Beagle class destroyer

The "Beagle" class (officially redesignated as the G class in 1913) was a class of sixteen destroyers of the Royal Navy, all ordered under the 1908-1909 Programme and launched in 1909 and 1910. The "Beagles" served during World War I, particularly during the Dardanelles Campaign of 1915.

After the large and outlandish oil-burning Tribal or F class of 1905 and HMS "Swift" of 1907, the "Beagles" marked a return to a smaller, more useful design, although still significantly larger than the River or E class. The Admiralty had concern over the availability of oil stocks in the event of a war, so the "Beagles" were coal-burners, the last British destroyers to be so fueled.

Unlike their predecessors, the "Beagles" had a more-or-less uniform appearance, with three funnels, although thicknesses varied between ships according to builders' preferences. Although designed to carry five 12-pounder guns, they had the convert|4|in|mm|0|sing=on gun (introduced in the last of the Tribals) and only three 12-pounder guns, and the convert|21|in|mm|0|sing=on torpedo (introduced in the singleton "Swift") fitted as standard. Importantly, the 12-pounder guns were redistributed, the guns mounted at the fo'c'sle break, which had been standard since the first Torpedo Boat Destroyers, and that were prone to being swamped in heavy seas being relocated amidships. Additional improvements included a higher bridge and taller bandstand mount for the convert|4|in|mm|0|sing=on gun on the fo'c'sle to improve the ability to fight and con the ship in heavy seas.

Being coal-fired, they were obsolete by the end of the First World War and the surviving ships were all scrapped by the end of 1921.

Ships

*"Beagle" — built by John Brown and Company, Clydebank, launched 16 October 1909, sold for breaking up 1 November 1921.
*"Bulldog" — built by John Brown and Company, Clydebank, launched 13 November 1909, sold for breaking up 21 September 1920.
*"Foxhound" — built by John Brown and Company, Clydebank, launched 11 December 1909, sold for breaking up 1 November 1921.
*"Harpy" — built by J. Samuel White & Company, Cowes, launched 27 November 1909, sold for breaking up 1 November 1921.
*"Basilisk" — built by J. Samuel White & Company, Cowes, launched 9 February 1910, sold for breaking up 1 November 1921.
*"Grasshopper" — built by Fairfield Shipbuilding & Engineering Company, Govan, launched 22 October 1909, sold for breaking up 1 November 1921.
*"Mosquito" — built by Fairfield Shipbuilding & Engineering Company, Govan, launched 27 January 1910, sold for breaking up 31 August 1920.
*"Scorpion" — built by Fairfield Shipbuilding & Engineering Company, Govan, launched 19 February 1910, sold for breaking up 26 October 1921.
*"Nautilus" — built by Thames Ironworks and Shipbuilding Company, Bow Creek, launched 30 March 1910, renamed "Grampus" 16 December 1913, sold for breaking up 21 September 1920.
*"Pincher" — built by William Denny & Brothers, Dumbarton, launched 15 March 1910, wrecked on Seven Stones reef, Land's End 24 July 1918.
*"Renard" — built by Cammell Laird & Company, Birkenhead, launched 13 November 1909, sold for breaking up 31 August 1920.
*"Wolverine" — built by Cammell Laird & Company, Birkenhead, launched 15 January 1910, sunk in collision with sloop HMS "Rosemary" in Lough Foyle 12 December 1917.
*"Racoon" — built by Cammell Laird & Company, Birkenhead, launched 15 February 1910, wrecked on Irish coast 9 January 1918 during blizzard.
*"Rattlesnake" — built by Harland & Wolff, Glasgow, launched 14 March 1910, sold for breaking up 9 May 1921.
*"Savage" — built by John I. Thornycroft & Company, Woolston, launched 10 March 1910, sold for breaking up 9 May 1921.
*"Scourge" — built by R. W. Hawthorn Leslie & Company, Hebburn, launched 11 February 1910, sold for breaking up 9 May 1921.

Notes and references

*"Destroyers of the Royal Navy, 1893-1981", Maurice Cocker, 1983, Ian Allan ISBN 0-7110-1075-7

See also

* G class destroyer (1935)