HMVS Gordon

History
Colony of Victoria
Name	HMVS Gordon
Ordered	5 February 1885[1]
Builder	J. Samuel White, Cowes[1]
Yard number	606[1]
Launched	1884
History
Australia
Name	HMAS Gordon
Commissioned	1911
Fate	Rammed and sunk 1914
General characteristics
Class and type	Torpedo boat
Displacement	12 tons
Length	56 ft (17 m)
Beam	9 ft 6 in (2.9 m)
Draught	4 ft 10 in (1.5 m)[1]
Installed power	150 ihp (110 kW)
Propulsion	Compound surface-condensing steam engine
Speed	15 kn (28 km/h)
Complement	11[1]
Armament	3 x 1-inch Nordenfelt guns 2 x torpedo dropping gear

HMVS Gordon was a torpedo boat operated by the Victorian Naval Forces, the Commonwealth Naval Forces, and the Royal Australian Navy. She was launched in 1884 and lost in an accident in 1914.

Construction

Designed for the defence of the British colony of Victoria, Gordon was ordered on 5 February 1885. She was launched at the Cowes yard of J. Samuel White in 1884. She was 56 feet (17 m) long and displaced about 12 tons.[1] The compound surface-condensing steam engine by G. E. Bayliss & Co. provided 150 indicated horsepower (110 kW), sufficient for about 15 knots (28 km/h).[1]

Gordon was armed with three 1-inch Nordenfelt guns and carried two sets of dropping gear for Whitehead torpedoes.[1] She was manned by 11 men.

Service

Gordon served as a depot tender to Williamstown Dockyard from 1901 to 1914.

When the colonies of Australia were federated in 1901, Gordon became part of the Commonwealth Naval Forces. The Royal Australian Navy was formed in 1911 and from this time she was referred to as HMAS Gordon.

Fate

Gordon was rammed and sunk in Port Phillip Bay by the picket boat Picket[1] on 14 November 1914.[2]

Citations

1. Winfield, R.; Lyon, D. (2004). The Sail and Steam Navy List: All the Ships of the Royal Navy 1815–1889. London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN 978-1-86176-032-6. OCLC 52620555. p.317
2. Wilson, p.56.

References

• Gillett, Ross (1983). Australian and New Zealand Warships, 1914–1945. Lane Cove, NSW: Doubleday Australia. ISBN 0-86824-095-8. OCLC 11496517. ^[page needed]
• Wilson, Michael; Royal Australian Navy 21st Century Warships, Naval auxiliaries 1911 to 1999 including Defence Maritime Services, Profile No. 4 - Revised Edition, Topmill Pty Ltd, Marrickville. ISBN 978-1-876270-72-8