HMS Gala was a Yarrow type River-classdestroyer ordered by the Royal Navy under the 1903 – 1904 Naval Estimates. Named after the Gala Waters in the Scottish Borders area south of Edinburgh[citation needed], she was the first Royal Navy ship to carry this name. She was launched on 7 January 1905 and was accidentally sunk in a collision with the cruiser Attentive on 28 April 1908.
Gala was one of two River-classdestroyers that were ordered from Yarrow as part of an order of 15 Rivers under the 1903–1904 construction programme for the Royal Navy.[1] The ship was laid down on 1 February 1904 at Yarrow's Poplar, London shipyard and launched on 7 January 1905.[2][3] She was completed in June 1905, being delivered to Chatham Dockyard on 28 June 1905 and commissioning there on 30 June.[4][5][6]Gala was the first Royal Navy ship to use this name.[7]
The design of Gala was based on the River-class destroyers ordered from Yarrow in the 1901–1902 programme (in particular Ribble).[8] As such, Gala was 231 ft 3 in (70.49 m)[9]-231 ft 4 in (70.51 m)[10]long overall and 225 ft 0 in (68.58 m), with a beam of 23 ft 6 in (7.16 m) and a draught of 7 ft 2+1⁄2 in (2.20 m).[10]Displacement was 590 long tons (600 t) light and 660 long tons (670 t) full load.[9] Four Yarrow water-tube boilers fed steam to two sets of four-cylinder triple expansion steam engines.[11] The machinery was rated at 7,500 ihp (5,600 kW), with the design required to reach a contract speed of 25.5 kn (29.3 mph; 47.2 km/h),[9] reaching a speed of 25.9 kn (29.8 mph; 48.0 km/h) during sea trials.[12] Four funnels were fitted, in two closely spaced groups.[9]
The original armament of the Rivers, including Gala was the same as the 30-knotter torpedo boat destroyers that preceded them (the B-, C- and D-classes), with a gun armament of one QF 12-pounder 12 cwt naval gun and five 6-pounder (57 mm) guns and two 18-inch (450-mm) torpedo tubes.[9][13] While earlier ships of the class had two of the 6-pounder guns mounted on sponsons, these guns were moved on Gala and other 1903–1904 ships to the ship's forecastle, where they were drier.[1][14] In 1906, based on lessons learned during the Russo-Japanese War, where 6-pounder guns were of limited use, the Admiralty decided to upgrade the armament by landing the five 6-pounder naval guns and shipping three QF 12-pounder 8 cwt guns, with two of the new guns on the forecastle, and the third on the ship's centreline aft. The ships of the class were modified with the new armament between 1907 and 1908.[15]
Pre-waredit
On commissioning, Gala joined the Reserve Destroyer Division based at Sheerness.[6] In October 1905, Gala was ordered to transfer to Portland, where she was to serve as the Senior Officer's ship of the Second Destroyer Division.[16] In December 1906, Gala was listed as being in commission with a nucleus crew at Portsmouth.[17] She was later assigned to the East Coast Destroyer Flotilla of the 1st Fleet and based at Harwich.[citation needed]
Lossedit
On the afternoon of 27 April 1908, the Eastern Destroyer Flotilla, consisting of 15 vessels, in company with the scouts Adventure and Attentive, left Harwich for the purpose of firing exercise and night manoeuvres. A little after midnight all the vessels having their lights masked, Gala collided with Attentive being struck by the latter's ram in the after part of the engine room and cut in two but only one man was killed. Attentive afterwards collided with the destroyer Ribble and holed her below the waterline. She had to put into Sheerness for repairs. While it was attempted to tow the two parts of Gala to shallow water, it was unsuccessful, with both parts sinking.[18][19]
^"Naval and Military Intelligence". The Times. No. 37840. 17 October 1905. p. 11.
^"Fleets and Squadrons in Commission at Home and Abroad: Destroyer Flotillas in Home Waters". The Navy List. January 1913. p. 270a. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
^"A Naval Collision: British Destroyer Sunk". The Gympie Times. 30 April 1908. p. 3.
