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The two Adventure class scout cruisers were built to operate with the increasingly important Destroyer Flotillas, to act as scouts, lead attacks and take on enemy Destroyers. They were part of a larger order for eight scout cruisers, built in pairs by four different dockyards, and sometimes known as the “Sentinel” class (see Sentinel Class article for more details). The two Adventure class ships were built by Armstrong, at Elswick.
The four pairs of ships were each slightly different. The Adventure class ships had a clipper bow (a bow that curves forward as it rises from the water) and four funnels, compared to the inverted bows and three funnels of the other three classes.
HMS Adventure served a leader of the 1st Torpedo Boat Destroyer Flotilla (1907), then as a member of the 2nd Destroyer Flotilla (1911). From July 1913 she was part of the 6th Destroyer Flotilla, based at Dover. In May 1915 five of the seven surviving “Sentinel” cruisers (Sentinel, Skirmisher, Adventure, Forward and Foresight) formed the 6th Light Cruiser Squadron, based on the Humber. They were there to patrol against Zeppelins raiding up the east coast.
The squadron was soon broken up as newer ships became available, and in July 1915 the Adventure became the flagship at the naval base at Queenstown (southern Ireland), a post she held until November 1917. Between April and November 1918 she carried out escort duties, guarding the slower convoys travelling from Britain to Gibraltar. After the war she briefly served in the Mediterranean, before being sold off in 1920.
HMS Attentive joined the Nore Division of the Home Fleet in March 1907. In 1909 she became leader of the 3rd Destroyer Flotilla, then joined the 2nd Destroyer Flotilla in 1910.
The Attentive spend most of the First World War with the Dover Patrol, starting as a member of the 6th Destroyer Flotilla. On 7 September 1915 she became an early victim of air power. While supporting a naval bombardment of German positions at Ostend, the Attentive was bombed, suffering two killed and seven wounded. The air attack forced the squadron to briefly disperse, before returning to carry out the bombardment. The Attentive was also present at the Zeebrugge Raid of 25 April 1918.
Displacement (loaded) |
2,640t |
Top Speed |
25kts |
Armour – deck |
2in-0.75in |
- conning tower |
3in |
Length |
395ft |
Armaments – as built |
Ten 12pdr quick firing guns |
Armaments – as modified 1911/12 |
Nine 4in guns |
Crew complement |
268 |
Launched |
1904 |
Completed |
1905 |
Ships in class |
HMS Adventure |