HMS Glatton (1914)

HMS Glatton

Company type	Monitor
Industry	Naval warfare
Founded	26 May 1913
Defunct	16 September 1918 (scuttled)
Fate	Scuttled after fire and explosion
Headquarters	Dover , United Kingdom
Products	Warship (monitor)
Number of employees	305 (crew complement)

Overview

HMS Glatton along with her sister ship Gorgon were initially constructed as coastal defence ships intended for the Royal Norwegian Navy, designated as Bjørgvin and Nidaros respectively. At the outbreak of World War I, she was seized from Norway but was not finalized until 1918, despite having been launched more than three years earlier. On 16 September 1918, prior to seeing combat, a significant fire broke out in one of her 6-inch ammunition magazines. To avert a catastrophic explosion of her primary magazines that could have caused widespread destruction in Dover, she was deliberately scuttled. In 1926, parts of her wreck were salvaged and relocated to the northeastern section of the harbour to avoid hindering navigation. Eventually, the remains were covered by landfill beneath the present-day car ferry terminal.

Specifications

• Class: Gorgon-class monitor
• Displacement: Approximately 5,746 long tons (5,838.2 t) at full load
• Length: 310 ft (94.5 m)
• Beam:
  • 73 ft 7 in (22.4 m) including bulge
  • 55 ft (16.8 m) at main hull
• Draught: 16 ft 4 in (5.0 m)
• Propulsion:
  • Two shafts powered by two vertical triple expansion steam engines
  • Four dual-fired Yarrow boilers equipped with oil sprayers
• Power output: 4,000 ihp (3,000 kW)
• Maximum speed: 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph)
• Operational range: Around 2,700 nmi (5,000 km; 3,100 mi) at cruising speed of 11 knots (20 km/h; 13 mph)
• Crew complement: 305 personnel

Armament

• Two 9.2-inch Mk XII guns
• Four BL 6-inch Mk XVIII guns
• Two QF 3-inch 20 cwt anti-aircraft guns
• Four QF 3-pounder Vickers anti-aircraft guns
• Two QF 2-pounder naval anti-aircraft guns

Armour

• Belt armour thickness ranging between 3–7 in (7.6–17.8 cm)
• Bulkheads reinforced with 3–4 in (7.6–10.2 cm) plating
• Gun turrets protected by 8 in (20 cm) armour
• Conning tower shielded with 8 in (20 cm) armour
• Deck armour varying from 1–2.5 in (2.5–6.4 cm)

Fate

Before engaging in any combat operations, HMS Glatton was lost due to a severe fire in one of her secondary gun magazines on 16 September 1918. To prevent a devastating explosion that would have impacted the town of Dover, she was intentionally sunk. Subsequent partial salvage operations took place in 1926, after which the remains were repositioned within the harbour’s northeastern area to avoid interference with maritime traffic. The remnants were eventually buried beneath landfill supporting the current location of the car ferry terminal.

Background

The Norwegian government commissioned Bjørgvin in 1913 to enhance its fleet of coastal defence vessels, supplementing the older Eidsvold and Tordenskjold classes. In Norway, she would have been designated as P/S Bjørgvin, with P/S denoting Panserskip ("armoured ship"). The name Bjørgvin refers to the historic name of Bergen, a Norwegian city. However, at the onset of World War I, the Royal Navy seized most warships being built in Britain for foreign navies and reimbursed Norway two-thirds of the £370,000 already paid for Bjørgvin.

Construction and description

Construction of Bjørgvin began at Armstrong Whitworth’s Elswick yard on 26 May 1913, with her launch taking place on 8 August 1914. She was subsequently renamed Glatton, after a breastwork monitor launched in 1871. The British made extensive modifications that delayed her completion significantly, including adapting the boilers to burn both oil and coal and converting twelve double-bottom tanks for oil storage. Work on these changes started on 9 January 1915 but was halted in May to prioritize the construction of larger light cruisers Furious and Courageous at Armstrong’s naval facilities further downriver.

