HMS Moresby

HMS "Moresby was a which served with the Royal Navy during the First World War. The M class were an improvement on the previous , capable of higher speed. Originally laid down as HMS "Marlion by J. Samuel White at East Cowes on the Isle of Wight, the vessel was renamed before being launched on 20 November 1915. At the Battle of Jutland, the destroyer was initially cover for the seaplane tender but soon joined the action as part of a flotilla led by the light cruiser . "Moresby" attacked the German fleet with torpedoes, initially unsuccessfully targeting the dreadnought battleship and, near the end of the battle, unleashing another which narrowly missed the battlecruiser . In March 1918, the destroyer sank with the destroyer . After the war, the destroyer was placed in reserve and eventually sold to be broken up on 9 May 1921.
Design and development.
"Moresby" was one of sixteen s ordered by the British Admiralty in September 1914 as part of the First War Construction Programme. The M-class was an improved version of the earlier destroyers, envisaged to reach the higher speed of in order to counter rumoured German fast destroyers, although ultimately the design did not quite meet this.
The destroyer was long overall, with a beam of and a draught of . displacement was normal and full load. Power was provided by three White-Forster boilers feeding two Parsons steam turbines rated at and driving two shafts, to give a design speed of . Three funnels were fitted. of oil were carried, giving a design range of at .
Armament consisted of three Mk IV QF guns on the ship's centreline, with one on the forecastle, one aft on a raised platform and one between the middle and aft funnels. A single 2-pounder (40 mm) pom-pom anti-aircraft gun was carried, while torpedo armament consisted of two twin mounts for torpedoes.The ship had a complement of 76 officers and ratings.
Construction and career.
"Marlion" was laid down by J. Samuel White at East Cowes on the Isle of Wight on 1 January 1915 with the yard number 1456, and launched on 20 November. The ship was completed on 7 April 1916 and joined the Grand Fleet. By this time, the ship's name had already been changed to "Moresby". The new name honoured Admiral Fairfax Moresby. The vessel was deployed as part of the Grand Fleet, joining the Thirteenth Destroyer Flotilla.
On 30 May 1916, the destroyer sailed with the Grand Fleet to confront the German High Seas Fleet in what would be the Battle of Jutland. "Moresby" was one of fourteen M-class destroyers that were allocated to form part of the screen to protect the battlecruisers of the Fleet. However, along with sistership , the destroyer was detached to cover the seaplane tender . After the reconnaissance seaplane had been recovered, Lieutenant commander Jack Tovey, who commanded "Onslow", led the two destroyers back into the action.
"Moresby" rejoined the Flotilla and, led by the light cruiser , steamed towards the German High Seas Fleet. The two fleets met and "Moresby" was soon in the centre of the action. The destroyer attacked the German battlecruisers, and shortly after 1710 on 31 May, launched a torpedo at the dreadnought battleship . The destroyer also narrowly escaped an attack from the light cruiser , two torpedoes streaking past, one ahead and the other astern. As the battlesfleets broke apart, "Champion" sped away in pursuit of the German fleet, leaving the majority of the destroyers behind, with only "Moresby" and able to keep up.
The small flotilla sought for the main German fleet, and at 2:15 turned westwards towards gunfire. They saw four German cruisers with their attendant destroyers. However, through the mist, "Moresby" saw what were initially taken to be four pre-dreadnought battleships. The destroyer sped off and launched a torpedo at a range of at the third ship in the line. The destroyer reported a hit and then withdrew. In fact, two of the vessels were German battlecruisers, and the torpedo narrowly missed . Instead, the torpedo hit the torpedo boat . Returning to the British lines, the three ships were spotted by the German torpedo boats and , which launched torpedoes, but both sides escaped without recording a hit.
The destroyer was transferred to Buncrana with the Second Destroyer Flotilla during the latter part of 1917. The vessel served as a convoy escort, and on 2 October 1917, was also involved in the ultimately unsuccessful efforts to save the armoured cruiser . On 15 March the following year, the destroyer was patrolling with sistership when they surprised shortly after the submarine had sunk the ocean liner . The submarine dived but was brought back to the surface when the destroyers attacked with depth charges and was finished by gunfire. Six of the crew were rescued.
After the war, the Royal Navy returned to a peacetime level of mobilisation, and surplus vessels were culled. "Moresby" was initially placed alongside fifty-two other destroyers in reserve at Nore. On 9 May 1921, the vessel was sold to Thos W Ward of Grays and was broken up in 1923.