Cricket-class destroyer

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

{{Infobox ship begin}}

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{{Infobox ship image

|Ship image= HMS Cricket (1906) IWM Q 021130.jpg

|Ship image size=300px

|Ship caption= HMS Cricket

}}

{{Infobox ship class overview

|Name=Cricket class and subsequent classes

|Builders=J S White, Thornycroft, Yarrow, Denny, Hawthorn Leslie, Palmer

|Operators={{navy|United Kingdom}}

|Class before=

|Class after=

|Subclasses=

|Built range=

|In commission range=

|Total ships building=

|Total ships planned=

|Total ships completed=36

|Total ships cancelled=

|Total ships active=

|Total ships laid up=

|Total ships lost=6

|Total ships retired=

|Total ships scrapped=30

|Total ships preserved=

}}

The Cricket class and following classes of coastal destroyers were a series of small torpedo boat destroyers (TBDs) intended to complement the Royal Navy's {{sclass2|Tribal|destroyer|2||1905}}s. The thirty-six vessels which broadly comprised this group actually consisted of several distinct classes, as each contractor built to their own designs, and even single contractor's designs evolved from year to year.

The first twelve vessels (comprising White's Cricket class, Thornycroft's Gadfly class and Yarrow's Mayfly class) were ordered in 1905 and launched in early 1906. In practice they were not strong enough for open ocean operations and were reclassified as 1st class torpedo boats. These first twelve had been given names but in October 1906 - after the first two vessels ran trials but before any had been delivered - all were then given the numbers TB 1 to TB 12 and their names were withdrawn.

The following two batches—each of twelve more boats, comprising TB 13 to TB 24 ordered under the 1906–07 Programme, and TB 25 to TB 36 under the 1907–08 Programme—were only ever given numbers and were on average {{convert|10|ft|m|abbr=on}} longer. These were only ever classified as 1st class torpedo boats. The last boat was launched in 1909. Those that survived the war (six were wartime losses - four from the 1905-06 batch and two from the 1906-07 batch) were sold off from 1919 to 1921.

They were built by six different yards (thirteen by White at Cowes, nine by Thornycroft (five at Chiswick and four at Woolston, Hampshire), four each by Denny at Dumbarton and by Hawthorn Leslie at Hebburn, and three each by Yarrow at Cubitt Town and by Palmers at Jarrow).

The boats differed in detail as each shipbuilder was allowed to construct to their own design, and the designs were modified and enlarged for the later batches, but all had two funnels with one of the torpedo tubes on the stern. These vessels closely resembled the earliest 26-knotter TBDs of 1892–93, having 'turtle-back' forecastles and carried a similar armament.

By 1914 all boats were serving in North Sea Patrol Flotillas or the Nore Local Defence Flotilla. TB 4 and TB 24 won the Battle Honour Belgian Coast 1915. In 1918 the four Denny-built boats were sent to the Mediterranean: TB 17 and TB 18 served at Gibraltar, TB 29 and TB 30 at Malta, where these went to the breakers in 1919.

''Cricket''-class (''TB.1'' to ''TB.5'' - J. S. White 1905–1906 programme)

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{{Infobox ship characteristics

|Hide header=

|Header caption=
TB.1 to TB.5

|Ship type=Coastal destroyer (from October 1906, 1st class torpedo boats)

|Ship displacement=*247 t normal

  • ~272 t deep load

|Ship length={{convert|178|ft|m|abbr=on}} overall, {{convert|175|ft|m|abbr=on}} between perpendiculars

|Ship beam={{convert|17|ft|6|in|m|abbr=on}}

|Ship draught={{convert|6|ft|1.5|in|m|abbr=on}}

|Ship propulsion=2 Yarrow boilers, 3 Parsons turbines generating {{convert|3600|shp|abbr=on|lk=in}} on three shafts