In September 1917, construction resumed under a revised plan that incorporated a substantial anti-torpedo bulge along approximately three-quarters of the hull length. The original Norwegian plans for torpedo tubes and 100-millimetre (3.9 in) guns were abandoned. A prominent tripod mast was installed behind the single funnel to support fire control directors for both the 6-inch (152 mm) and 9.2-inch (234 mm) guns. Both calibres required re-boring to accept standard British ammunition, and the mounting for the 9.2-inch gun was altered to allow a maximum elevation of 40°, extending its range to 39,000 yards (36,000 m). While the addition of bulges reduced her speed by about 2 knots (3.7 km/h; 2.3 mph), it counterbalanced the extra weight from modifications, preventing an increase in draft. The vessel was ultimately completed on 8 September 1918.

Glatton in drydock, illustrating the broad torpedo bulge

As completed, Glatton had a displacement of 5,746 long tons (5,838 t) at deep load. She measured 310 ft (94 m) in length with a maximum beam of 73 feet 7 inches (22.4 m), although her main hull width was only 55 feet (16.8 m), and her draught was 16 feet 4 inches (5.0 m). Propulsion was provided by two vertical triple expansion steam engines powered by four Yarrow boiler water-tube boilers, producing a combined output of 4,000 indicated horsepower (3,000 kW), which enabled a top speed of approximately 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph).

Her primary armament consisted of two 9.2-inch guns mounted singly in turrets positioned fore and aft. The secondary battery included four six-inch guns also housed in single turrets; two were superimposed over the 9.2-inch turrets while the other two flanked either side of the superstructure. Each centre-line six-inch turret carried one 3 in (76 mm) Anti-aircraft warfare gun. Additionally, she was equipped with four Ordnance QF 3-pounder Vickers and two QF 2-pounder naval guns mounted on high-angle mounts for close-range defense.

Fate

Following her completion, Glatton departed for Dover on 11 September 1918 to ready herself for the upcoming offensive scheduled later that month. At 6:15 p.m. on 16 September, a low-order explosion occurred in Glatton's midships 6-inch magazine, igniting the stored cordite. Flames erupted through the roof of 'Q' turret on the starboard midsection and began spreading aft. At that moment, the ship's captain, Commander Neston Diggle, was walking along the cliffs with Vice-Admiral Roger Keyes when they heard the blast and promptly hurried back to the harbour.

Upon boarding the blazing ship, Diggle discovered that only one officer remained alive aboard—a junior surgeon, Edward L. Atkinson. Taking command of the crisis, the captain directed the opening of the seacocks within the magazines to avert further detonations. While the forward magazines were successfully flooded, flames prevented access to the controls for flooding the aft magazines. The proximity of the nearby ammunition ship Gransha, anchored merely 150 yards (140 m) away, posed a severe risk; an explosion in Glatton's rear magazine could have triggered a catastrophic blast involving Gransha's munitions, potentially devastating Dover.

After being informed of the peril, Keyes boarded the newly arrived destroyer Cossack and commanded her to torpedo Glatton in an effort to flood the magazine before it could explode. The first of 18-inch (460 mm) torpedoes fired by Cossack struck the anti-torpedo bulge amidships but failed to detonate due to being launched too close to the target. The second torpedo created a hole in Glatton at 7:40; however, its 200-pound (91 kg) warhead was insufficient to penetrate through her bulge, leaving her afloat and still aflame. Subsequently, Keyes transferred to destroyer Myngs and ordered her to launch 21-inch (530 mm) torpedoes at 8:15 aimed at the breach caused by Cossacks second torpedo on Glattons starboard side. This attack succeeded in capsizing Glatton, causing her masts and superstructure to settle on the harbour floor and extinguishing the fire.

The incident resulted in significant casualties: 60 men lost their lives instantly, while 124 were wounded, with 19 later succumbing to their burn injuries. Despite being rendered unconscious by the initial blast and suffering burns and blindness, Antarctic explorer Edward L. Atkinson managed to save several crew members before escaping and was subsequently honored with the Albert Medal.

