The Fly-class river gunboats (or small China gunboats), collectively often referred to as the "Tigris gunboat flotilla", were a class of small well-armed Royal Navy vessels designed to patrol the Tigris river during the Mesopotamian Campaign during the First World War (the China name was to disguise their function).[a]
They were fitted with one triple expansion steam engine driving one propeller housed in a tunnel to facilitate a very shallow [2 ft (61 cm)] draught. The boats were designed to be dismantled and re-assembled.
Deploymentedit
The vessels were built by Yarrow Shipbuilders at Scotstoun, Glasgow in 1915 and 1916 and shipped to Abadan in sections where they were assembled. They served with the Royal Navy patrolling the Tigris River until being transferred to the Army during 1918. They were sold off beginning 1923.
The Ottomans captured Firefly in December 1915 after she grounded and a shell through her boiler disabled her; her crew was evacuated. The Ottomans took her into service as Suleiman Pak. HMS Tarantula recaptured her at the Battle of Nahr-al-Kalek on 26 February 1917.[2]
Atherton, D. (2004). "Question 25/01: British Fly Class Gunboats". Warship International. XLI (2): 135–139. ISSN 0043-0374.
Gardiner, Robert; Gray, Randal, eds. (1985). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. Annapolis: Naval Institute Press. ISBN0-87021-907-3 – via Archive Foundation.
Nunn, Wilfred (2007) [1932]. Tigris Gunboats: The Forgotten War in Iraq 1914–1917. Chatham. ISBN978-1-86176-308-2.
Perrett, Bryan (2000). Gunboats: Small Ships at War (1st ed.). London: Cassell. ISBN978-0-304-35302-6.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Fly class gunboat.
British Forces in Mesopotamia not including Kut Al Amara 3 January 1916 15 February 2011 at the Wayback Machine
"The Tigris Flotilla", at Great War Primary Document Archive
May 03, 2024
class, gunboat, this, article, includes, list, general, references, lacks, sufficient, corresponding, inline, citations, please, help, improve, this, article, introducing, more, precise, citations, february, 2013, learn, when, remove, this, message, class, riv. This article includes a list of general references but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations February 2013 Learn how and when to remove this message The Fly class river gunboats or small China gunboats collectively often referred to as the Tigris gunboat flotilla were a class of small well armed Royal Navy vessels designed to patrol the Tigris river during the Mesopotamian Campaign during the First World War the China name was to disguise their function a Class overview NameFly class BuildersYarrow Shipbuilders Operators Royal Navy 1915 1918 British Army 1918 1924 In service1915 1924 Completed16 Lost3 Retired13 General characteristics TypeRiver gunboat 1 Displacement98 long tons 100 t Length126 ft 38 m Beam20 ft 6 1 m Draught2 ft 0 61 m Propulsion1 shaft VTE single yarrow type mixed firing boiler 175 ihp 130 kW Speed9 5 kn 10 9 mph 17 6 km h Complement22 Armament1 4 inch 102 mm gun 1 12 pounder 76 mm gun 1 6 pounder 57 mm gun some 1 3 pounder 47 mm gun 1 2 pounder 40 mm pom pom 4 or 5 machine guns Contents 1 Design 2 Deployment 3 Vessels 4 See also 5 Notes 6 Citations 7 References 8 External linksDesign editThey were fitted with one triple expansion steam engine driving one propeller housed in a tunnel to facilitate a very shallow 2 ft 61 cm draught The boats were designed to be dismantled and re assembled Deployment editThe vessels were built by Yarrow Shipbuilders at Scotstoun Glasgow in 1915 and 1916 and shipped to Abadan in sections where they were assembled They served with the Royal Navy patrolling the Tigris River until being transferred to the Army during 1918 They were sold off beginning 1923 The Ottomans captured Firefly in December 1915 after she grounded and a shell through her boiler disabled her her crew was evacuated The Ottomans took her into service as Suleiman Pak HMS Tarantula recaptured her at the Battle of Nahr al Kalek on 26 February 1917 2 Vessels editVessels with the prefix HM Gunboat Blackfly Butterfly Caddisfly Cranefly Dragonfly Firefly Gadfly Grayfly Greenfly Hoverfly Mayfly Sawfly Sedgefly Snakefly Stonefly WaterflySee also editMesopotamian campaign Tigris RiverNotes edit The Insect class gunboats were large China gunboats Citations edit Gardiner amp Gray 1985 p 405 Perrett 2000 pp 150 151 155 References editAtherton D 2003 Question 25 01 Warship International XL 2 138 141 ISSN 0043 0374 Atherton D Caruana J 2002 Question 25 01 Warship International XXXIX 2 133 135 ISSN 0043 0374 Atherton D 2004 Question 25 01 British Fly Class Gunboats Warship International XLI 2 135 139 ISSN 0043 0374 Gardiner Robert Gray Randal eds 1985 Conway s All the World s Fighting Ships 1906 1921 Annapolis Naval Institute Press ISBN 0 87021 907 3 via Archive Foundation Nunn Wilfred 2007 1932 Tigris Gunboats The Forgotten War in Iraq 1914 1917 Chatham ISBN 978 1 86176 308 2 Perrett Bryan 2000 Gunboats Small Ships at War 1st ed London Cassell ISBN 978 0 304 35302 6 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Fly class gunboat British Forces in Mesopotamia not including Kut Al Amara 3 January 1916 Archived 15 February 2011 at the Wayback Machine The Tigris Flotilla at Great War Primary Document Archive Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Fly class gunboat amp oldid 1134778961, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
