HMS Amphion (1911)

HMS "Amphion" was an "Active"-class scout cruiser of the Royal Navy. She was built at Pembroke Dockyard and launched on 4 December 1911. She became the first ship of the Royal Navy to be sunk in World War I. [ [http://www.wartimememories.co.uk/greatwar/ships/hmsamphion.html Wartime Memories of HMS "Amphion"] ] [ [http://www.gwpda.org/naval/flccaslt.htm The First AND Last Commonwealth Casualties] ] . The wrecksite is designated under the Protection of Military Remains Act 1986 [ [http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2008/uksi_20080950_en_1 SI2008/950] Designation under the Protection of Military Remains Act 1986] .

Career

On commissioning, "Amphion" was assigned as leader of the 3rd Destroyer Flotilla with the Harwich Force, defending the eastern approaches to the English Channel. During her early years she was commanded by Frederic Charles Dreyer, but by the outbreak of the First World War she was under the command of Captain Cecil H Fox.

inking

In the afternoon of 5 August 1914, "Amphion" and the 3rd Flotilla were carrying out a pre-arranged plan of search when they were informed by a trawler that she had seen a suspicious ship 'throwing things overboard'. The trawler gave an indicated position, and the "Amphion" led the flotilla to investigate. Shortly afterwards the 2,150 ton minelayer SMS "Königin Luise" [German-navy.de: [http://german-navy.de/hochseeflotte/ships/minelayers/koniginlouise/index.html Königin Louise (Hilfsminenleger)] en icon] was sighted steering east. The "Königin Luise" was a former Hamburg - Holland holiday ferry that had been converted to an auxiliary minelayer by the Germans. On the night of 4 August she had departed Emden and headed into the North Sea to lay mines off the Thames Estuary. The "Königin Luise" was disguised in the black, buff, and yellow colours of the steamers of the Great Eastern Railway, that plied from Harwich to the Hook of Holland. Her attempt to flee from the approaching fleet aroused suspicions and four destroyers gave chase, including HMS "Lance" and HMS "Landrail". In about an hour's time the "Königin Luise" was chased down and sunk, with 46 survivors from the crew of 100.

"Amphion" picked up a number of the survivors and continued on her prearranged search. The destroyers now sighted another ship of the same shape and colour as the "Königin Luise", flying a large German flag. The destroyers began to attack this ship, whilst "Amphion" recognised her as the "St. Petersburg" which was carrying the German Ambassador back to Germany from England. "Amphion" signalled the destroyers to cease fire but either unaware of the signal or caught up in the heat of the moment, they continued to fire upon the ship. The "Amphion" then maneuvered between the destroyers and the "St. Petersburg" to deliberately foul the range, and the "St. Petersburg" proceeded to safety.

"Amphion" continued with the search without further incident until 3.30 am in the morning of 6 August, when she began the return course to Harwich. Unfortunately the allocated course ran very close to where the "Königin Luise" had laid her mines. At 6.30 am "Amphion" struck a mine that had been previously laid by the "Königin Luise". A sheet of flame enveloped the bridge which incapacitated her captain. Except for one man, all the fo'c'sle gun crews were killed and many of the bridge occupants were badly burnt. As the hands were at breakfast, many were killed or suffocated in the forward messdecks. As soon as he recovered consciousness, the captain ran to the engine room to stop the engines, which were still going at revolutions for convert|20|kn|km/h. As all the forepart was on fire, it proved impossible to reach the bridge or to flood the fore magazine. The ship's back appeared to be broken and she was already settling by the bows.

The escorting destroyers closed in and took off "Amphion"’s crew and the few rescued German survivors. Though her engines were stopped, her momentum carried her back into the minefield and at 0703, just three minutes after the last boatload of survivors were taken off, she again struck the same row of mines. The fore magazine exploded, with debris striking the rescue boats and destroyers. One of "Amphion"’s shells burst on the deck of HMS "Lark" killing two of the "Amphion"’s men and a German prisoner rescued from the cruiser. "Amphion" then rapidly sank within 15 minutes of the explosion. Around 150 British sailors were killed in the sinking, as well as 18 of the crew rescued from the SMS "Königin Luise". The war was only 36 hours old. [ [http://www.perthone.com/1WW1%20HMS%20Amphion.htm The sinking of HMS Amphion] ]

Notes

References

*Colledge
*Jane's Fighting Ships of World War One (1919), Jane's Publishing Company
* Gray, Randal (ed), "Conway's All The Worlds Fighting Ships, 1906-1921", (Conway Maritime Press, London, 1985), ISBN 0-85177-245-5
* [http://www.worldwar1.co.uk/light-cruiser/hms-Active.html Active class in World War I]