HMS Birmingham (1913)
| Company type | Light cruiser |
|---|---|
| Industry | Naval warfare |
| Founded | 7 May 1913 |
| Defunct | 12 March 1931 |
| Fate | Sold for scrap and dismantled |
| Headquarters | Elswick , United Kingdom |
| Products | Warship |
Overview
HMS Birmingham served as the lead vessel in the Birmingham subset, comprising three ships within the Town-class class of light cruisers constructed for the Royal Navy. Her two sister ships were Lowestoft and Nottingham. These three cruisers closely resembled the third series of Town-class vessels but featured an extra 6 in (150 mm) gun mounted on the forecastle.
History
Constructed at Elswick, the two-screw cruiser Birmingham was launched on 7 May 1913 and officially completed by 30 January 1914. She became part of the 1st Light Cruiser Squadron within the Grand Fleet during 1914, undertaking a visit to Kiel in June of that year.
On 9 August 1914, off Fair Isle, Birmingham encountered the German submarine U-15, which had its engines disabled and was stationary on the surface amid dense fog. The crew aboard Birmingham detected hammering noises from inside the submarine, indicative of repair attempts. They opened fire but missed their target. As the submarine began to submerge, Birmingham rammed it, slicing it into two sections. This action led to the sinking of U-15 with all hands lost, marking the first instance of a U-boat being destroyed by an enemy warship. During the same year, Birmingham also sank two German merchant vessels and participated in both the Battle of Heligoland on 28 August and the Battle of Dogger Bank in January 1915.
In February 1915, she transferred to the 2nd Light Cruiser Squadron. On 18 June that year, she launched an unsuccessful attack against a submarine.
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During the Battle of Jutland, as part of the 2nd Light Cruiser Squadron, Birmingham sustained damage from shell splinters during nighttime combat.
Following the conclusion of the First World War, she served as flagship for the 6th Light Cruiser Squadron between 1919 and 1920. Subsequently, she was assigned to duties at the Nore from 1920 until 1922. Although considered for conversion into a minelayer alongside two other two-shaft 'Town' class cruisers, this plan was ultimately abandoned. In November 1923, she was recommissioned to serve on the Africa Station with the 6th Light Cruiser Squadron, taking over flagship responsibilities from Lowestoft. She continued her deployment on overseas stations until her sale in 1931. On 12 March that year, she arrived at the facilities of Thos. W. Ward in Pembroke Dock to be dismantled.
Notes
Bibliography
- Brown, David K. (2010). The Grand Fleet: Warship Design and Development 1906–1922. Barnsley, UK: Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84832-085-7.
- Template:Cite Colledge2006
- Corbett, Julian. Naval Operations to the Battle of the Falklands. History of the Great War: Based on Official Documents. Vol. I (2nd, reprint of the 1938 ed.). London and Nashville, Tennessee: Imperial War Museum and Battery Press. ISBN 0-89839-256-X.
- Corbett, Julian (1997). Naval Operations. History of the Great War: Based on Official Documents. Vol. II (reprint of the 1929 second ed.). London and Nashville, Tennessee: Imperial War Museum in association with the Battery Press. ISBN 1-870423-74-7.
- Friedman, Norman (2010). British Cruisers: Two World Wars and After. Barnsley, South Yorkshire, UK: Seaforth. ISBN 978-1-59114-078-8.
- Friedman, Norman (2011). Naval Weapons of World War One. Barnsley, South Yorkshire, UK: Seaforth. ISBN 978-1-84832-100-7.
- Gardiner, Robert & Gray, Randal, eds. (1985). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-85177-245-5.
- Lyon, David (1977). "The First Town Class 1908–31: Part 1". Warship. 1 (1). London: Conway Maritime Press: 48–58. ISBN 0-85177-132-7.
- Lyon, David (1977). "The First Town Class 1908–31: Part 2". Warship. 1 (2). London: Conway Maritime Press: 54–61. ISBN 0-85177-132-7.
- Lyon, David (1977). "The First Town Class 1908–31: Part 3". Warship. 1 (3). London: Conway Maritime Press: 46–51. ISBN 0-85177-132-7.
- Newbolt, Henry (1996). Naval Operations. History of the Great War Based on Official Documents. Vol. V (reprint of the 1931 ed.). Nashville, Tennessee: Battery Press. ISBN 0-89839-255-1.
External links
- Information on the Birmingham-class cruisers
- "An Echo from Jutland" – A Pathe newsreel dated 24 October 1921, featuring the Lord Mayor of Birmingham accepting the battle-damaged ensign from the ship.
- Royal Navy Log Books - HMS Birmingham, accessed 22 December 2013, available at naval-history.net: http://www.naval-history.net/OWShips-WW1-06Birmingham.htm Transcriptions of the vessel’s logbooks from June 1919 through June 1921 by OldWeather.org
- HMS Birmingham Crew List as part of the Battle of Jutland Crew Lists Project