:HMS Onslaught (1915)

Onslaught was one of twenty-two {{sclass2|Admiralty M|destroyer}} destroyers ordered by the British Admiralty in November 1914 as part of the Third War Construction Programme.{{sfn|McBride|1991|page=34}} The M-class was an improved version of the earlier {{sclass2|L|destroyer (1913)|0}} destroyers, required to reach a higher speed in order to counter rumoured German fast destroyers. The remit was to have a maximum speed of {{convert|36|kn|lk=on}}, and although the eventual design did not achieve this, the greater performance was appreciated by the navy. It transpired that the German ships did not exist.{{sfn|Friedman|2009|page=132}}

The destroyer was {{convert|265|ft|m|2}} long between perpendiculars, with a beam of {{convert|26|ft|9|in|m|2}} and a draught of {{convert|16|ft|3|in|m|2}}. Displacement was {{convert|950|LT|t|lk=on}} normal and {{convert|1021|LT|t}} deep load. Power was provided by three Yarrow boilers feeding two Brown-Curtis steam turbines rated at {{convert|25000|shp|kW|lk=on}} and driving two shafts, to give a design speed of {{convert|34|kn}}.{{sfn|Parkes|Prendergast|1969|page=109}} Three funnels were fitted and {{convert|296|LT}} of oil was carried, giving a design range of {{convert|3450|nmi|lk=in}} at {{convert|15|kn}}.{{sfn|Friedman|2009|page=296}}

Armament consisted of three single QF 4-inch naval gun Mk IV, XII, XXII 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) Mk II pom-pom anti-aircraft gun was carried, while torpedo armament consisted of two twin mounts for British 21 inch torpedo.{{sfn|Preston|1985|page=79}} The ship had a complement of 76 officers and ratings.{{sfn|Friedman|2009|page=296}}

Onslaught was launched by Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company at their shipyard in Govan on the River Clyde on 4 December 1915 and completed on 3 March the following year.{{sfn|Parkes|Prendergast|1969|page=109}} This was the first time the name had been used in the Royal Navy.{{sfn|Manning|Walker|1959|page=323}} The vessel was deployed as part of the Grand Fleet, joining the Twelfth Destroyer Flotilla under the flotilla leader {{HMS|Faulknor|1914|2}}.{{sfn|Naval Staff Monograph No. 32|1927|page=45}} On 22 April, the destroyer operated with the light cruisers of the Grand Fleet off the Skegerrak.{{sfn|Naval Staff Monograph No. 32|1927|page=189}}

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.{{sfn|Brooks|2016|pages=155}} The destroyer formed part of the First Division of the Flotilla, led by Faulknor and also including sister ships {{HMS|Marvel|1915|2}}, {{HMS|Mindful|1915|2}} and {{HMS|Obedient|1916|2}}.{{sfn|Brooks|2016|page=337}} The destroyer was deployed in action against the German light cruisers.{{sfn|Brooks|2016|page=421}} Shortly afterwards, the division saw the approaching line of the German Third Torpedo Boat Flotilla and attacked. The destroyer, along with the rest of the flotilla, sank the torpedo boat {{SMS|V48||2}}, previously disabled by the destroyer {{HMS|Shark|1912|2}}.{{sfn|Jutland: Official Despatches|1920|pp=331–332}} As the battle closed, the flotilla spotted the retreating German line. The First Division was ordered to attack and use their superior speed to speed ahead of the German ships.{{sfn|Corbett|1920|page=408}} The destroyer attacked the German fleet, unleashing four torpedoes, at least one of which struck the pre-dreadnought battleship {{SMS|Pommern||2}}.{{sfn|Campbell|1998|page=311}} The torpedoes caused the {{convert|17|cm|abbr=on}} magazines to detonate, sinking the ship with all hands. This was the only battleship sunk during the battle.{{sfn|Staff|2010|page=13}} During the attack, a German shell had struck the destroyer's bridge, killing five crew.{{sfn|Corbett|1920|pages=409, 488}}

The destroyer subsequently participated in the Action of 19 August 1916 as an escort for the light cruiser {{HMS|Royalist|1915|2}}. While escorting the cruiser to rendezvous with a major part of the Grand Fleet, the vessel was attacked by the German submarine {{SMU|UB-27||2}}, but the torpedo missed.{{sfn|Naval Staff Monograph No. 33|1927|page=98}} Onslaught subsequently also escorted the dreadnought battleship {{HMS|Iron Duke|1912|2}}.{{sfn|Newbolt|1928|page=84}} In 1917, the Twelfth Destroyer Flotilla was involved in anti-submarine operations, and for nine days from 15 June the destroyer was stationed off the north of Scotland.{{sfn|Newbolt|1931|page=55}}{{citation | title=Destroyer Flotillas of the Grand Fleet | work=Supplement to The Monthly Navy List | date=July 1917 | page=12 | url=https://digital.nls.uk/british-military-lists/archive/94242242 | via=National Library of Scotland | access-date=17 May 2022}} The operation did not lead to the destruction of any submarines and the Admiralty increasingly redeployed the destroyers of the Grand Fleet to escorting convoys.{{sfn|Newbolt|1928|page=383}} During 1918, Onslaught was transferred to the Third Destroyer Flotilla.{{citation | title=Destroyer Flotillas of the Grand Fleet | work=Supplement to The Monthly Navy List | date=January 1921 | page=12 | url=https://digital.nls.uk/british-military-lists/archive/92290266 | via=National Library of Scotland | access-date=17 May 2022}}