Inquiry

A Court of Enquiry convened shortly after the incident determined that the explosion originated in the midships 6-inch magazine located between the boiler and engine compartments. Pinpointing the exact cause proved challenging; however, the Court observed that stokers routinely placed glowing clinker and ashes from the boilers against the bulkhead adjacent to the magazine to cool before disposal via the ash ejector. The magazine was insulated with approximately 5 inches (13 cm) of cork, overlaid by wood planking about .75 inches (1.9 cm) thick, and equipped with specialized cooling systems, making spontaneous cordite ignition unlikely. An inspection of Glatton's sister vessel Gorgon’s magazine revealed blistered red lead paint beneath its lagging. Tests conducted at the National Physical Laboratory confirmed exposure to temperatures exceeding 400 °F (204 °C). Recorded internal magazine temperatures never surpassed 83 °F (28 °C), and trials involving red-hot ashes were inconclusive since lagging temperatures only reached around 70 °F (21 °C), with sporadic hot spots at 150 °F (66 °C). Additional experiments indicated that cork could emit flammable vapors when subjected to intense heat and pressurized air. Although not fully convinced, in April 1919 the Court concluded that "The slow combustion of the cork lagging of the 6-inch midship magazine of the Glatton led to the ignition of the magazine and then to the ignition of the cordite in it and so caused the explosion."

As a safety measure, Gorgon’s lagging was removed and substituted with silicate wool insulation, which uncovered the true cause. Portions of cork were missing, and folded newspapers—left by dockyard personnel during construction—were discovered within voids. Additionally, several rivets were absent, leaving holes approximately 0.5 inches (12.7 mm) in diameter that could have allowed hot ashes to ignite the newspapers. The forced-draught pressure from the boiler room would have driven air through these rivet holes, causing pyrolysis of the cork that released flammable gases, ultimately igniting the cordite charges.

Aftermath

Glatton remained grounded in Dover Harbour, obstructing maritime traffic with her hull visible at low tide because the Harbour Board lacked funds to cover the £45,000 salvage estimates provided by professional firms. They eventually approached Harbourmaster Captain John Iron to inquire if he could perform the operation more economically. He projected a cost near £5,000 if permitted to utilize existing salvage vessels stationed at Dover. The Board accepted this proposal, initiating work in May 1925. Approximately 12,000 short tons (11,000 t) of silt were excavated from beneath Glatton, while her mainmast and superstructure were blasted away from the wreckage. Four lifting lighters capable of handling 1,000 long tons (1,000 t) each were hired but proved insufficient for raising a waterlogged vessel weighing around 5,000 long tons (5,100 t). Consequently, all topside breaches had to be sealed and air pumped into each compartment at a rate of 70,000 cubic feet (2,000 m³) per minute to restore buoyancy. The initial lift attempt on 2 December 1925 succeeded in breaking her suction grip on the seabed with assistance from rising tides. This partial success set the stage for a more extensive lifting effort beginning the following day. Gradually, using tidal movements, she was relocated until on 16 March 1926 she was positioned in a deep channel beside the western pier of the submarine harbour near shore. Although final expenses exceeded initial estimates, they remained significantly lower than commercial salvage quotes, totaling no more than £12,000. Today, she lies buried beneath landfill supporting the current Port of Dover car ferry terminal.

Memorial

At St Mary's Church and the Grange Road cemetery in Gillingham, Kent, a commemorative monument was established. This cemetery served the community from 1867 until 1973, after which most memorials were removed to create a public open space for local residents. Subsequently, Woodlands Road Cemetery became the designated site and currently hosts the HMS Glattons Memorial, which includes the burial sites of one officer along with 56 crew members.

See also

• Edward L. Atkinson recipient of the Albert Medal

References

• Buxton, Ian (2008). Big Gun Monitors: Design, Construction and Operations 1914–1945 (2nd, revised and expanded ed.). Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-1-59114-045-0.
• Crossley, Jim (2013). Monitors of the Royal Navy. Barnsley, UK: Pen & Sword Maritime. ISBN 9781783830046.

External links

• Gorgon-class monitors (J Rickard, 2007)
• Glatton - the Catastrophe and the Salvage (Lorraine Sensicle, 2015)