:HMS Linnet (1913)

{{Main|Laforey-class destroyer (1913)|l1=L-class destroyer}}

Linnet was one of twenty-two L- or {{sclass|Laforey|destroyer (1913)|0}} destroyers built for the Royal Navy, and one of four ordered from Yarrow.{{sfn|Parkes|Prendergast|1969|page=111}} The design followed the preceding {{sclass|Acasta|destroyer|0}} but with improved seakeeping properties and armament, including twice the number of torpedo tubes.{{sfn|Friedman|2009|page=129}}

The destroyer had a length overall of {{convert|268|ft|8|in|m|2}}, a beam of {{convert|27|ft|8|in|m}} and a draught of {{convert|10|ft|6|in|m|2}}. Displacement was {{convert|970|LT|t|lk=on}} normal and {{convert|1150|LT|t}} deep load. Power was provided by three Yarrow boilers feeding two Brown-Curtis steam turbines which had a combined rating of {{convert|24500|shp|kW|lk=in}} and driving two shafts, to give a design speed of {{convert|29|kn}}. Two funnels were fitted.{{sfn|Parkes|Prendergast|1969|page=111}}{{sfn|Preston|1985|page=76}} A total of {{convert|268|LT}} of oil was carried, giving a design range of {{convert|1720|nmi}} at {{convert|15|kn}}.{{sfn|Friedman|2009|page=296}} The ship's complement was 73 officers and ratings.{{sfn|Preston|1985|page=76}}

Armament consisted of three QF 4 inch naval gun Mk IV, XII, XXII guns on the ship's centreline, with one on the forecastle, one aft and one between the funnels.{{sfn|Parkes|Prendergast|1969|page=111}} The guns could fire a shell weighing {{convert|31|lb|kg}} at a muzzle velocity of {{convert|2177|ft/s|m/s}}.{{sfn|Campbell|1985|page=59}} One single Maxim gun gun was carried.{{sfn|Friedman|2009|page=296}} A single QF 2-pounder naval gun anti-aircraft gun was later added.{{sfn|Parkes|Prendergast|1969|page=111}} Torpedo armament consisted of two twin mounts for British 21 inch torpedo mounted aft. Capacity to lay four Vickers Elia Mk.4 mines was included, but the facility was never used.{{sfn|March|1966|page=149}} A chute and two launchers for depth charges were later added, and were successfully tested simultaneously in June 1917.{{sfn|Friedman|2009|page=152}}

Originally named Havock, the destroyer was laid down by Yarrow at Scotstoun on the River Clyde on 28 June 1912 alongside the similar HMS Haughly and allocated the yard number 1333.{{sfn|Friedman|2009|page=307}} The ship was launched on 16 August 1913 and renamed Linnet by Admiralty order on 30 September 1913.{{sfn|Colledge|Warlow|2010|p=224}} Built under the 1912–1913 Programme as part of a class named after characters in Shakespeare's plays and the Waverley novels by Sir Walter Scott, the destroyer joined what was to be the first alphabetical class, with each successive class of destroyers named after a letter of the alphabet.{{sfn|Preston|1985|page=76}} The name of Linnet, recalling the bird in the finch family, was first used by the Royal Navy in 1797, with this vessel the tenth of the name.{{sfn|Manning|Walker|1959|page=270}}

On commissioning, the newly renamed Linnet joined the Third Destroyer Flotilla as part of the Harwich Force.{{citation | title=Flotillas of the First Fleet | work=The Navy List | date=April 1914 | page=269a | url=https://digital.nls.uk/british-military-lists/archive/91838329 | via=National Library of Scotland | access-date=20 September 2020}} Command was given to Commander Loftus Jones, who later went on to receive the Victoria Cross at the Battle of Jutland. He named his daughter Linnette after the ship.{{cite web | title=Biography: Loftus William Jones VC | website=Royal Naval Museum | year=2005 | url=http://www.royalnavalmuseum.org/info_sheets_loftusjonesvc.html | access-date=27 August 2020}}

After the British declaration of war and the start of the First World War on 4 August 1914, the destroyer accompanied the minelayer {{HMS|Amphion|1911|2}} on a mission to intercept the German auxiliary SMS Königin Luise. The German vessel was sunk, but had already laid its own minefield. Amphion struck a mine on 6 August and, despite efforts by the destroyer's crew to tow the crippled ship to safety, the ship was abandoned. Shortly afterwards, it exploded, one of the guns flying through the air and narrowly missing Linnet.{{sfn|Goldrick|2015|pages=86–87}}

Later that month, on 26 August, the flotilla was ordered to attack German torpedo boats on their patrol as part of a large Royal Navy fleet in what was to be the Battle of Heligoland Bight.{{sfn| Naval Staff Monograph No. 11|1921|page=111}} On 28 August, the destroyer formed part of the second flotilla, led by sistership {{HMS|Lark|1913|2}}, which attacked the German light cruisers {{SMS|Mainz||2}} and {{SMS|Strassburg||2}}.{{sfn| Naval Staff Monograph No. 11|1921|pages=129–130}} The destroyer, along with ten other vessels, attacked the ships at short range with both shells and torpedoes. However, the limitations of technology at the time, particularly the difficulty in hitting a lone target with unguided torpedoes and the lack of effective fire control for the guns, meant that the impact of the attack was small.{{sfn| Naval Staff Monograph No. 11|1921|page=133}} In all, the ship expended 227 rounds of ammunition in the battle.{{sfn| Naval Staff Monograph No. 11|1921|page=165}}

