HMS Narwhal at Jutland

[David Seymour]

So far I have the following:

HMS Narwhal

‘M’ Class Destroyer. 1,025 average tons displacement. Built by Denny. Started 21/4/1915, launched 30/12/1915, completed 33/1916. With12th Destroyer Flotilla at the Battle of Jutland, 31/5/1916 – 1/6/1916, firing torpedoes at the German battleships. Back broken in a collision in 1919. Broken up in 1920 at Devonport.

Grateful as always for any assistance.

With best wishes,

David

[ARABIS]

David,

At Jutland, Narwhal was commanded by Lt. Cdr. H. V. Hudson [2nd Division of the 12th Flotilla].

Attached is the entry for Narwhal from the Dec. 1918 Navy List.

Regards,

ARABIS.

[David Seymour]

Arabis,

That's great.

Many thanks,

David

[HERITAGE PLUS]

David

The following is from The Sailor's War 1914-18 by Peter H. Liddle

Concerning the supply of depth charges in the submarine war, Capt. F.S.W. de Winton, whose memories are those of the destroyer Narwhal at Queenstown in south west Ireland, recalled that in early 1917 they had 'not more than 12 I think and it was not yet realised how close to a U-boat, depth charges must be exploded'. On 17 February 1917, Narwhal actually took on board two survivors of a U-boat sunk by Q5, some of whose crew also took refuge as it seemed the Q-ship would sink. Q5 was in fact towed and beached at Berehaven.

Dave

[HERITAGE PLUS]

David

The following is from HMS Tiger at Bay - A Sailor's Memoir 1914-18 by Victor Hayward.

The time back in the steely phospherescent waters of Jutland Bank was 1.43 am.,the wishing hour of the middle watch. So far the 12th Flotilla, led by Captain Sterling, HMS Faulknor, and his consorts, Obedient, Mindful, Marvel, Onslaught, Maenad, Noble, Nerissa and Narwhal, had not been involved in any of the night skirmishes, being well to the east of our main light crusier advance. For nearly four hours they had been closed up at night defence stations, and goodness knows how many hours before at day time action stations. Stupefied through lack of sleep, eyes red-rimmed they still stared into the darkness, expecting and hoping to have a go at the enemy. They knew that the light was ideal from the point of view of torpedo attack.

Suddenly the unexpected happened: a keen eye spotted a dim silhouette of a line of German battleships ppearing darkly out of the shadows, to the west; the 12th Flotilla was obscured by the mist of dawn and the light was such that burning of searchlihts would prove a disadvantage, for the beas would melt into the paleness of the growing light.

This was it! Captain Sterling passed the attack orders down his line of ships by means of shaded Morse lamp and increased speed to 32 knots. Everything was soon ready - depth, range and speed setings on the torpedoes, safety pins removed from the wicked head pistols. This was to be an attack to be remembered. Everything, both weapons and men, wa sready to inflict maximum damage to the line of German ships.

Following their leader, Faulknor, every helm went over at the right moment as they arrowed towards the enemy line = the perfect attack, with an element of surprise, less than a shadow at 3,000 yards, coming out of the dim opaque light. Then as 'sights' came on, each destroyer fired its torpedoes, and the wicked warheads of 400 lb. amatol were on theeir way. These missiles were scatter fired.

After firing each ship turned away into the darkness of the dawn. Jerry spotted the flash from the torpedo tubes 'impulse power charges' and then all hell let loose. Every gun that could fire was blazing away but the Germans were still unsure of their targets. They switched on search lights which only made matters worse as the beams melted into the ghostly blue of the dawning sky and failed to reveal anything. The attacking destroyers howver now had the glare of their searchlights to aim at, and could watch the enemies confusion as they swung their ships violently away to avoid the torpedoes.

Torpedo firing Officers on each destroyer started their stop watches s they fired and now waitied to see or hear the results of their efforts/ Many reported heavy explosions. Suddenly a dull red glow appeared which sihouetted the fore and aft parts of an enemy ship. Great flames soared upwards. It was the Pommern a pre-dreadnought battleships. Almost 900 mean died with her.

The flotilla faded away into the darkness...

Dave

[David Seymour]

Dave,

Many thanks for those quotes. Very kind of you to look them up for me.

Best wishes,

David

[historydavid]

David, the Q5 also used the names Farnborough, Lodorer and Sandyford. The U-boat sunk on 17th Feb was U 83.

Best wishes

David

[David Seymour]

David,

Many thanks.

David

[Guest]

"At Jutland, Narwhal was commanded by Lt. Cdr. H. V. Hudson [2nd Division of the 12th Flotilla]."

 

Lt. Cdr. H. V. Hudson was my great uncle. My son has his cap.

 

Edited 22 February , 2020 by Guest

[penfold]

The crew list of HMS Narwhal at the Battle of Jutland.

 

https://www.jutlandcrewlists.org/narwhal

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited 22 February , 2020 by penfold