HMS Laertes (1913)

HMS "Laertes" was a "Laforey" class destroyer of the Royal Navy.

She was launched from the yards of Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Wallsend on 5 June 1913 under the name HMS "Sarpedon". She was renamed HMS "Laertes" on 30 September 1913. She possessed 3 4" guns and 4 torpedo tubes, and was designed to operate in British coastal waters against enemy surface and submarine shipping.

Career

"Laertes" became part of the 3rd destroyer flotilla based at Harwich.

She took part in the Battle of Heligoland Bight on 28 August 1914, where she was seriously damaged suffering four shell strikes. The most serious struck the boiler room, temporarily cutting off all steam supplies to the engines leaving the ship motionless. Another shot destroyed the middle funnel, while a gun was also hit. The ship managed to restore some power but had to be towed back to England. [citation| newspaper=The Times |title=Battle of Heligoland Bite, Laertes damaged| issue=40619 |pages=8 |date=1914-8-29] [cite book |title=The Battle of Heligoland Bight |author= Eric W. Osborne]

"Laertes" was one of the destroyers of the Harwich squadron which attempted to head off attacking German ships during the Bombardment of Yarmouth and Lowestoft on 25 April 1916. The ship was hit by shellfire damaging the boiler room, and would most likely have sunk except for the actions of Stoker Ernest Clarke. Clarke later died from burns received while saving the ship and was posthumously awarded the distinguished service medal. [London Gazette No. 6213, 22nd June 1916] Five of the crew were injured during the attack.

In 1917 she was transferred to escort duties. She was sold on 1 December 1921 to Stanlee, of Dover for breaking up. She stranded whilst being towed to the breakers, but arrived on 8 March 1922. She was scrapped that year.

References

*Colledge
* [http://www.memorial-lincs.org.uk/html/ernest_john_w._clarke.html Ernest Clarke Memorial]
*citation| newspaper=The Times |title=Laertes commissioned at Chatham|issue=40355 |pages= |date=1913-10-29
*citation| newspaper=The Times |title=Swan Hunter annual report, construction of Laertes|issue=40432 |pages=22 |date=