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:Blonde-class cruiser

{{Short description|Class of British scout cruisers}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2016}}

{{Use British English|date=December 2016}}

{{Good article}}

{{Infobox ship begin}}

{{Infobox ship image

|Ship image=HMS Blonde.jpg

|Ship caption={{HMS|Blonde|1910|6}} at anchor

}}

{{Infobox ship class overview

|Name=Blonde class

|Builders=Pembroke Dockyard

|Operators={{navy|United Kingdom}}

|Class before={{sclass|Boadicea|cruiser|4}}

|Class after={{sclass|Active|cruiser|4}}

|Cost=

|Built range=1909–1911

|In service range=

|In commission range= 1910–1921

|Total ships completed=2

|Total ships scrapped=2

}}

{{Infobox ship characteristics

|Hide header=

|Header caption= (as built)

|Ship type=Scout cruiser

|Ship displacement={{convert|3350|LT|t|lk=on}}

|Ship length={{convert|406|ft|m|abbr=on|1}} (o/a)

|Ship beam={{convert|41|ft|6|in|m|abbr=on|1}}

|Ship draught={{convert|15|ft|6|in|m|abbr=on|1}}

|Ship power=*{{convert|18000|shp|lk=on|abbr=on}}

|Ship propulsion=*4 × shafts

|Ship speed={{convert|24.5|kn|lk=in}}

|Ship range={{convert|4100|nmi|lk=in|abbr=on}} at {{convert|10|kn}}

|Ship complement=314

|Ship armament=*10 × single BL 4 inch naval gun Mk VIIs

|Ship armour=*Deck: {{convert|0.5

1|in|mm|abbr=on}}

|Ship notes=

}}

The Blonde-class cruisers were a pair of scout cruisers built for the Royal Navy in the first decade of the 20th century. Upon completion in 1910–11, they served as flotilla leaders for destroyer flotillas of the First Fleet until 1913 when they were assigned to battleship squadrons. When the First World War began in August 1914, they remained with their squadrons as the First Fleet was incorporated into the Grand Fleet, although they changed squadrons over the course of the war. {{HMS|Blonde|1910|2}} did not participate in the Battle of Jutland in mid-1916, unlike her sister ship, {{HMS|Blanche|1909|2}}, which did, but never fired a shot. They were converted into minelayers the following year, but only Blanche actually laid mines. The sisters were reduced to reserve in 1919 and sold for scrap in 1920–1921.

Design and description

These scout cruisers were too slow to lead destroyers in battle or to defend the fleet against enemy destroyer attacks, but they were still used as flotilla leaders. The Blonde class was essentially a repeat of the preceding {{sclass|Boadicea|cruiser|4}}, albeit with a more powerful armament and less fuel.Friedman 2009, pp. 112–113 Displacing {{convert|3350|LT|t|lk=on}}, the ships had an overall length of {{convert|405|ft|m|1}}, a beam of {{convert|41|ft|6|in|m|1}} and a deep draught of {{convert|15|ft|6|in|m|1}}. They were powered by four sets of Parsons steam turbines, each driving two shafts. The turbines produced a total of {{convert|18000|ihp|lk=in}}, using steam produced by 12 Yarrow boilers that burned both fuel oil and coal, and gave a maximum speed of {{convert|24.5|kn}}. They carried a maximum of {{convert|780|LT|t}} of coal and {{convert|190|LT|t}} of fuel oilPreston 1985, p. 50 that gave them a range of {{convert|4100|nmi|lk=in}} at {{convert|10|kn}}. Their crew consisted of 314 officers and ratings.Friedman 2009, p. 295

The main armament of the Blonde class consisted of ten breech-loading (BL) BL 4 inch naval gun Mk VII. The forward pair of guns were mounted side by side on a platform on the forecastle, six were amidships, three on each broadside, and the two remaining guns were on the centreline of the quarterdeck, one ahead of the other. The guns fired their {{convert|31|lb|adj=on}} shells to a range of about {{convert|11400|yd}}.Friedman 2011, pp. 75–76 Their secondary armament was four quick-firing (QF) Ordnance QF 3-pounder Vickerss and two submerged 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes.