|Ship speed={{convert|26|kn|lk=in}}

|Ship range=21.7–37 t of oil

|Ship complement=39

|Ship sensors=

|Ship armament=*2 × 12-pounder guns

|Ship armour=

|Ship notes=

}}

J Samuel White's torpedo boats of the 1905–1906 shipbuilding programme were {{convert|178|ft|0|in|m|2}} long overall and {{convert|175|ft|0|in|m|2}} between perpendiculars, with a beam of {{convert|17|ft|6|in|2}} and a draught of {{convert|6|ft|1+1/2|in|m}}. Displacement was {{convert|247|LT|t}} normal and {{convert|272|LT|t}} deep load.{{Harvnb|Friedman|2009|pp=110, 294}} The ships had turtleback{{#tag:ref|A fore deck with exaggerated camber designed to throw off sea water at high speeds.{{harvnb|Gardiner|Lambert|1992|p=188}}|group=lower-alpha}} forecastles and two funnels. Two oil-fuelled Yarrow water-tube boilers fed steam to three-stage Parsons steam turbines, driving three propeller shafts.{{Harvnb|Gardiner|Gray|1985|pp=72–73}}{{Harvnb|Brown|2003|p=195}} The machinery was designed to give {{convert|3600|shp|kW}}, with a speed of {{convert|26|kn|mph km/h}} specified.{{Harvnb|Friedman|2009|p=294}}

Armament consisted of two 12-pounder (76-mm) 12 cwt guns{{#tag:ref|12 cwt refers to the weight of the gun in hundredweights|group=lower-alpha}}, and three 18-inch (450 mm) torpedo tubes (in three single mounts).{{harvnb|Friedman|2009|pp=110–111}} The ships had a crew of 39.

class="wikitable"
Original
Name
NumberBuilderLaid downLaunchedCompletionFate
colspan="7" style="text-align: center;"|1905–1906 Programme
CricketTB 1J. Samuel White12 September 190523 January 1906December 1906Sold 7 October 1920 to Fowey Coaling & Ship Co.
DragonflyTB 2J. Samuel White15 September 190511 March 1906January 1907Sold 7 October 1920 to Thos. W. Ward
FireflyTB 3J. Samuel White18 September 19051 September 1906February 1907Sold 7 October 1920 to Thos. W. Ward
Sandfly{{HMS|TB 4 |1906|2}}J. Samuel White18 September 190530 October 1906April 1907Sold 7 October 1920 to Thos. W. Ward
Wrecked 11 January 1921 on way to scrapping
Spider[http://www.rmg.co.uk/upload/pdf/Warship_Histories_Vessels_x.pdf HMS Spider] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120612053100/http://www.rmg.co.uk/upload/pdf/Warship_Histories_Vessels_x.pdf |date=June 12, 2012 }}{{HMS|TB 5|1906|2}}J. Samuel White18 September 190515 December 19061907Sold for scrapping 7 October 1920 to Thos. W. Ward.

''Gadfly''-class (''TB.6'' to ''TB.10'' - Thornycroft boats - 1905–1906 programme)

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{{Infobox ship characteristics

|Hide header=

|Header caption=
TB.6 to TB.10

|Ship type=Coastal destroyer (from October 1906, 1st Class torpedo boats)

|Ship displacement=*244 t normal

  • ~268 t deep load

|Ship length={{convert|171|ft|6|in|m|abbr=on}} overall, {{convert|166|ft|6|in|m|abbr=on}} between perpendiculars

|Ship beam={{convert|17|ft|6|in|m|abbr=on}}

|Ship draught={{convert|6|ft|4.5|in|m|abbr=on}}

|Ship propulsion=2 Yarrow boilers, 3 Parsons turbines generating {{convert|3750|shp|abbr=on|lk=in}} on three shafts

|Ship speed={{convert|26|kn|lk=in}}

|Ship range=21–35.6 t of oil

|Ship complement=39

|Ship sensors=

|Ship armament=*2 × 12-pounder guns

|Ship armour=

|Ship notes=

}}

Thornycroft's torpedo boats under the 1905–1906 programme were {{convert|171|ft|6|in|m}} long overall and {{convert|166|ft|6|in|m|2}} between perpendiculars, with a beam of {{convert|17|ft|6|in|2}} and a draught of {{convert|6|ft|4+1/2|in|m}}. Displacement was {{convert|244|LT|t}} normal and {{convert|268|LT|t}} deep load. As for the White-built boats, they had turtleback forecastles and two funnels. The machinery was similar, but was rated at {{convert|3750|shp|kW}}, with a speed of {{convert|26|kn|mph km/h}} specified. The ship's armament and crew was as the White-designed ships.