By the start of the following year, the vessel had moved to the Ninth Destroyer Flotilla.{{citation|title=Harwich Force|work=Supplement to the Monthly Navy List|date=January 1915|page=13|url=https://digital.nls.uk/british-military-lists/archive/92030254|via=National Library of Scotland|access-date=1 August 2020}} The destroyer remained at Harwich, undertaking a number of escort roles during the rest of the War. For example, on 20 March 1916, the destroyer formed part of the escort for four British minelayers, including {{HMS|Princess Margaret|||2}}, while also providing support for a bombing mission against the seaplane sheds at Zeebrugge.{{sfn|Corbett|1920|page=290}} The destroyer was attacked by a German force, including the torpedo boat {{SMS|V47||2}}, but managed to escape without casualties.{{sfn|Karau|2014|page=57}}

After the Armistice of 11 November 1918 that ended the war, the Royal Navy returned to a peacetime level of strength and both the number of ships and personnel needed to be reduced to save money.{{sfn|Moretz|2002|page=79}} Linnet was initially placed in reserve at Nore alongside over sixty other destroyers.{{citation | title=Vessels in Reserve at Home Ports and Other Bases | work=The Navy List | date=October 1919 | page=707 | url=https://digital.nls.uk/british-military-lists/archive/92552954 | via=National Library of Scotland | access-date=20 September 2020}} On 4 November 1921, the vessel was sold to Rees of Llanelli and broken up.{{sfn|Colledge|Warlow|2010|page=229}}

{{reflist}}

{{refbegin}}

• {{cite book | last1=Bush | first1=Steve | last2=Warlow | first2=Ben | title=Pendant Numbers of the Royal Navy: A Complete History of the Allocation of Pendant Numbers to Royal Navy Warships & Auxiliaries | location=Barnsley | publisher=Seaforth Publishing | year=2021 | isbn=978-1-526793-78-2}}
• {{cite book | last=Campbell | first=John | title=Naval Weapons of World War Two | location=Annapolis | publisher=Naval Institute Press | year=1985 | isbn=978-0-87021-459-2}}
• {{cite book |last1=Colledge |first1=J. J. |last2=Warlow |first2=Ben |author-link1=J. J. Colledge |title=Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy| publisher=Casemate |location=Havertown |year=2010 |isbn=978-1-93514-907-1}}
• {{cite book |last1=Corbett |first1=Julian S. |author-link=Julian Corbett |title=Naval Operations: Volume III |series=History of the Great War |location=London |publisher=Longmans, Green and Co |year=1920 |url=https://archive.org/details/navaloperations03corb/ |oclc=317590514}}
• {{cite book |last1=Dittmar |first1=F.J. |last2=Colledge |first2=J.J. |title=British Warships 1914–1919 |year=1972 |publisher=Ian Allan |location=Shepperton |isbn=978-0-71100-380-4}}
• {{cite book |last=Friedman |first=Norman |author-link=Norman Friedman |title=British Destroyers: From Earliest Days to the Second World War |year=2009 |publisher=Seaforth Publishing |location=Barnsley |isbn=978-1-84832-049-9}}
• {{cite book |last=Goldrick |first=James |author-link=James Goldrick |title=Before Jutland: The Naval War in Northern European Waters, August 1914–February 1915 |location=Annapolis |publisher=Naval Institute Press |year=2015 |isbn=978-1-59114-349-9}}
• {{cite book |last=Karau |first= Mark D. |title=The Naval Flank of the Western Front: The German MarineKorps Flandern 1914–1918 |location=Barnsley |publisher=Seaforth Publishing |year=2014 |isbn=978-1-84832-231-8}}
• {{cite book |last1=Manning |first1=Thomas Davys |last2=Walker |first2=Charles Frederick |name-list-style=amp |title=British Warship Names |location=London |publisher=Putnam |year=1959 |oclc=780274698}}
• {{cite book |last=March |first=Edgar J. |title=British Destroyers |location=London |publisher=Seeley |year=1966 |oclc=898841922}}
• {{cite book |title=Monograph No. 11: The Battle of Heligoland Bight: August 28th 1914 |series=Naval Staff Monographs (Historical) |volume= III |year=1921 |publisher=Naval Staff, Training and Staff Duties Division |oclc=220734221 |ref={{harvid|Naval Staff Monograph No. 11|1921}}}}
• {{cite book | last=Moretz | first=Joseph | title=The Royal Navy and the Capital Ship in the Interwar Period | location=London | publisher=Routledge| year=2002 | isbn=978-0-71465-196-5}}
• {{cite book |last1=Parkes |first1=Oscar |last2=Prendergast |first2=Maurice |author-link1=Oscar Parkes |title=Jane's Fighting Ships 1919 |publisher=David & Charles |location=Newton Abbott |year=1969 |oclc=907574860}}
• {{cite book | last=Preston | first=Antony | author-link=Antony Preston | 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 | publisher=Conway Maritime Press | location=London | year=1985 | isbn=978-0-85177-245-5}}

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{{L class destroyers (1913)}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Linnet (1913)}}

Category:1913 ships

Linnet

Category:Ships built on the River Clyde

Linnet