:HMS Searcher (1918)

{{Main|S-class destroyer (1917)|l1=S-class destroyer}}

Searcher was one of 33 Admiralty {{sclass2|S|destroyer (1917)|0}} destroyers ordered by the British Admiralty in June 1917 as part of the Twelfth War Construction Programme. The design was a development of the {{sclass2|R|destroyer (1916)|4}} introduced as a cheaper and faster alternative to the {{sclass2|V and W|destroyer|4}}.{{sfn|Preston|1985|page=85}}{{sfn|Johnston|2014|page=187}} Differences from the R class were minor, such as having the searchlight further aft.{{sfn|March|1966|page=221}}

Searcher had an overall length of {{convert|276|ft|m|abbr=on}} and a length of {{convert|265|ft|m|abbr=on}} between perpendiculars. The beam was {{convert|26|ft|9|in|m|abbr=on}} and draught {{convert|9|ft|10|in|m|abbr=on}}. Displacement was {{convert|1075|LT|t|lk=in}} normal and {{convert|1221|LT|t}} deep load. Three Yarrow boilers fed steam to two sets of Brown-Curtis geared steam turbines rated at {{convert|27000|shp|kW|lk=on}} and driving two shafts, giving a design speed of {{convert|36|kn|lk=on}} at normal loading and {{convert|32.5|kn}} at deep load. Two funnels were fitted. A full load of {{convert|301|LT|lk=on}} of fuel oil was carried, which gave a design range of {{convert|2750|nmi|lk=in}} at {{convert|15|kn}}.{{sfn|Friedman|2009|page=297}}{{sfn|Johnston|2014|page=190}}

Armament consisted of three QF 4 inch naval gun Mk IV, XII, XXII guns on the ship's centreline.{{sfn|Preston|1985|page=84}} One was mounted raised on the forecastle, one on a platform between the funnels, and one aft.{{sfn|Friedman|2009|page=163}} The ship also mounted a single QF 2-pounder naval gun "pom-pom" anti-aircraft gun for air defence. Four British 21 inch torpedo torpedo tubes were carried in two twin rotating mounts aft.{{sfn|Preston|1985|page=84}} Four depth charge chutes were also fitted aft. Typically ten depth charges were carried.{{sfn|Friedman|2009|page=236}} The ship was designed to mount two additional {{convert|18|in|mm|0|abbr=on}} torpedo tubes either side of the superstructure but this required the forecastle plating to be cut away, causing excess water to come aboard at sea, so they were removed.{{sfn|March|1966|page=221}} The weight saved enabled the heavier Mark V 21-inch torpedo to be carried.{{sfn|Preston|1985|page=85}} Fire control included a training-only director, single Dumaresq and a Vickers range clock.{{sfn|Friedman|2009|page=146}} The ship had a complement of 90 officers and ratings.{{sfn|Parkes|Prendergast|1969|page=107}}

One of nine of the class to be built by the shipyard, Searcher was laid down on 30 March 1918 by John Brown & Company in Clydebank with the yard number 479, launched on 11 September the following year and completed on 25 November, days after the Armistice that ended the First World War.{{sfn|Johnston|2014|page=190}}{{sfn|Parkes|Prendergast|1969|page=107}} The second vessel with the name to serve in the Royal Navy, Searcher joined the Fourteenth Destroyer Flotilla of the Grand Fleet.{{sfn|Manning|Walker|1959|page=395}}{{cite journal | title=Destroyer Flotillas of the Grand Fleet | journal=Supplement to the Monthly Navy List | date=January 1919 | page=12 | url= https://digital.nls.uk/british-military-lists/archive/92370918 | via=National Library of Scotland | access-date=18 June 2023}}

Although the war had finished, the escalating civil war in Russia continued. The Royal Navy decided to send a small contingent of warships into the Baltic Sea to monitor the situation.{{sfn|Head|2009|page=136}} The fleet was tasked with not simply helping to organise the evacuation of German forces from the country but also supporting the Estonian War of Independence.{{sfn|Head|2009|page=147}} Searcher was sent as part of a detachment of ten destroyers under the command of Admiral Walter Cowan in the light cruiser {{HMS|Caledon|D53|2}}. The flotilla left on 25 March 1919, sailing initially to Oslo, Norway, and Copenhagen, Denmark.{{sfn|Cunningham|1951|page=99}} Remaining there until 26 April, Searcher then departed for Tallinn to support the Estonian armed forces.{{sfn|Dunn|2020|page=96}} The vessel did not remain long and had left the theatre within the month.{{sfn|Dunn|2020|page=101}}

At the same time, the Royal Navy was returning 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}} Searcher joined the Seventh Destroyer Flotilla based at Rosyth and was placed in reserve.{{cite journal|title=V Vessels in Reserve at Home Ports and Other Bases|journal=The Navy List|date=October 1919|page=709|url=https://digital.nls.uk/british-military-lists/archive/92552978|via=National Library of Scotland|access-date=18 June 2023}} The vessel was subsequently moved to Devonport.{{cite journal|title=I Atlantic Fleet|journal=The Navy List|date=January 1920|page=702|url= https://digital.nls.uk/british-military-lists/archive/92626922 |via=National Library of Scotland|access-date=21 May 2023}}

