HMS Anne (1915)

HMS "Anne" was a seaplane carrier during World War One, converted from a German merchantman.

The merchant ship "Aenne Rickmers" was built by the Rickmers shipyard of Bremerhaven in 1911. On the outbreak of war, she was seized whilst in Port Said, Egypt and was requisitioned for service under the Red Ensign in January, 1915. Equipped with two seaplanes, she operated in the Mediterranean, before being torpedoed by a Turkish torpedoboat off Smyrna on 11 March 1915.

Following repairs, the "Aenne Rickmers" was commissioned in the Royal Navy on August 4 1915 and renamed HMS "Anne" the next day. She continued to serve in the Eastern Mediterranean until August 8 1917, when she decommissioned, although she continued as a stores carrier and collier in government service until January 1919.

She was sold back into mercantile service in 1922.

References

*Colledge
* Dittmar, F. J. & Colledge, J. J., "British Warships 1914-1919", (Ian Allen, London, 1972), ISBN 0-7110-0380-7
* Gray, Randal (ed), "Conway's All The Worlds Fighting Ships, 1906-1921", (Conway Maritime Press, London, 1985), ISBN 0-85177-245-5