Bibliographyedit
Chesneau, Roger & Kolesnik, Eugene M., eds. (1979). Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN0-85177-133-5.
Fock, Harald (1981). Schwarze Gesellen: Band 2: Zerstörer bis 1914 (in German). Herford, Germany: Koelers Verlagsgesellschaft mBH. ISBN3-7822-0206-6.
Friedman, Norman (2009). British Destroyers: From Earliest Days to the Second World War. Barnsley, UK: Seaforth Publishing. ISBN978-1-84832-049-9.
Leyland, John; Brassey, T. A., eds. (1906). The Naval Annual 1906. Portsmouth, UK: J. Griffin and Co.
Manning, T. D. (1961). The British Destroyer. London: Putnam & Co. OCLC 6470051.
Further readingedit
March, Edgar J. (1966). British Destroyers: A History of Development, 1892–1953; Drawn by Admiralty Permission From Official Records & Returns, Ships' Covers & Building Plans. London: Seeley Service. OCLC 164893555.
December 15, 2023
gala, yarrow, type, river, class, destroyer, ordered, royal, navy, under, 1903, 1904, naval, estimates, named, after, gala, waters, scottish, borders, area, south, edinburgh, citation, needed, first, royal, navy, ship, carry, this, name, launched, january, 190. HMS Gala was a Yarrow type River class destroyer ordered by the Royal Navy under the 1903 1904 Naval Estimates Named after the Gala Waters in the Scottish Borders area south of Edinburgh citation needed she was the first Royal Navy ship to carry this name She was launched on 7 January 1905 and was accidentally sunk in a collision with the cruiser Attentive on 28 April 1908 HistoryUnited KingdomNameHMS GalaOrdered1903 1904 Naval EstimatesBuilderYarrows PoplarLaid down1 February 1904Launched7 January 1905CommissionedJune 1905Fate27 April 1908 Sunk in collision with HMS AttentiveGeneral characteristicsClass and typeYarrow Type River class destroyerDisplacement590 long tons 599 t standard 660 long tons 671 t full loadLength231 ft 4 in 70 51 m o aBeam23 ft 6 in 7 16 m beamDraught7 ft 2 5 in 2 197 m draughtInstalled power7 500 ihp 5 600 kW Propulsion4 Yarrow type water tube boilers 2 vertical triple expansion steam engines 2 shaftsSpeed25 5 kn 47 2 km h Complement70 officers and menArmament1 QF 12 pounder 12 cwt Mark I 5 QF 6 pounder 8 cwt 2 single tubes for 18 inch 450mm torpedoes Contents 1 Construction 2 Pre war 3 Loss 4 References 5 Bibliography 6 Further readingConstruction editGala was one of two River class destroyers that were ordered from Yarrow as part of an order of 15 Rivers under the 1903 1904 construction programme for the Royal Navy 1 The ship was laid down on 1 February 1904 at Yarrow s Poplar London shipyard and launched on 7 January 1905 2 3 She was completed in June 1905 being delivered to Chatham Dockyard on 28 June 1905 and commissioning there on 30 June 4 5 6 Gala was the first Royal Navy ship to use this name 7 The design of Gala was based on the River class destroyers ordered from Yarrow in the 1901 1902 programme in particular Ribble 8 As such Gala was 231 ft 3 in 70 49 m 9 231 ft 4 in 70 51 m 10 long overall and 225 ft 0 in 68 58 m with a beam of 23 ft 6 in 7 16 m and a draught of 7 ft 2 1 2 in 2 20 m 10 Displacement was 590 long tons 600 t light and 660 long tons 670 t full load 9 Four Yarrow water tube boilers fed steam to two sets of four cylinder triple expansion steam engines 11 The machinery was rated at 7 500 ihp 5 600 kW with the design required to reach a contract speed of 25 5 kn 29 3 mph 47 2 km h 9 reaching a speed of 25 9 kn 29 8 mph 48 0 km h during sea trials 12 Four funnels were fitted in two closely spaced groups 9 The original armament of the Rivers including Gala was the same as the 30 knotter torpedo boat destroyers that preceded them the B C and D classes with a gun armament of one QF 12 pounder 12 cwt naval gun and five 6 pounder 57 mm guns and two 18 inch 450 mm torpedo