HMS Fantome (1901)

HMS "Fantome" was an "Cadmus" class sloop launched in 1901, transferred to the Royal Australian Navy in 1914, returned to the Royal Navy in 1920 and sold in 1924. She was the fourth ship of the Royal Navy to bear the name, which is from the French "fantôme", meaning "ghost".

Design

"Fantome" was constructed of steel to a design by William White, the Royal Navy Director of Naval Construction. Propulsion was provided by a three-cylinder vertical triple expansion steam engine developing 1,400 horsepower and driving twin screws.cite book |title=The Sail and Steam Navy List, 1815-1889 |last=Winfield |first=Rif |coauthors=Lyon, David |year=2003 |publisher=Chatham Publishing |isbn=978-1861760326] The "Cadmus" class was an evolution of the "Condor" class sloop, carrying more coal, which in turn gave a greater length and displacement. This class comprised the very last screw sloops built for the Royal Navy.

ail Plan

As designed and built the class was fitted with a barquentine-rigged sailplan. After HMS "Condor" was lost in a gale in 1901 the Admiralty abandoned sails entirely." [http://www.pbenyon.plus.com/50_years/Ch_02.html#37 Fifty Years in the Royal Navy] ", Admiral Sir Percy Scott, Bt., John Murray, London, 1919, p.37] "Fantome" had a gantry erected over her fore-mast sometime prior to 1909, which would have prevented use of her sails.

Armament

The class was armed with six 4in/25pdr (1ton) Quick Firing Mk III Breech loaders and four 3-pounder Quick Firing Breach Loaders, as well as several machine guns. "Fantome" had her armament reduced to two QF 3-pounders for survey work,cite web |url=http://www.pbenyon.plus.com/18-1900/F/01740.html |title=HMS "Fantome" at Naval Database website |accessdate=2008-09-07] and later increased again for patrol work during World War One.

Construction

"Fantome" was launched on 23 March 1901 at Sheerness Royal Dockyard in Kent.

Operational history

Venezuelan Affair

"Fantome" served on the North America and West Indies Station, including a period in late 1902 and early 1903 when, under Commodore Montgomerie in HMS "Charybdis", she enforced a blockade of the Venezuelan coast.

urvey Ship

From 1906 "Fantome" was operated by the Royal Navy Survey Service and conducted survey operations in Australian waters until the outbreak of war in 1914.

Transfer to the RAN

HMS "Fantome" was transferred to the Royal Australian Navy on 27 November 1914, but was paid off in February 1915. She was recommissioned on 27 July 1915 as a patrol vessel armed with two 4-inch and four 12-pounder guns. From September 1915 to September 1917 she operated in the Bay of Bengal and South China Sea as part of the Far East Patrol. From late 1917, HMAS "Fantome" was based at Suva, Fiji and operated in the South Pacific performing police duties. She conducted a punitive raid on Malekula in the New Hebrides in October 1918.cite web |url=http://www.navy.gov.au/HMAS_Fantome |title=HMAS "Fantome" |publisher=Sea Power Centre - Australia |accessdate=2008-09-08]

Return to the RN

HMAS "Fantome" paid off on 14 January 1919 and was returned to the Royal Navy in April 1920 for service as a survey ship. In this role she remained in Australian waters until she was paid off for disposal on 17 April 1924.

Disposal

She was sold for scrap at Sydney on 30 January 1925. Her hull was stripped to a bare hulk and used as a barge, mainly in Tasmania. She was finally sold for demolition in 1956.

References