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HMS Parthian (1916) was a repeat M class destroyer that served with the Grand Fleet from October 1916 to June 1917 although spend the first half of 1917 operating against the U-boats on the Irish station, before moving to the Mediterranean in July 1917, where she spent the rest of the war.
The Parthian was ordered under the Fourth War Programme of February 1915. She was laid down at Scotts in July 1915, launched on 3 July 1916 and completed in September 1916.
1916
From October 1916 to June 1917 the Parthian officially served with the 15th Destroyer Flotilla, Grand Fleet
1917
On 31 January 1917 Germany announced the resumption of unrestricted U-boat warfare, and in the first week of February they sank 35 ships in the Channel and western approaches. One of the British responses was to move four destroyers (Magic, Peyton, Parthian and Narwhal) from the Grand Fleet to Queenstown in southern Ireland, where they came under the command of Admiral Bayly.
On 10 March U-44 attacked SS Arataca in the western approaches with gunfire. The Arataca fired back with a Japanese 13-pounder gun. She was hit three times, and suffered one man killed and three wounded, but at 3.30pm the Parthian arrived on the scene and drove off the submarine.
On 5 April U-46 torpedoed the SS Benheather off the Fastnet Rock. The Benheather was carrying a cargo of timber, stayed afloat and was able broadcast an S.O.S. The Benheather was still floating on 6 April when the Parthian tried and failed to sink her with gunfire, but had sunk by 7 April.
On 29 April the Parthian spotted a U-boat conning tower, and attempted to ram. On the way in she opened fire and appeared to score three hits. She then dropped two depth charges. Which submarine this was is unclear – possibly U-67 or U-81 – although in either case it survived the attack.
At the start of May the Parthian was sent out to sea to meet up with the US Destroyer Division Eight, which was then approaching British waters after crossing the Atlantic. On 2 May the Parthian was in radio contact with the US destroyers, but was unable to find them. On 3 May four of the US destroyers were sent out to try and find the Parthian, but again they failed to make contact, and in the end the American ships were greeted by the Mary Rose instead.
On 5 May UC-75 sank HMS Lavender off the coast of Ireland. She stayed afloat for fifteen minutes, allowing the survivors to reach the shore in the ships boats. The Parthian rescued them later in the day.
On 7 May Admiral Bayly at Queenstown ordered his destroyers to operate in pairs. The Parthian was to work with the British destroyer HMS Peyton.
On 30 May the Parthian was closing on SS Fernley when the merchant ship was torpedoed by UC-55. The submarine was driven off, the crew of the Fernley went back onboard and she reached Berehaven safely.
On 18 June, when the American Admiral Sims briefly took command of all British and Naval Forces in Ireland the Parthian and Peyton were at Newport, Monmouthshire.
From July 1917 to July 1918 she served with the Gibraltar Local Defence Flotilla.
In early October 1917 the Parthian reported ramming and dropping depth charges on a U-boat about one hundred miles to the south of Cape St. Vincent, but no U-boats were sunk by depth charges at this time.
1918
On 6 February she and the USS Dale (DD-4) left escorting the French troopship Chaouia from Gibraltar to Marseilles. At 3am the troopship broke down. At first the two destroyers formed a screen around her, but at 2pm the Parthian took her under tow, and they reached Algiers at 4am on 9 February.
On 28 April the Parthian put to sea with USS Decatur (DD-5) and USS Dale to meet an incoming convoy in the western Mediterranean. They escorted the convoy through the straits of Gibraltar into the Mediterranean, and left it late on 29 April to return to base.
On 7 May the Parthian put to sea with the Royal Scot, Laggan and Tuberose to meet an inbound convoy escorted by USS Chester. They met the convoy to the west of Gibraltar and escorted it back to base, arriving on 10 May.
On 24 June the Parthian and USS Decatur escorted the Italian transport Giuseppe Verdi, carrying 1,760 US troops, east from Gibraltar towards Genoa.
In August 1918 the Parthian served with the 5th Destroyer Flotilla at Brindisi.
In November 1918 the Parthian was at Mudros.
In December 1918 the Parthian was part of the Aegean Squadron.
On 19 May 1919 the Parthian collided with the French transport Bien Hoa off Istanbul.
She was sold to be broke up in November 1921
Service Record
October 1916-June 1917: 15th Destroyer Flotilla, Grand Fleet
July 1917-July 1918: Gibraltar Local Defence
August 1918: 5th Destroyer Flotilla, Brindisi
November 1918: Mudros
December 1918: Aegean Squadron
Displacement (standard) |
1,025t (Admiralty design) |
Displacement (loaded) |
1,250t |
Top Speed |
34 knots |
Engine |
3-shaft Brown-Curtis or Parsons turbines |
Range |
|
Length |
273ft 4in (Admiralty) |
Width |
26ft 8ft (Admiralty) |
Armaments |
Three 4in/ 45cal QF Mk IV |
Crew complement |
80 |
Laid down |
July 1915 |
Launched |
3 July 1916 |
Completed |
September 1916 |
Sold for break up |
November 1921 |
British Destroyers From Earliest Days to the Second World War, Norman Friedman. A very detailed look at the design of British destroyers from their earliest roots as torpedo boat destroyers, though the First World War and up to the start of the Second World War, supported by vast numbers of plans and well chosen photographs [read full review]
