HMS Avenger (1845)

HMS "Avenger" was a wooden paddle wheel frigate of the Royal Navy launched in 1845 and wrecked with heavy loss of life in 1847.

Construction and commissioning

"Avenger" was built to a design by Sir William Symonds, approved on 25 March 1844. She was initially ordered from Deptford Dockyard on 19 February 1844 but the order was transferred to Devonport Dockyard on 22 June 1844. She was laid down there on 27 August that year and launched on5 August 1845. She sailed under a jury rig to Deptford where her machinery was fitted and completed. She was then commissioned on 21 June 1846. She had cost £44,777 for her hull, £32,740 for the machinery and the fittings had cost another £11,630. She was armed with 10 guns and was initially rated as a first class frigate, though this was later reduced on 31 July 1846 to a second class.

ervice

"Avenger" served with the Channel Fleet from April 28 1846 to November 1847, when she was transferred to the Mediterranean.

Loss

"Avenger" sailed from Gibraltar on December 17, 1847 bound for Malta. On December 20 she ran on to the Sorelle Rocks, near Malta. Only 8 crew members survived. [cite book | last = Gilly | first = William O.S. | authorlink = | coauthors = | title = Narratives of shipwrecks of the Royal navy between 1793 and 1849 | publisher = John W. Parker | date = 1850 | location = London | pages = | url = http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=pDsIAAAAQAAJ | doi = | id = | isbn = ]

Notes

References

* Lyon, David and Winfield, Rif, "The Sail and Steam Navy List, All the Ships of the Royal Navy 1815-1889", pub Chatham, 2004, ISBN 1-86176-032-9