class="wikitable"
Original
Name
NumberBuilderLaid downLaunchedCompletionFate
colspan="7" style="text-align: center;"|1905–1906 Programme
GadflyTB 6Thornycroft, Chiswick1 September 190524 June 1906December 1906Sold 22 October 1920 to Stanlee, Dover
GlowwormTB 7Thornycroft, Chiswick25 September 190520 December 1906February 1907Sold 9 May 1921 to Thos. W. Ward, Rainham
GnatTB 8Thornycroft, Chiswick4 October 19051 December 1906March 1907Sold 9 May 1921 to Thos. W. Ward, Rainham
Grasshopper{{HMS|TB 9|1907|2}}Thornycroft, Chiswick1 November 190518 March 1907June 1907Sank following collision in North Sea, 26 July 1916Moore 1997, p. 315.
GreenflyTB 10Thornycroft, Chiswick2 November 190515 February 1907May 1907Mined in North Sea, 10 June 1915Dittmar, F. J. and J. J. Colledge. "[http://www.naval-history.net/WW1NavyBritishShips-Dittmar2.htm SHIPS OF THE ROYAL NAVY, 1914–1919 – in ALPHABETICAL ORDER (Part 2 of 2)]", British Warships 1914–1919. Naval-history.net. Retrieved 30 June 2013.

''Mayfly'' Class (''TB.11'' to ''TB.12'')

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{{Infobox ship characteristics

|Hide header=

|Header caption=
TB.11 and TB.12

|Ship type=Coastal destroyer (from October 1906, 1st Class torpedo boats)

|Ship displacement=*264 t normal

  • ~291 t deep load

|Ship length={{convert|175|ft|9|in|m|abbr=on}} overall, {{convert|172|ft|0|in|m|abbr=on}} between perpendiculars

|Ship beam={{convert|18|ft|0|in|m|abbr=on}}

|Ship draught={{convert|5|ft|8|in|m|abbr=on}} (trials)

|Ship propulsion=2 Yarrow boilers, 3 Parsons turbines generating {{convert|4000|shp|abbr=on|lk=in}} on three shafts

|Ship speed={{convert|27|kn|lk=in}} (trials)

|Ship range=23.8–39.5 t of oil

|Ship complement=39

|Ship sensors=

|Ship armament=*2 × 12-pounder guns

|Ship armour=

|Ship notes=

}}

class="wikitable"
Original
Name
NumberBuilderLaid downLaunchedCompletionFate
colspan="7" style="text-align: center;"|1905–1906 Programme
MayflyTB 11Yarrow23 November 190529 January 1907May 1907Mined in North Sea, 17 March 1916
MothTB 12Yarrow23 November 190515 March 1907May 1907Mined in North Sea, 10 June 1915

''TB.13'' Class (''TB.13'' to ''TB.16'')

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{{Infobox ship characteristics

|Hide header=

|Header caption=
TB.13 to TB.36
(average of six builders' designs)

|Ship type= 1st class torpedo boats

|Ship displacement=*256 t normal

  • ~306 t deep load

|Ship length={{convert|185|ft|m|abbr=on}} overall, {{convert|177|ft|m|abbr=on}} between perpendiculars

|Ship beam={{convert|18|ft|0|in|m|abbr=on}}

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

|Ship propulsion=2 Yarrow boilers, 3 Parsons turbines generating {{convert|4000|shp|abbr=on|lk=in}} on three shafts