In May 1931, Searcher was taken from reserve to replace fellow S-class destroyer {{HMS|Tourmaline|1919|2}} with the local defence flotilla at Gibraltar.{{cite news |title=Naval, Military, And Air Force: Destroyers for Scrapping |newspaper=The Times |date=25 May 1931 |issue=45831 |page=16}} Between 5 and 30 April 1933, the destroyer, along with sister ship {{HMS|Shamrock|1918|2}} visited Morocco and Spain, calling in at Casablanca, Cadiz, Bonanza, Seville and Tangier.{{cite news |title=Royal Navy: Gibraltar Flotilla Cruise |newspaper=The Times |date=4 April 1933 |issue=46410 |page=21}} Soon after, on 19 May, the destroyer was ordered to support the aircraft carrier {{HMS|Glorious||2}}, the first time that a member of the Gibraltar flotilla had been used for such a purpose.{{cite news |title=Royal Navy: H.M.S. Searcher |newspaper=The Times |date=19 May 1933 |issue=46448 |page=9}} Searcher accompanied the aircraft carrier on cruises around the Mediterranean Sea, visiting Kotor and Malta, before returning to Gibraltar on 16 March the following year.{{cite news |title=Royal Navy: Movement of Ships |newspaper=The Times |date=17 August 1933 |issue=46525 |page=19}}{{cite news |title=Royal Navy: Movement of Ships |newspaper=The Times |date=20 March 1934 |issue=46707 |page=8}} The warship then accompanied the dreadnought {{HMS|Queen Elizabeth|1913|2}} on a cruise to Villefranche-sur-Mer during the next month.{{cite news |title=Royal Navy: Mediterranean Cruise |newspaper=The Times |date=9 April 1934 |issue=46723 |page=7}}

On 22 June 1935, Searcher arrived at Portsmouth ready to participate in a fleet review to celebrate the Silver Jubilee of George V. The event involved over 100 ships of the Royal Navy.{{cite news |title=Jubilee Naval Review: Arrival of Ships from the Mediterranean |newspaper=The Times |date=22 June 1935 |issue=47097 |page=16}} After a short refit, the destroyer was recommissioned on 12 August and returned to the Mediterranean Fleet.{{cite news |title=Royal Navy: Changes in Command |newspaper=The Times |date=2 August 1935 |issue=47132 |page=7}} Although based at Malta, the vessel accompanied Queen Elizabeth on visits to various Greek ports, including Crete on 22 October 1936.{{cite news |title=Royal Navy: Visit to Crete |newspaper=The Times |date=22 October 1936 |issue=47512 |page=27}} Soon after, the destroyer returned to the UK and retired. On 25 March 1938, Searcher was sold to Thos. W. Ward to be broken up at Barrow-in-Furness.{{sfn|Colledge|Warlow|2006|page=315}}

{{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 | last1=Colledge | first1=J. J. | last2=Warlow | first2=Ben | title=Ships of the Royal Navy: a complete record of all fighting ships of the Royal Navy from the 15th century to the present | publisher=Chatham | location=London | year=2006 | isbn=978-1-85367-566-9 | author-link=J. J. Colledge}}
• {{cite book | last=Cunningham | first=Andrew Browne | title=A Sailor's Odyssey: The Autobiography of Admiral of the Fleet, Viscount Cunningham of Hyndhope | location=London | publisher=Hutchinson | year=1951 | oclc=2307923 | author-link=Andrew Cunningham, 1st Viscount Cunningham of Hyndhope}}
• {{cite book | last=Dunn | first=Steve | title=Battle in the Baltic: The Royal Navy and the Fight to save Estonia & Latvia 1918-20 | location=Barnsley | publisher=Seaforth Publishing | year=2020 |isbn=978-1-52674-273-5}}
• {{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 | author-link=Norman Friedman}}
• {{cite journal | last=Head | first=Michael |title=The Baltic Campaign, 1918-1920: Part I | journal=Warship International | year=2009 | volume=46 | number=2 | pages=134–150}}
• {{cite book | last=Johnston | first=Ian | title=A Shipyard at War: Unseen Photographs of John Brown & Co. Ltd, Clydebank, 1914-18 | location=Barnsley | publisher=Seaforth Publishing | year=2014 | isbn=978-1-84832-216-5 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eEauCAAAQBAJ}}
• {{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=March | first=Edgar J. | title=British Destroyers: A History of Development, 1892–1953 | location=London | publisher=Seeley Service | year=1966 | oclc=164893555}}
• {{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 | 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}}

{{refend}}

{{S class destroyers (1917)}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Searcher}}

Category:1918 ships

Category:S-class destroyers (1917) of the Royal Navy

Category:Ships built on the River Clyde