HMS Sparrowhawk (1918)

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

Sparrowhawk was one of 33 Admiralty {{sclass2|S|destroyer (1917)|0}} destroyers ordered by the British Admiralty on 7 April 1917 as part of the Eleventh War Construction Programme. The design was a development of the {{sclass2|R|destroyer (1916)|4}} introduced at the same time as, and as a cheaper and faster alternative to, the {{sclass2|V and W|destroyer|4}}.{{sfn|Preston|1985|page=85}}{{sfn|Friedman|2009|page=169}} Differences with the R class were minor, such as having the searchlight moved aft and being designed to mount an additional pair of torpedo tubes.{{sfn|March|1966|page=221}}

The destroyer had a overall length of {{convert|276|ft|m|abbr=on}} and a length of {{convert|265|ft|m|abbr=on}} between perpendiculars. Beam was {{convert|26|ft|8|in|m|abbr=on}} and mean 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 Parsons 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|}} 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}} The ship had a complement of 90 officers and ratings.{{sfn|Parkes|Prendergast|1969|page=107}}

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 was also armed with 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}} The ship was to mount two additional British 18-inch torpedo torpedo tubes either side of the superstructure, controlled by the commander with toggle ropes. This would have required the forecastle plating to be cut away, causing excess water to come aboard at sea, so they were not fitted.{{sfn|March|1966|page=221}} The weight saved enabled the heavier Mark V 21-inch torpedo to be carried.{{sfn|Preston|1985|page=85}} Four depth charge chutes were also fitted aft and typically ten depth charges were carried.{{sfn|Friedman|2009|page=236}} Fire control included a training-only director, single Dumaresq and a Vickers range clock.{{sfn|Friedman|2009|page=146}}

Laid down on September 1917 during the First World War by Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson at their dockyard in Wallsend on the River Tyne with the yard number 1083, Sparrowhawk was launched on 14 May 1918 and completed on 4 September shortly before the Armistice that ended the war.{{sfn|Parkes|Prendergast|1969|page=107}}{{sfn|Friedman|2009|page=311}}{{cite journal|title=Swan, Hunter, & Wigham Richardson|journal=Lloyd's Register of Shipping|url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015086590216|year=1920|page=456}} The ship was the sixth of the name to enter service with the Royal Navy.{{sfn|Colledge|Warlow|2006|page=327}} Sparrowhawk was commissioned into the Grand Fleet, joining the Fourteenth Destroyer Flotilla.{{cite journal | title=Destroyer Flotillas of the Grand Fleet | journal=Supplement to the Monthly Navy List | date=October 1918 | page=12 | url=https://digital.nls.uk/british-military-lists/archive/92315614 | via=National Library of Scotland | access-date=9 April 2015}} However, with the end of 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}} On 27 April 1920, the ship was recommissioned at Plymouth.{{cite journal|title=825a Sparrowhawk |journal=The Navy List|date=January 1921|page=880|url= https://digital.nls.uk/british-military-lists/archive/94480812 |via=National Library of Scotland|access-date=9 April 2025}} The vessel was transferred to the Sixth Destroyer Flotilla to serve with the Mediterranean Fleet.{{cite journal|title=VII – Mediterranean |journal=The Navy List|date=January 1921|page=712|url=https://digital.nls.uk/british-military-lists/archive/94479168 |via=National Library of Scotland|access-date=9 April 2025}} On 26 May, the vessel sailed from Gibraltar to Malta.{{cite news |title=Naval Intelligence: Movement of Ships |newspaper=The Times |date=29 May 1920 |issue=42423 |page=5}}

By this time, the increasingly belligerent Russian Civil War led the Royal Navy to send ships into the Black Sea to support the White Russian forces.{{sfn|Halpern|2019|page=142}} On 8 June, Sparrowhawk sailed for Smyrna.{{cite news |title=Naval Appointments: Movement of Ships |newspaper=The Times |date=11 June 1920 |issue=42434 |page=4}} At the same time, the war between Greece and Turkey was escalating and the Turkish War of Independence had broken out.{{sfn|Clapson|2009|page=141}} This conflict increasingly became the focus for the Mediterranean Fleet.{{sfn|Halpern|2019|page=125}} After the dissolution of the General Assembly of the Ottoman Empire, the British sent additional warships to support the Occupation of Istanbul. The High Commissioner, John de Robeck, advocated an attack on the remainingOttoman Navy but instead a number of ships sailed in support of negotiations between the Turkish National Movement and the allied powers.{{sfn|Halpern|2019|page=126}} On 29 July, Sparrowhawk sailed for the city.{{cite news |title=Naval And Military Intelligence: Movement of Ships |newspaper=The Times |date=29 July 1920 |issue=42475 |page=4}} The fleet remained there as a demonstration of force.{{sfn|Halpern|2019|page=274}} On 8 February 1923, the destroyer arrived back in Smyrna.{{sfn|Halpern|2019|page=434}}

On 1 April 1926, the vessel replaced {{HMS|Serene|1918|2}} as emergency destroyer at HMNB Devonport.{{cite news |title=Naval and Military,: Emergency Destroyers|newspaper=The Times |date=12 March 1926 |issue=44218 |page=7}} On 22 April 1930, the London Naval Treaty was signed, which limited total destroyer tonnage that the Royal Navy could operate. As the force was looking to introduce more modern destroyers, some of the older vessels needed to be retired.{{sfn|Friedman|2009|page=211}} On 28 August, the destroyer was put up for sale.{{cite news |title=News in Brief: Five Destroyers to be Sold |newspaper=The Times |date=28 August 1930 |issue=45603 |page=12}} The ship was retired and, on 5 February 1931, the sold to be broken up by Ward in Grays.{{sfn|Colledge|Warlow|2006|page=327}}

{{reflist}}

• {{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=Clapson | first=Mark | title=The Routledge Companion to Britain in the Twentieth Century | location=London | publisher=Routledge | year=2009 | isbn= 978-0-41527-535-4 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HwyCAgAAQBAJ}}
• {{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=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 book | last=Halpern | first=Paul | title=The Mediterranean Fleet, 1919-1929 | location=London | publisher=Routledge | year=2019 | isbn=978-1-91142-387-4}}
• {{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}}

{{S class destroyers (1917)}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sparrowhawk}}

Category:1918 ships

Category:Ships built on the River Tyne

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

Category:World War II destroyers of the United Kingdom