  11. ^ Ship's log: http://oldweather.s3.amazonaws.com/ADM53-33548/ADM53-33548-035_1.jpg
  12. ^ Ship's log: http://oldweather.s3.amazonaws.com/ADM53-33548/ADM53-33548-036_0.jpg
  13. ^ Ship's log: http://oldweather.s3.amazonaws.com/ADM53-33548/ADM53-33548-041_1.jpg
  14. ^ Ship's log: http://oldweather.s3.amazonaws.com/ADM53-33548/ADM53-33548-050_1.jpg
  15. ^ Ship's log: http://oldweather.s3.amazonaws.com/ADM53-33548/ADM53-33548-261_0.jpg
  16. ^ Ship's Log: http://oldweather.s3.amazonaws.com/ADM53-33549/ADM53-33549-052_1.jpg
  17. ^ Ship's log: http://oldweather.s3.amazonaws.com/ADM53-33549/ADM53-33549-079_1.jpg
  18. ^ Ship's log: http://oldweather.s3.amazonaws.com/ADM53-33549/ADM53-33549-081_1.jpg
  19. ^ Ship's log: http://oldweather.s3.amazonaws.com/ADM53-33549/ADM53-33549-082_1.jpg
  20. ^ Ship's log: http://ahoy.tk-jk.net/MaraudersWW1/Moewe.html
  21. ^ Ship's log: http://oldweather.s3.amazonaws.com/ADM53-33549/ADM53-33549-080_1.jpg
  22. ^ Orama ship's log: http://oldweather.s3.amazonaws.com/ADM_53-53475/ADM%2053-53475-007_1.jpg
  23. ^ HMS "Macedonia" log: http://oldweather.s3.amazonaws.com/ADM_53-47706/ADM%2053-47706-012_0.jpg
  24. ^ Ship's log: http://oldweather.s3.amazonaws.com/ADM53-33549/ADM53-33549-088_0.jpg
  25. ^ Ship's log: http://oldweather.s3.amazonaws.com/ADM53-33549/ADM53-33549-142_1.jpg, http://oldweather.s3.amazonaws.com/ADM53-33549/ADM53-33549-143_0.jpg
  26. ^ Ship's log: http://oldweather.s3.amazonaws.com/ADM53-33549/ADM53-33549-154_0.jpg
  27. ^ Ship's log: http://oldweather.s3.amazonaws.com/ADM53-33549/ADM53-33549-170_1.jpg
  28. ^ Ship's log: http://oldweather.s3.amazonaws.com/ADM53-33549/ADM53-33549-172_1.jpg
  29. ^ Ship's log: http://oldweather.s3.amazonaws.com/ADM53-33558/ADM53-33558-018_1.jpg
  30. ^ Ship's log: http://oldweather.s3.amazonaws.com/ADM53-33559/ADM53-33559-007_1.jpg
  31. ^ Ship's log: http://oldweather.s3.amazonaws.com/ADM53-33559/ADM53-33559-008_0.jpg
  32. ^ Ship's log: http://oldweather.s3.amazonaws.com/ADM53-33559/ADM53-33559-015_1.jpg
  33. ^ Ship's log: http://oldweather.s3.amazonaws.com/ADM53-33560/ADM53-33560-003_1.jpg
  34. ^ Ship's log: http://oldweather.s3.amazonaws.com/ADM53-33561/ADM53-33561-003_1.jpg
  35. ^ Ship's log: http://oldweather.s3.amazonaws.com/ADM53-33562/ADM53-33562-013_1.jpg
  36. ^ Ship's log: http://oldweather.s3.amazonaws.com/ADM53-33564/ADM53-33564-008_0.jpg


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