With her sister, Ariel, she was a "Thornycroft special", and as such was slightly longer and more powerful than the standard destroyer of her class. Acheron was ordered during the building programme of 1910–11, laid down at the Woolston yard of John I. Thornycroft & Company, and launched on 27 June 1911. Capable of 29 knots (54 km/h), she carried two 4-inch (102 mm) guns, other smaller guns and 21-inch (530 mm) torpedo tubes and had a complement of 70 men.
On 24 January 1915 the First Destroyer Flotilla, including Acheron were present at the Battle of Dogger Bank, led by the light cruiser Aurora.[4]
Sinking of U-12edit
On 10 March 1915, in company with her sisters Attack and Ariel, Acheron was searching for a German submarine reported by the trawler Man Island[5] near Aberdeen. At 10:10am Attack sighted U-12 and opened fire. Ariel sighted the submarine at 10:12am at about 2 nautical miles (3.7 km) and all three destroyers turned towards it. U-12 dived and raised her periscope, which Ariel sighted at a distance of 200 yards (180 m). She turned to ram, sighting the conning tower under the water in the final moments before she struck the submarine at a fine angle.[5] Within two minutes the submarine had returned to the surface so that the crew could escape, but they found the conning tower hatch jammed, and most of the survivors managed their escape via the other hatches. Acheron and the other destroyers opened fire as the submarine lay on the surface, killing and injuring some of the escaping sailors. At 10:30am U-12 sank approximately in position 56°15′N1°56′W / 56.250°N 1.933°W / 56.250; -1.933, and the destroyers picked up 10 survivors; 19 lives had been lost.[6][7] The damage to Ariel's bows was so serious that she had to be towed into port.[5]
From 1917 the Third Battle Squadron was deployed to the Mediterranean. Acheron was present at the entry of the Allied fleet through the Dardanelles on 12 November 1918.[9]
Disposaledit
Acheron was sold on 9 May 1921[10] to Ward for breaking.[1] She was sold again on 20 September 1923 to J J King.[1]
Referencesedit
^ abcde""Arrowsmith" List: Royal Navy WWI Destroyer Pendant Numbers". Retrieved 1 July 2008.
^ abc"I-class destroyers (extract from Jane's Fighting Ships of 1919)". Retrieved 19 October 2008.
^"Battle of Heligoland Bight - Order of Battle (World War 1 Naval Combat website)". Retrieved 8 March 2009.
^"Battle of Dogger Bank - Order of Battle (World War 1 Naval Combat website)". Retrieved 8 March 2009.
^ abcVerschollen: World War I U-boat Losses, by Dwight R Messimer, Naval Institute Press, 2002, ISBN978-1-55750-475-3, p.27
^"After 90 years, sea gives up secret of sunken sub". The Scotsman. 15 January 2008. Retrieved 18 October 2008.
^"Divers discover U-boat wreckage". The BBC. 14 January 2008. Retrieved 18 October 2008.
^"Battle of Jutland - Order of Battle (World War 1 Naval Combat website)". Retrieved 8 March 2009.
^S E Brooks. "The Entry of the Allied Fleet through the Dardanelles". Oxford University. Retrieved 11 November 2009.
^"Battleships-Cruisers.co.uk website - Acheron Class". Retrieved 1 July 2008.