After the Armistice, the Royal Navy returned to a peacetime level of strength and both the number of ships and the amount of staff needed to be reduced to save money.{{sfn|Moretz|2002|page=79}} Onslaught was reduced to reserve on 17 October 1919.{{citation | title=IV. Vessels in Reserve at Home Ports and Other Bases | work=Supplement to The Monthly Navy List | date=May 1919 | page=16 | url=https://digital.nls.uk/british-military-lists/archive/92444250 | via=National Library of Scotland | access-date=17 May 2022}}{{citation | title=631 Onslaught | work=The Monthly Navy List | date=January 1921 | page=817 | url=https://digital.nls.uk/british-military-lists/archive/94480440 | via=National Library of Scotland | access-date=17 May 2022}} However, the harsh conditions of wartime service, exacerbated by the fact that the hull was not galvanised and operations often required high speed in high seas, meant that the destroyer was worn out and ready for retirement.{{sfn|Preston|1985|page=80}} On 30 October 1921, the vessel was sold to W. & A.T. Burden and broken up.{{sfn|Colledge|Warlow|2006|page=250}}

{{reflist}}

• {{cite book | title=Battle of Jutland, 30 May to 1 June 1916: Official Despatches with Appendices | location=London | publisher=His Majesty's Stationery Office | year=1920 | url=https://archive.org/details/battleofjutland300grearich | ref={{harvid|Jutland: Official Despatches|1920}}}}
• {{cite book | last=Brooks | first=John | title=The Battle of Jutland | location=Cambridge | publisher=Cambridge University Press | year=2016 | isbn=978-1-107-15014-0}}
• {{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=Jutland: An Analysis of the Fighting | location=London | publisher=Conway Maritime Press | year=1998 | isbn=978-0-85177-750-4}}
• {{cite book | first1=J.J. | last1=Colledge | first2=Ben | last2=Warlow | title=Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of All Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy | location=London | publisher=Chatham Press | year=2006 | isbn=978-1-93514-907-1}}
• {{cite book | last=Corbett | first=Julian S. | 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=1049894619}}
• {{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| title=British Destroyers: From Earliest Days to the First World War | year=2009 | publisher=Seaforth Publishing | location=Barnsley | isbn=978-1-84832-049-9}}
• {{cite book | last1=Manning | first1=Thomas Davys | last2=Walker | first2=Charles Frederick |title=British Warship Names | location=London | publisher=Putnam | year=1959 | oclc=780274698}}
• {{cite book | last=McBride | first=Keith | chapter=British 'M' Class Destroyers of 1913–14 | pages=34–49 | editor-last=Gardiner | editor-first=Robert | title=Warship 1991 | year=1991 | publisher=Conway Maritime Press | place=London | isbn=978-0-85177-582-1}}
• {{cite book | title=Monograph No. 32: Lowestoft Raid: 24th – 25th April, 1916 | series=Naval Staff Monographs (Historical) | volume=XVI | year=1927 | publisher=The Naval Staff, Training and Staff Duties Division | url=http://www.navy.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/Naval-Staff-Monographs-Vol.XVI_opt.pdf | ref={{Harvid|Naval Staff Monograph No. 32|1927}}}}
• {{cite book | title=Monograph No. 33: Home Waters Part VII: June 1916 to November 1916 |series=Naval Staff Monographs (Historical) | volume= XVII | year=1927 | publisher=Naval Staff, Training and Staff Duties Division | url=http://www.navy.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/Naval-Staff-Monographs-Vol.XVII_opt.pdf | ref={{harvid|Naval Staff Monograph No. 33|1927}}}}
• {{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 | last=Newbolt | first=Henry | title=Naval Operations: Volume IV | series=History of the Great War | location=London | publisher=Longmans, Green and Co | year=1928 | url=https://archive.org/details/navaloperations04corb | oclc=1049894132}}
• {{cite book | last=Newbolt | first=Henry | title=Naval Operations: Volume V | series=History of the Great War | location=London | publisher=Longmans, Green and Co | year=1931 | url=https://archive.org/details/navaloperations0000corb | oclc=220475309}}
• {{cite book | last1=Parkes | first1=Oscar | last2=Prendergast | first2=Maurice | title=Jane's Fighting Ships 1919 | publisher=David & Charles | location=Newton Abbott | year=1969 | oclc=907574860}}
• {{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 | publisher=Conway Maritime Press | location=London | year=1985 | isbn=978-0-85177-245-5}}
• {{cite book | last = Staff | first = Gary | title = German Battleships: 1914–1918 | volume = 1: Deutschland, Nassau and Helgoland Classes | location = Oxford | publisher = Osprey Books | year = 2010 | isbn = 978-1-84603-467-1}}

{{M class destroyers}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Onslaught (1915)}}

Category:1915 ships

Category:Admiralty M-class destroyers

Category:Ships built on the River Clyde

Category:World War I destroyers of the United Kingdom