Sentinel class cruiser

The "Sentinel" class was a two ship class of scout cruiser serving with the Royal Navy, and consisting of the ships HMS "Sentinel" and HMS "Skirmisher". "Sentinel" was originally planned to be named "Inchkeith", which would have subsequently led to the class being known as the "Inchkeith" class, but "Sentinel" was renamed before the start of construction.

They were part of a larger order for eight scout cruisers, split between four dockyards, each of which designed their own ships to match the Admiralty’s specification, which was for a cruiser capable of reaching 25kts, carrying ten 12 pounders, eight 3 pounders and two torpedo tubes. The "Sentinel" class cruisers were built by Vickers Limited at Barrow. All eight ships were sometimes known as the "Sentinel" class, as HMS "Sentinel" was the first to be laid down, first to be launched and first to be completed. They were both laid down in 1903 and completed in 1905.

The class was designed to lead destroyer flotillas, to act as scouts, lead attacks and take on enemy destroyers. But new turbine engined destroyers left them too slow to fulfill the role. The initial armament was quickly upgraded. Two extra 12 pounder quick firing guns were added, and the 3 pounders were upgraded to 6 pounders. Finally, in 1911/12 the 12 pounders were replaced by nine 4 inch guns. Both ships served during the First World War but were scrapped after the cessation of hostilities.

hips

*HMS "Sentinel" - launched on 19 April 1904, scrapped in 1923.
*HMS "Skirmisher" - launched on 7 February 1905, scrapped in 1920.

References

*Colledge
*Jane's Fighting Ships of World War One (1919), Jane's Publishing Company
* [http://www.worldwar1.co.uk/light-cruiser/hms-Sentinel.html Sentinel class in World War I]
* [http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/weapons_sentinel_class_cruisers.html History of the Sentinel class]