- HMS Thames (1885)
HMS "Thames" was a "Mersey" class second class
protected cruiser of theRoyal Navy . She later served in theSouth African Navy under the name SATS "General Botha" as a training vessel.History
Royal Navy
The ship did not see any action as a cruiser, and in 1903, was converted to a submarine depot ship.
outh Africa
She was sold to the
Jersey -bornSouth Africa n entrepreneur TB Davis, who purchased the ship in November 1920 as a memory to his son who died duringWorld War I . He donated it to a trust, with the stipulation that it be used exclusively for the nautical training of British and South African boys, so that they could subsequently serve in ships of theBritish Empire .HMS "Thames" was renamed South African Training Ship (SATS) "General Botha". She directly contributed to the establishment of the
South African Navy . [cite web|url=http://samilitaryhistory.org/97/97sepnew.html|publisher=South African Military History Society|title=Newsletter|month=September | year=1997] and was based at theSimonstown naval base.From 1942, she served as an accommodation ship, once again under the name "Thames", before finally being scuttled on
13 May 1947 inFalse Bay . There exists analumni association for those who served aboard the "General Botha", which has the Duke of Edinburgh as her patron. [cite web|url=http://www.royalinsight.gov.uk/output/page5641.asp?MRF=DE&keywords=®ion=Other+Commonwealth+Country&submitted=true|title=Charities and Special Occasions|publisher=British Monarchy]The South African Naval Museum in Simonstown has an exhibition dedicated to the ship.
Further reading
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ee also
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List of cruiser classes of the Royal Navy References
*reflist
*ColledgeExternal links
* [http://www.battleships-cruisers.co.uk/depot_ships.htm Photographs of HMS Thames]
* [http://www.generalbotha.co.za/ General Botha (Old Boys Association)]
* [http://www.simonstown.com/navalmuseum/index.htm The South African Naval Museum]
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