tubes 9 13 While earlier ships of the class had two of the 6 pounder guns mounted on sponsons these guns were moved on Gala and other 1903 1904 ships to the ship s forecastle where they were drier 1 14 In 1906 based on lessons learned during the Russo Japanese War where 6 pounder guns were of limited use the Admiralty decided to upgrade the armament by landing the five 6 pounder naval guns and shipping three QF 12 pounder 8 cwt guns with two of the new guns on the forecastle and the third on the ship s centreline aft The ships of the class were modified with the new armament between 1907 and 1908 15 Pre war editOn commissioning Gala joined the Reserve Destroyer Division based at Sheerness 6 In October 1905 Gala was ordered to transfer to Portland where she was to serve as the Senior Officer s ship of the Second Destroyer Division 16 In December 1906 Gala was listed as being in commission with a nucleus crew at Portsmouth 17 She was later assigned to the East Coast Destroyer Flotilla of the 1st Fleet and based at Harwich citation needed Loss editOn the afternoon of 27 April 1908 the Eastern Destroyer Flotilla consisting of 15 vessels in company with the scouts Adventure and Attentive left Harwich for the purpose of firing exercise and night manoeuvres A little after midnight all the vessels having their lights masked Gala collided with Attentive being struck by the latter s ram in the after part of the engine room and cut in two but only one man was killed Attentive afterwards collided with the destroyer Ribble and holed her below the waterline She had to put into Sheerness for repairs While it was attempted to tow the two parts of Gala to shallow water it was unsuccessful with both parts sinking 18 19 References edit a b Friedman 2009 p 91 Friedman 2009 p 304 Naval amp Military Intelligence The Times No 37599 9 January 1905 p 5 Naval amp Military Intelligence The Times No 37741 23 June 1905 p 7 Naval amp Military Intelligence The Times No 37746 29 June 1905 p 11 a b Naval amp Military Intelligence The Times No 37749 3 July 1905 p 12 Colledge amp Warlow 2006 p 137 Chesneau amp Kolesnik 1979 p 100 a b c d e Chesneau amp Kolesnik 1979 p 99 a b Friedman 2009 p 292 Fock 1981 p 80 Leyland amp Brassey 1906 p 6 Friedman 2009 pp 89 91 Manning 1961 p 48 Friedman 2009 p 97 Naval and Military Intelligence The Times No 37840 17 October 1905 p 11 Fleets and Squadrons in Commission at Home and Abroad Destroyer Flotillas in Home Waters The Navy List January 1913 p 270a Retrieved 13 July 2023 Destroyer Cut In Half Poverty Bay Herald 12 June 1908 p 5 A Naval Collision British Destroyer Sunk The Gympie Times 30 April 1908 p 3 Bibliography editChesneau Roger amp Kolesnik Eugene M eds 1979 Conway s All The World s Fighting Ships 1860 1905 London Conway Maritime Press ISBN 0 85177 133 5 Colledge J J Warlow Ben 2006 1969 Ships of the Royal Navy The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy Rev ed London Chatham Publishing ISBN 978 1 86176 281 8 Fock Harald 1981 Schwarze Gesellen Band 2 Zerstorer bis 1914 in German Herford Germany Koelers Verlagsgesellschaft mBH ISBN 3 7822 0206 6 Friedman Norman 2009 British Destroyers From Earliest Days to the Second World War Barnsley UK Seaforth Publishing ISBN 978 1 84832 049 9 Leyland John Brassey T A eds 1906 The Naval Annual 1906 Portsmouth UK J Griffin and Co Manning T D 1961 The British Destroyer London Putnam amp Co OCLC 6470051 Further reading editMarch Edgar J 1966 British Destroyers A History of Development 1892 1953 Drawn by Admiralty Permission From Official Records amp Returns Ships Covers amp Building Plans London Seeley Service OCLC 164893555 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title HMS Gala amp oldid 1165302433, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
