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HMS Rival (1916) was a repeat M class destroyer that served with the Grand Fleet from 1916-18, then at Devonport from May 1918. After the war she served with the engineer training department HMS Fisgard at Portsmouth before being sold for scrap in 1926.
The Rival was ordered under the Fifth War Programme of May 1915. She was laid down at Yarrow in August 1915, launched on 14 June 1916 and completed in September 1916
1916
From August 1916 to September 1916 the Rival served with the 14th Destroyer Flotilla, Grand Fleet
From October 1916-April 1918 the Rival served with the 13th Destroyer Flotilla, Grand Fleet
1917
On 19 March the Rival and Orpheus was escorting a force of British minesweepers when the British submarine J.1 surfaced to report a sighting of a German submarine to the Rival. Although J.1 remained on the surface for about an hour, nobody reported her presence to the Orpheus, which remained unaware of her presence. After an hour the Orpheus spotted the surfaced submarine, which by that time had her radio mast raised and was flying the white ensign. The Orpheus failed to notice any of those and opened fire from a short range. Luckily her fire was inaccurate and J.1 escaped undamaged.
When the Germans attacked a Scandinavian convoy on 16 October, sinking the destroyers Mary Rose and Strongbow, the Rival was one of twelve destroyers that were attached to the 6th Light Cruiser Squadron at Rosyth. When news that the Germans were at sea reached the British this squadron was ordered to head east to patrol off the Danish coast, but the Vimiera, Nerissa, Pylades and Osiris lost touch with the 6th Light Cruiser Squadron on 16 October, got back in touch with the Cardiff (part of the squadron) on 17 October and returned to port on the night of 17-18 October.
On 12 December 1917 the Germans attacked one of the Scandinavian convoys, sinking the destroyer Partridge and the entire convoy. The British had powerful forces at sea to guard against this exact plan, but they were too far from the convoy and were unable to intervene in time. The Rival was at sea with the Third Light Cruiser Squadron, and picked up the Partridge’s warning message. She passed it on to the rest of the squadron, and Captain L.C.S. Woollcombe of the Birkenhead headed towards the battle. Only bad luck and an unusual choice of route for the Germans prevented the two forces from clashing.
1918
On 4 March 1918 Flight Commander D G Donald attempted to launch a Sopwith Ship Strutter from an extended turret platform on the battle cruiser HMS Repulse. However the extension was made of canvas over a steel net and the weight of the Strutter caused the canvas to sag. The propeller hit the netting and broke and the aircraft ditched. Donald was rescued by the Rival.
From May 1918 to December 1918 the Rival served with the 4th Destroyer Flotilla, Devonport
The Rival was damaged in a collision with the SS Kenilworth Castle in the English Channel on 4 June 1918 and one man was killed. The collision resulted in a court of enquiry which was still ongoing in 1920.
Post-War
In July 1919 she was in the reserve at Portsmouth
In December 1919 she was serving as a tender to Fisgard at Portsmouth, a collection of old warships used to train engineers. At the time Fisgard consisted of the former cruiser Spartiate, the centre-battery ironclad HMS Hercules, the former cruiser Terrible and the former battleship Sultan, all renamed as Fisgard I to Fisgard IV. She continued to carry out this role into 1923.
On 5 and 11 June 1924 she took part in chlorosulphonic acid smoke trials. This produced a thick white smoke that tended to stay close to the water, which what was needed for naval smoke screens, but was also rather corrosive. This method was used to produce smoke screens during the Second World War.
She was paid off in November 1925 and sold to be broken up in July 1926.
Service Record
August 1916-September 1916: 14th Destroyer Flotilla, Grand Fleet
October 1916-April 1918: 13th Destroyer Flotilla, Grand Fleet
May 1918-December 1918: 4th Destroyer Flotilla, Devonport
Displacement (standard) |
895t (Yarrow) |
Displacement (loaded) |
1,250t |
Top Speed |
35 knots at 23,000shp |
Engine |
2-shaft turbines |
Range |
|
Length |
270ft 6in (Yarrow) |
Width |
24ft 7.5in (Yarrow) |
Armaments |
Three 4in/ 45cal QF Mk IV |
Crew complement |
80 |
Laid down |
|
Launched |
14 June 1916 |
Completed |
|
Sold for break up |
July 1926 |
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]