External linksedit
Media related to HMS Acheron (ship, 1911) at Wikimedia Commons
Imperial War Museums: Lives of the First World War: HMS Acheron at the Battle of Jutland (Crew List)
Battle of Jutland Crew Lists Project - HMS Acheron Crew List
January 01, 1970
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For other ships with the same name see HMS Acheron HMS Acheron was the name ship of the Acheron class destroyer of the British Royal Navy She is named after the River Acheron believed in Greek Mythology to be a branch of the River Styx She was the fifth ship of the Royal Navy to bear the name HMS Acheron passing Spitbank FortHistory United Kingdom NameHMS Acheron BuilderJohn I Thornycroft amp Company Woolston Launched27 June 1911 1 FateSold 9 May 1921 1 General characteristics Class and typeAcheron class destroyer Displacement770 tons Length77 m 253 ft 2 Beam8 m 26 ft Draught2 7 m 8 9 ft Installed power15 500 shp 11 600 kW 2 Propulsion3 Parsons steam turbines 3 Yarrow type oil fired boilers 3 shafts Speed29 kn 54 km h 2 Range5 500 nmi at 15 kt Complement72 Armament2 BL 4 inch 101 6 mm L 40 Mark VIII guns mounting P Mark V 2 QF 12 pounder 12 cwt naval gun mounting P Mark I 2 single tubes for 21 inch 533 mm torpedoes Contents 1 Pennant numbers 2 Construction 3 Career 3 1 The Battle of Heligoland Bight 3 2 The Battle of Dogger Bank 3 3 Sinking of U 12 3 4 The Battle of Jutland 3 5 Mediterranean service 4 Disposal 5 References 6 External linksPennant numbers editPennant number 1 From To H00 6 December 1914 1 January 1918 H02 1 January 1918 Early 1919 H05 Early 1919 9 May 1921Construction editWith her sister Ariel she was a Thornycroft special and as such was slightly longer and more powerful than the standard destroyer of her class Acheron was ordered during the building programme of 1910 11 laid down at the Woolston yard of John I Thornycroft amp Company and launched on 27 June 1911 Capable of 29 knots 54 km h she carried two 4 inch 102 mm guns other smaller guns and 21 inch 530 mm torpedo tubes and had a complement of 70 men Career editServing with the First Destroyer Flotilla she became part of the Grand Fleet at the outbreak of war The Battle of Heligoland Bight edit She was present with First Destroyer Flotilla on 28 August 1914 at the Battle of Heligoland Bight led by the light cruiser Fearless 3 The Battle of Dogger Bank edit On 24 January 1915 the First Destroyer Flotilla including Acheron were present at the Battle of Dogger Bank led by the light cruiser Aurora 4 Sinking of U 12 edit On 10 March 1915 in company with her sisters Attack and Ariel Acheron was searching for a German submarine reported by the trawler Man Island 5 near Aberdeen At 10 10 am Attack sighted U 12 and opened fire Ariel sighted the submarine at 10 12 am at about 2 nautical miles 3 7 km and all three destroyers turned towards it U 12 dived and raised her periscope which Ariel sighted at a distance of 200 yards 180 m She turned to ram sighting the conning tower under the water in the final moments before she struck the submarine at a fine angle 5 Within two minutes the submarine had returned to the surface so that the crew could escape but they found the conning tower hatch jammed and most of the survivors managed their escape via the other hatches Acheron and the other destroyers opened fire as the submarine lay on the surface killing and injuring some of the escaping sailors At 10 30 am U 12 sank approximately in position 56 15 N 1 56 W 56 250 N 1 933 W 56 250 1 933 and the destroyers picked up 10 survivors 19 lives had been lost 6 7 The damage to Ariel s bows was so serious that she had to be towed into port 5 The Battle of Jutland edit Acheron served at Battle of Jutland on 31 May 1916 as part of her flotilla 8 Mediterranean service edit From 1917 the Third Battle Squadron was deployed to the Mediterranean Acheron was present at the entry of the Allied fleet through the Dardanelles on 12 November 1918 9 Disposal editAcheron was sold on 9 May 1921 10 to Ward for breaking 1 She was sold again on 20 September 1923 to J J King 1 References edit a b c d e Arrowsmith List Royal Navy WWI Destroyer Pendant Numbers Retrieved 1 July 2008 a b c I class destroyers extract from Jane s Fighting Ships of 1919 Retrieved 19 October 2008 Battle of Heligoland Bight Order of Battle World War 1 Naval Combat website Retrieved 8 March 2009 Battle of Dogger Bank Order of Battle World War 1 Naval Combat website Retrieved 8 March 2009 a b c Verschollen World War I U boat Losses by Dwight R Messimer Naval Institute Press 2002 ISBN 978 1 55750 475 3 p 27 After 90 years sea gives up secret of sunken sub The Scotsman 15 January 2008 Retrieved 18 October 2008 Divers discover U boat wreckage The BBC 14 January 2008 Retrieved 18 October 2008 Battle of Jutland Order of Battle World War 1 Naval Combat website Retrieved 8 March 2009 S E Brooks The Entry of the Allied Fleet through the Dardanelles Oxford University Retrieved 11 November 2009 Battleships Cruisers co uk website Acheron Class Retrieved 1 July 2008 External links edit nbsp Media related to HMS Acheron ship 1911 at Wikimedia Commons Imperial War Museums Lives of the First World War HMS Acheron at the Battle of Jutland Crew List Battle of Jutland Crew Lists Project HMS Acheron Crew List Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title HMS Acheron 1911 amp oldid 1146538239, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
