HMS Oak (1912)

HMS "Oak" was a modified "Acheron" class destroyer of the British Royal Navy. Launched in 1912, she saw extensive service during World War One as a tender to the Flagship of the Grand Fleet, and for this purpose she was painted white, instead of the usual warship grey. She was sold in 1921 to be scrapped. Named after the Oak tree (genus "Quercus"), she was only the second ship of the Royal Navy to carry the name, and the first for over 250 years.

Pennant Numbers

Construction

Sir Alfred Yarrow maintained that it was possible to build strong, seaworthy destroyers with a speed of convert|32|kn|km/h|abbr=on, and eventually a contract for three such boats was placed with Yarrow & Company of Scotstoun, Glasgow. The "Firedrake Specials", "Special I class" or "Yarrow Specials" were a little larger than the rest of the class but carried the same armament. "Firedrake", "Lurcher" and "Oak" were, however, distinctive in appearance and at least 4 knots faster than the rest of their class. They all exceeded their contract speed, "Lurcher" making over 35 knots. "Oak", the last of the class, was launched on 5 September 1912.

Wartime Service

HMS "Oak" was tender to the Flagship of the Grand Fleet throughout the war, including the Battle of Jutland ["Battle of Jutland Official Despatches with Appendices, Presented to Parliament by Command of His Majesty", His Majesty's Stationary Office, 1920] , and had the distinction of having the same commanding officer, Lt Cdr Douglas Faviell MVO RN, all her career. Her hull was painted white to distinguish her, and in the course of her duties she often carried the most important visitors. Of note, King George V travelled to Scapa Flow in 1915 for a two-day review of the Grand Fleet, crossing from Thurso. "Oak" also carried Lord Kitchener from Scrabster to Scapa Flow on 5 June 1916 before transferring him to HMS "Hampshire", which struck a mine shortly before 1930 hrs the same day, with the loss of all but 12 crew, including the Field Marshal.

urrender of the German High Sea Fleet (1918)

Distinctive in her white paint, "Oak" carried the German Rear-Admiral Hugo Meurer from the cruiser "Königsberg" to surrender on 15 November 1918, to Admiral Sir David Beatty on board his flagship, HMS|Queen Elizabeth|1913|6, in the Firth of Forth.

Under the terms of the Armistice, the German High Seas Fleet went into internment at the Royal Navy's base at Scapa Flow - in Operation ZZ, 60 Allied battleships escorted 11 battleships, 5 battlecruisers, 8 cruisers and 48 destroyers of the High Seas Fleet into captivity. At 1100 hrs on 20 November 1918 King George V, Queen Mary and the Prince of Wales embarked in "Oak" and, preceded by HMS "Verdun", steamed through the fleet, the Royal Standard at "Oak's" mainmast, cheered by every ship. ["Flag and Fleet: How the British Navy Won the Freedom of the Seas", William Wood, The MacMillan Company of Canada Ltd, Toronto, 1919]

Disposal

"Oak" was sold in May 1921cite web|url=http://www.battleships-cruisers.co.uk/acheron.htm |title=Battleships-Cruisers.co.uk website - Acheron Class|accessdate=2008-07-01] for breaking.

References