As scout cruisers, the ships were only lightly protected to maximise their speed. They had a curved protective deck that was {{convert|1|in|mm|0|spell=in}} thick on the slope and {{convert|0.5|in}} on the flat. Their conning tower was protected by four inches of armour.

Ships

class="wikitable plainrowheaders"

|+ Construction data

!scope="col"|Ship

!scope="col"|BuilderPhillips 2014, p. 292

!scope="col"|Laid down

!scope="col"|Launched

!scope="col"|Completed

scope="row"|{{HMS|Blonde|1910|6}}

|rowspan=2|Pembroke Dockyard

|align=center|6 December 1909

|align=center|22 July 1910

|align=center|May 1911

scope="row"|{{HMS|Blanche|1909|6}}

|align=center|12 April 1909

|align=center|25 November 1909

|align=center|November 1910

Service

Both Blonde and Blanche began their careers with destroyer flotillas, Blonde as senior officers' ship for the 7th Flotilla of the Mediterranean Fleet and Blanche with the 1st Destroyer Flotilla of the First Fleet. But the sisters were transferred to the 4th and the 3rd Battle Squadrons, respectively, of the First Fleet in 1913.{{cite web|title=The Navy List|url=https://archive.org/details/navylistjul1913grea|website=National Library of Scotland|date=18 June 1913|publisher=His Majesty's Stationery Office|location=London|access-date=31 March 2016|page=269}}

Blonde remained with the 4th Battle Squadron through 1916,{{cite web|title=Supplement to the Monthly Navy List Showing the Organisation of the Fleet, Flag Officer's Commands, &c.|url=https://archive.org/details/navylistoct1916grea|website=National Library of Scotland|publisher=Admiralty|date=October 1916|access-date=1 April 2016|page=10|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160401010101/https://archive.org/details/navylistoct1916grea|archive-date=1 April 2016|df=dmy-all}} although she was detached for several months mid year.Corbett 1997, Vol. I, p. 439; Corbett 1997, Vol. II, pp. 412, 417; Newbolt 1996, p. 34 She had been transferred to the 1st Battle Squadron by April 1917{{cite web|title=Supplement to the Monthly Navy List Showing the Organisation of the Fleet, Flag Officer's Commands, &c.|url=https://archive.org/details/navylistapr1917grea|website=National Library of Scotland|publisher=Admiralty|date=April 1917|access-date=1 April 2016|page=10}} and was converted into a minelayer later in the year, although she never laid any mines in combat. Similarly, Blanche remained with the 3rd Battle Squadron until January 1916 when she joined her sister in the 4th Battle Squadron.{{cite web|title=Supplement to the Monthly Navy List Showing the Organisation of the Fleet, Flag Officer's Commands, &c.|url=https://archive.org/details/navylistjan1916grea|website=National Library of Scotland|publisher=Admiralty|date=January 1916|access-date=1 April 2016|page=14}} The ship participated in the Battle of Jutland, but was on the unengaged side of the fleet and did not have the opportunity to fire at the Germans.Corbett 1997, Vol. III, p. 345 She was detached from the 4th Battle Squadron at the beginning of 1917,{{cite web|title=Supplement to the Monthly Navy List Showing the Organisation of the Fleet, Flag Officer's Commands, &c.|url=https://archive.org/details/navylistjan1917grea|website=National Library of Scotland|publisher=Admiralty|date=January 1917|access-date=1 April 2016|page=14}} presumably to be converted into a minelayer. Blanche was assigned to the 5th Battle Squadron by April and laid some mines at the entrance to the Kattegat in February 1918.Smith 2005, pp. 32–37