|Ship speed={{convert|26|kn|lk=in}}

|Ship range=

|Ship complement=39

|Ship sensors=

|Ship armament=*2 × 12-pounder guns

|Ship armour=

|Ship notes=built by six different builders

}}

class="wikitable"
NumberBuilderLaid downLaunchedCompletionFate
colspan="7" style="text-align: center;"|1906–1907 Programme
TB 13J. Samuel White14 March 190710 July 1907May 1908Sank following collision in North Sea, 26 January 1916
TB 14J. Samuel White18 March 190726 September 1907May 1908Sold 7 October 1920 to Philip, Dartmouth
TB 15J. Samuel White20 March 190719 November 1907May 1908Sold 7 October 1920 to Thos. W. Ward
TB 16J. Samuel White12 July 190723 December 1907July 1908Sold 7 October 1920 to Thos. W. Ward
TB 17Denny4 April 190721 December 1907April 1908Sold 1919 at Gibraltar
TB 18Denny4 April 190715 February 1908June 1908Sold 1920 at Gibraltar
TB 19Thornycroft, Woolston13 March 19077 December 19072 June 1908Sold 9 May 1921 to Thos. W. Ward, Grays
TB 20Thornycroft, Woolston20 March 190721 January 190819 August 1908Sold 9 May 1921 to Thos. W. Ward
TB 21Hawthorn7 May 190720 December 1907March 1908Sold 7 October 1920 to Maden & McKee
TB 22Hawthorn7 May 19071 February 1908March 1908Sold 7 October 1920 to Maden & McKee
{{HMS|TB 23|1907|2}}Yarrow10 February 19075 December 190719 February 1908Sold 9 May 1921 to Thos. W. Ward
TB 24Palmers2 April 190719 March 1908June 1908Wrecked off Dover, 28 January 1917
colspan="7" style="text-align: center;"|1907–1908 Programme
TB 25J. Samuel White30 December 190728 August 190822 January 1909Sold 9 May 1921 to Thos. W. Ward, Grays
TB 26J. Samuel White30 December 190728 August 1908February 1909Sold 9 May 1921 to Thos. W. Ward, Rainham
TB 27J. Samuel White2 February 190829 September 1908March 1909Sold 9 May 1921 to Thos. W. Ward, Rainham
TB 28J. Samuel White27 February 190829 October 19088 April 1909Sold 9 May 1921 to Thos. W. Ward, Rainham
TB 29Denny20 February 190829 September 1908November 1909Sold 28 November 1919 at Malta
TB 30Denny20 February 190829 September 1908January 1910Sold 28 November 1919 at Malta
TB 31Thornycroft, Woolston8 February 190810 October 1908February 1910Sold 9 May 1921 to Thos. W. Ward, Rainham
TB 32Thornycroft, Woolston9 February 190823 November 1908March 1910Sold 9 May 1921 to Thos. W. Ward, Rainham
TB 33Hawthorn17 January 190822 February 1909June 1910Sold 24 August 1922 to Cashmore, Newport
TB 34Hawthorn7 February 190822 February 1909August 1910Sold 9 May 1921 to Thos. W. Ward, Rainham
TB 35Palmers4 February 190819 April 1909August 1910Sold 24 August 1922 to Cashmore, Newport
TB 36|Palmers20 March 19086 May 1909September 1910Sold 9 May 1921 to Thos. W. Ward, Rainham

Notes

{{reflist|group=lower-alpha}}

Citations

{{reflist|30em}}

References

  • {{cite book|last=Brown|first=D. K.|title= Warrior to Dreadnought: Warship Development 1860–1905|year=2003|publisher=Chatham Publishing|location=London|isbn=1-84067-5292}}
  • {{cite book|last=Friedman|first=Norman|title=British Destroyers: From Earliest Days to the Second World War|year=2009|publisher=Seaforth Publishing|location=Barnsley, UK|isbn=978-1-84832-049-9}}
  • {{cite book|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|publisher=Conway Maritime Press|location=London|isbn=0-85177-245-5}}
  • {{cite book |editor-last=Hythe |editor-first=Viscount |title=The Naval Annual 1912 |year=1912 |location=Portsmouth, UK |publisher=J. Griffin & Co. |url=https://archive.org/details/brasseysnavala1912brasuoft}}
  • {{cite book|editor1-last=Gardiner|editor1-first=Robert|editor2-last=Lambert|editor2-first=Andrew |title=Steam, Steel & Shellfire: The Steam Warship 1815–1905|series=Conway's History of the Ship|year=1992|publisher=Conway Maritime Press|location=London|isbn=0-85177-564-0}}
  • {{cite book|last=Moore|first=John|title=Jane's Fighting Ships of World War I|year=1990|publisher=Studio Editions|location=London|isbn=1-85170-378-0}}

{{Cricket-class destroyer}}

{{WWI British ships}}

Category:Destroyer classes

Category:Ship classes of the Royal Navy