HMS Intrepid (1891)

For other ships with the same name, see HMS Intrepid.

HMS Intrepid 1896 IWM Q 21388
HMS Intrepid in her original configuration, 1896 (IWM Q21388)
History
United Kingdom
NameHMS Intrepid
BuilderLondon and Glasgow Shipbuilding Company
Laid down6 September 1889
Launched20 June 1891
CommissionedNovember 1892
Honours and
awards		ZEEBRUGGE 1918
FateExpended as a block ship, 1918
Badge
Ship's badge of HMS Intrepid (IWM Q20181)
Ship's badge of HMS Intrepid (IWM Q20181)
General characteristics
Class and typeApollo-class cruiser
Displacement3,600 tons
Length314 ft (95.7 m)
Beam43.5 ft (13.3 m)
Draught17.5 ft (5.3 m)
Propulsion
Speed19.75 knots (36.58 km/h)
Complement273 to 300 (Officers and Men)
Armament

HMS Intrepid was an Apollo-class protected cruiser of the Royal Navy built on the River Clyde and launched in 1891. She was subsequently converted as a minelayer in the latter half of her career and ultimately sunk as a blockship during the Zeebrugge Raid on 23 April 1918.

History

Ordered under the Naval Defence Act 1889, Intrepid was laid down in 1889 at the yard of the London and Glasgow Shipbuilding Company. Following completion in November 1892 Intrepid was held at Portsmouth. During 1896–99 she served on the North America & West Indian Station, then in 1899 returned to Portsmouth. After a refit, she returned to service in March 1900, when she was placed in the Fleet Reserve at Portsmouth.[1]

In 1902 she was commissioned at Portsmouth for service on the Mediterranean station.[2] She left that city on 14 October,[3] visiting Plymouth and Gibraltar en route before arriving at the station headquarters at Malta later the same month.[4] Between October 1902 and 1904 she served in the Mediterranean, visiting various ports and taking part in manoeuvres. In late 1902 she was at Port Said, where members of her crew provided the naval guard for the Duke and Duchess of Connaught as they visited the city in December, en route for India.[5]

Aerial photograph showing the blockships sunk after the Zeebrugge Raid. HMS Intrepid is on the far left.

From 1904 she saw harbour service at Portsmouth until 1909.

Along with a number of other ships of her class, as she became obsolete as a cruiser she was converted at Chatham Dockyard into a minelayer, carrying 100 mines and with armament reduced to four 4.7-inch guns. In 1910 she recommissioned at Chatham. On the outbreak of the First World War Intrepid was based at Dover, undertaking minelaying duties as part of the Dover Patrol.

Wrecks of HMS Iphigenia and Intrepid blocking the mouth of the Bruges Ship Canal at Zeebrugge, 24 October 1918

In 1915–16 she became a depot ship, North Russia. In 1917 she was in use as a depot ship in the White Sea as part of the British North Russia Squadron.[6]

Along with HMS Iphigenia and HMS Thetis, she was selected to be used as a blockship during the Zeebrugge Raid. She was prepared for the raid by being filled with cement. She was sunk at the entrance to the Bruges Canal to try to prevent its use by German U-boats.[7] She was subsequently broken up when the canal was cleared.

References

  1. ^ "Naval & Military intelligence". The Times. No. 36093. London. 19 March 1900. p. 9.
  2. ^ "Naval & Military intelligence". The Times. No. 36889. London. 3 October 1902. p. 8.
  3. ^ "Naval & Military intelligence". The Times. No. 36898. London. 14 October 1902. p. 7.
  4. ^ "Naval & Military intelligence". The Times. No. 36908. London. 25 October 1902. p. 12.
  5. ^ "Latest intelligence - The Duke of Connaught in Egypt". The Times. No. 36945. London. 8 December 1902. p. 5.
  6. ^ Ship's Log, The National Archives (TNA), 7 August 1916, ADM 53/44866
  7. ^ Monograph No. 18: The Dover Command: Vol I (PDF). Naval Staff Monographs (Historical). Vol. VI. The Naval Staff, Training and Staff Duties Division. 1922.

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