Blonde was in reserve by February 1919{{cite web|title=Supplement to the Monthly Navy List Showing the Organisation of the Fleet, Flag Officer's Commands, &c.|url=https://archive.org/details/navylistfeb1919grea|website=National Library of Scotland|publisher=Admiralty|date=1 February 1919|access-date=1 April 2016|page=20|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160401010101/https://archive.org/details/navylistfeb1919grea|archive-date=1 April 2016|df=dmy-all}} and had been assigned to the Nore Reserve by 1 May, together with Blanche.{{cite web|title=Supplement to the Monthly Navy List Showing the Organisation of the Fleet, Flag Officer's Commands, &c.|url=https://archive.org/details/navylistmay1919grea|website=National Library of Scotland|publisher=Admiralty|date=1 May 1919|access-date=1 April 2016|page=16|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160401010101/https://archive.org/details/navylistmay1919grea|archive-date=1 April 2016|df=dmy-all}} The sisters were listed for sale by 18 March 1920{{cite web|title=The Navy List|url=https://archive.org/details/navylistapr1920grea|website=National Library of Scotland|date=18 March 1920|publisher=His Majesty's Stationery Office|location=London|access-date=31 March 2016|page=1105a}} and Blonde was sold for scrap on 6 May. Blanche followed on 27 July 1921.Colledge & Warlow 2006, pp. 41–42

Footnotes

{{Reflist|30em}}

Bibliography

  • {{Cite Colledge2006}}
  • {{cite book|last=Corbett|first=Julian|author-link=Julian Corbett|title=Naval Operations to the Battle of the Falklands|edition=2nd, reprint of the 1938|series=History of the Great War: Based on Official Documents|volume=I|publisher=Imperial War Museum and Battery Press|location=London and Nashville, Tennessee|year=1997|isbn=0-89839-256-X}}
  • {{cite book|last=Corbett|first=Julian|title=Naval Operations|edition=reprint of the 1929 second|series=History of the Great War: Based on Official Documents|volume=II|year=1997|publisher=Imperial War Museum in association with the Battery Press|location=London and Nashville, Tennessee|isbn=1-870423-74-7}}
  • {{cite book|last=Corbett|first=Julian|title=Naval Operations|edition=reprint of the 1940 second|series=History of the Great War: Based on Official Documents|volume=III|year=1997|publisher=Imperial War Museum in association with the Battery Press|location=London and Nashville, Tennessee|isbn=1-870423-50-X}}
  • {{cite book|last=Friedman|first=Norman|author-link=Norman Friedman|title=British Destroyers From Earliest Days to the Second World War|publisher=Naval Institute Press|location=Annapolis, Maryland|year=2009|isbn=978-1-59114-081-8}}
  • {{cite book|last=Friedman|first=Norman|title=Naval Weapons of World War One|publisher=Seaforth|location=Barnsley, South Yorkshire, UK|year=2011|isbn=978-1-84832-100-7}}
  • {{cite book|last=Newbolt|first=Henry|author-link=Henry Newbolt|title=Naval Operations|edition=reprint of the 1928|series=History of the Great War Based on Official Documents|volume=IV|year=1996|publisher=Battery Press|location=Nashville, Tennessee|isbn=0-89839-253-5}}
  • {{cite book|last1=Phillips|first1=Lawrie; Lieutenant Commander|title=Pembroke Dockyard and the Old Navy: A Bicentennial History|date=2014|publisher=The History Press|location=Stroud, Gloucestershire, UK|isbn=978-0-7509-5214-9}}
  • {{cite book|last=Preston|first=Antony|chapter=Great Britain and Empire Forces|pages=1–104|editor1-last=Gardiner|editor1-first=Robert|editor2-last=Gray|editor2-first=Randal|title=Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921|year=1985|location=Annapolis, Maryland|publisher=Naval Institute Press|isbn=0-85177-245-5|author-link=Antony Preston}}
  • {{cite book|last1=Smith|first1=Peter C.|title=Into the Minefields: British Destroyer Minelaying 1916–1960|date=2005|publisher=Pen & Sword Maritime|location=Barnsley, UK|isbn=1-84415-271-5}}

External links

{{Commons category|Blonde class cruiser}}

  • [http://www.worldwar1.co.uk/light-cruiser/hms-Blonde.html Blonde class in World War I]
  • [http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/weapons_blonde_class_cruisers.html History of the Blonde class]

{{Blonde class cruiser}}

{{WWI British ships}}

Category:Cruiser classes

Category:Ship classes of the Royal Navy

Category:Ships built in Pembroke Dock