HMS Southampton (1912)

HMS "Southampton" was a Royal Navy warship that served in the First World War.

"Southampton" was one of the third batch of "Town" class light cruisers, her sister ships were "Dublin" and "Chatham". The first three "Town" ships of the Royal Australian Navy (HMAS "Melbourne", HMAS "Sydney", and HMAS" Brisbane") were virtually identical.

"Southampton" differed from her sisters, having different machinery. "Chatham" had two screws. The sister ships, with Parsons turbines, had four screws.

She was initially assigned to the 2nd Light Cruiser Squadron, serving in the Mediterranean, but was detached in 1914 to operate in the Red Sea. In November of that year, she was involved in operations against the German commerce raider SMS "Konigsberg". In May 1915 "Southampton" was in the Dardanelles, supporting the allied landings at Gallipoli. She returned to home waters in 1916 and was assigned to the 3rd Light Cruiser Squadron of the Grand Fleet when she participated in the Battle of Heligoland Bight. "Southampton" was present at the Battle of Jutland as flagship of the Second Light Cruiser Squadron, flying the flag of Commodore William Goodenough. She torpedoed the cruiser SMS "Frauenlob", which subsequently sank. On 26 May 1916 she was damaged by a mine. She was repaired and survived the war.

"Southampton" was sold for scrapping on 13 July 1926 to Ward, of Pembroke Dock.

References

*Colledge
*Jane's Fighting Ships of World War One (1919), Jane's Publishing Company
*Gray, Randal (ed), "Conway's All The Worlds Fighting Ships, 1906-1921", (Conway Maritime Press, London, 1985), ISBN 0-85177-245-5
* [http://www.worldwar1.co.uk/light-cruiser/hms-Chatham.html Ships of the Chatham group]