HMS Caroline (1914)

HMS "Caroline" is a C-class light cruiser of the British Royal Navy (RN). "Caroline" was launched and commissioned in 1914, making her the second-oldest ship in RN service, after HMS "Victory". She acts as a static headquarters and training ship for the Royal Naval Reserve (RNR), based in Alexandra Dock, Belfast, Northern Ireland. She is the last remaining British World War I light cruiser in service, and the last survivor of the Battle of Jutland still afloat.

Construction and service

HMS "Caroline" was built by Cammell Laird of Birkenhead. She was launched in 1914 and commissioned on 4 December 1914.

Early service

She served in the North Sea throughout the First World War. She spent much of the war with the 4th Light Cruiser Squadron: "Caroline" fought with the squadron in 1916 in the Battle of Jutland, under the command of Captain H. R. Crooke.

"Caroline" later served on the East Indies Station before being placed in Reserve and converted to a headquarters and training ship for the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve's (RNVR) Ulster Division in 1924.

World War II

During World War II "Caroline" served as the Royal Navy's headquarters in Belfast Harbour which was used as a home base by many of the warships escorting Atlantic and Russian convoys including Captain-class frigates of the 3^rd Escort Group.

As Belfast developed into a major naval base during World War II, it outgrew the confines of HMS "Caroline" herself and occupied different establishments in various parts of the city. Eventually several thousand ratings were wearing "Caroline" cap tallies. The first such establishment was set up in the Belfast Custom House. Later, Belfast Castle was taken over and included a radio station. There were depth charge pistol and Hedgehog repair workshops associated with HMS "Caroline" some of which would have been on the quays beside her berth in Milewater Basin.

During the early part of World War II when RAF Belfast occupied Sydenham (Belfast harbour) airfield, Fleet Air Arm personnel based there were lodged under HMS "Caroline". In 1943 the airfield was transferred to the Admiralty and commissioned as HMS "Gadwell".

Post War

"Caroline" is the last afloat training establishment in the RNR and is expected to be decommissioned by 2011, to be replaced by a "stone frigate" onshore training establishment. When she is decommissioned, "Caroline" may be moved to Portsmouth as a museum ship.

Although no longer capable of making way under her own steam, she remains afloat and in excellent condition. Several years ago, she tore out her moorings after being buffeted by a manoeuvring hydrofoil ferry, and left her quay before some auxiliary moorings arrested her bid for freedom. She does still try to escape during particularly high winds - in 2005, during a storm, she ripped several huge bollards out of the jetty concrete, but failed to break free entirely. Entrance can be gained every year during Titanic celebrations, on application to the Belfast City Council tourist office.

Records

As well as being the second-oldest ship in RN service, the last British World War I light cruiser in service, and the last survivor of the Battle of Jutland still afloat, HMS "Caroline" is also the third oldest commissioned warship in the worldFact|date=August 2008 — behind HMS "Victory" (launched in 1765 and commissioned in 1778) and USS "Constitution" (launched and commissioned in 1797) — and the second oldest commissioned warship "afloat", as "Victory" has been in drydock since 1922.

"Caroline" retains the record of having the fastest build time of any significant warship - nine months from her keel being laid till her launch. Her Parsons steam turbines are the last surviving examples of the kind introduced after the notable event of Parson's "Turbinia" cutting up the fleet at the Spithead review in 1897. Harland & Wolff of Belfast removed her weaponry and boilers on arrival in Belfast around 1924.

References

*Colledge
*Jane's Fighting Ships of World War One (1919), Jane's Publishing Company
* [http://www.worldwar1.co.uk/light-cruiser/hms-Caroline.html Ships of the Caroline class]
* [http://www.royal-navy.mod.uk/server/show/conWebDoc.458/changeNav/3533 Royal Navy - HMS Caroline]
* [http://web.archive.org/web/20040525124226/www.pbenyon.plus.com/Janes_1919/Cruisers/Caroline.html Jane's Fighting Ships for 1919 - Caroline-class] (webarchive)
* [http://web.archive.org/web/20031007235105/www.warships1.com/BRcl12_Caroline_specs.htm Warships1.com - Caroline-class] (webarchive)

Further reading

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