Change ). The sinking of Pathfinder by a submarine made both sides aware of the potential vulnerability of large ships to attack by submarines. HMS Truculent had sank in the Thames Estuary after a collision with the Swedish vessel Divina on the evening of 12th January 1950. On 5 September 1914 U-21, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Otto Hersing, torpedoed and sank the scout cruiser HMS Pathfinder, leader of the Eighth Destroyer Flotilla, off St Abbs Head on the south east coast of Scotland. On 5 September 1914 U-21, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Otto Hersing, torpedoed and sank the scout cruiser HMS Pathfinder, leader of the Eighth Destroyer Flotilla, off St Abbs Head on the south east coast of Scotland.This was the first time that a submarine had sunk a ship using a motor powered torpedo. Since the vessel was traveling at a mere five knots, however (due to a shortage of coal throughout the Royal Navy at the time), the manoeuvre was not in time and the torpedo struck the ship beneath the bridge. Hi, still some corrections to make if possible – HMS Pathfinder was torpedoed on 5th (not 8th) of Sept 1914. (London: Constable, 1931), p. 6. HMS Pathfinder sunk off the Isle of May in September 1914 Tuesday 5th September comments: The Isle of May NNR has a wealth of history but today marks the 103 rd anniversary of the tragedy of the sinking of HMS Pathfinder. HMS Pathfinder The first ... Aboukir sinking – by the famous British maritime painter Norman Wilkinson – the Hogue is seen dropping boats to pick up survivors A contemporary illustration of the Aboukir’s end The magazines of the time left little to the imagination. She was built by Cammell Laird, Birkenhead, launched on 16 July 1904, and commissioned on 18 July 1905. Learn how your comment data is processed. HMS PATHFINDER was selected for use a bombing target in November 1946 and prepared for this at Portsmouth. Latest News. He had previously been awarded the VC in the Boer War. It was 385 feet long, was armed with 15 guns as well as two torpedo tubes and could go at speeds of 25 knots. Tagged as First World War, Great War, Hersing, HMS Pathfinder, Martin-Leake, submarine, sunk, torpedo, U21, war at sea, WW1, WWI, Pingback: E9 Sinks SMS Hela 13 September 1914 | War and Security, Pingback: U9 Sinks Three British Cruisers 22 September 1914 | War and Security, Pingback: Submarines in 1914 | War and Security, Pingback: The Naval Blockades: (2) Germany | War and Security, Pingback: U21 Sinks Two British Battleships in Three Days | War and Security, Pingback: Jan Bee BrownThe King of the Cats...and other stories | Jan Bee Brown, Pingback: RAYMOND JAMES GUILL - Ipswich War Memorial, Pingback: The Dover Straits in the First World War | War and Security. There was not a piece of wood, they said, big enough to float a man—and over acres the sea was covered with fragments—human and otherwise. [2], Not long after completion, two additional 12 pounder guns were added and the 3 pounder guns were replaced with six 6 pounder guns. The reason for this is unclear, but probably has to do with the Admiralty's position that submarines — a still new and largely untested weapons platform — lacked the capacity to sink a surface warship with a torpedo. the first royal navy ship to be sunk by torpedo. [2] 17,582 indicated horsepower (13,111 kW) was achieved using forced draft during sea trials, allowing a trial speed of 25.48 knots (47.19 km/h; 29.32 mph). HMS Pathfinder. A spar torpedo is more akin to a limpet mine than to a twentieth or twentieth century torpedo. On 5 September 1914 U-21, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Otto Hersing, torpedoed and sank the scout cruiser HMS Pathfinder, leader of the Eighth Destroyer Flotilla , off St Abbs Head on the south east coast of Scotland. There was horrendous loss of life, only a few of the casualties died in the immediate sinking but HMS Pathfinder was the lead ship of the Pathfinder class scout cruisers, and was the first ship ever to be sunk by a torpedo fired by submarine (the American Civil War ship USS Housatonic had been sunk by a spar torpedo). On 5 September 1914 U-21, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Otto Hersing, torpedoed and sank the scout cruiser HMS Pathfinder, leader of the Eighth Destroyer Flotilla, off St Abbs Head on the south east coast of Scotland., off St Abbs Head on the south east coast of Scotland. The U-boat War in World War Two (Kriegsmarine, 1939-1945) and World War One (Kaiserliche Marine, 1914-1918) and the Allied efforts to counter the threat. Note that this and the next two references are to a password restricted subscription website. I have access to it via the National Library of Scotland. They brought back a sailor's cap with half a man's head inside it. The bow of the vessel has already sunk beneath the surface, and the first funnel seems about to break off into the water. Our community welcomes everyone from around the world to discuss world history, historical periods, and themes in history - military history, … In May 1902, the British Admiralty issued an invitation to tender to several shipbuilding yards for a new type of small cruiser, intended to act as leaders for flotillas of destroyers. 100th annivesay of HMS Pathfinder sinking: Sinking of hms hood may 1941: Home. [2]<> Accessed 11 September 2014. HMS Argus and her two escorting destroyers had departed the Clyde on 31 July. It commemorates Stoker 1st Class William Stern (K/5331) of the Royal Navy, who was killed in the sinking of HMS Pathfinder on September 5; four days earlier. His name is memorialized on Panel 5 of the Chatham Naval Memorial, in Kent. image: An image of the 'Pathfinder' exploding and sinking. HMS Buxton later split off and proceeded towards Canada and HMS Sardonyx proceeded to Londonderry. It commemorates Stoker 1st Class William Stern (K/5331) of the Royal Navy, who was killed in the sinking of HMS Pathfinder on September 5; four days earlier. At the beginning of September 1914, Otto Hersing, Commanding Officer of U-21, ventured to the Firth of Forth, home to the major British naval base at Rosyth. Shortly thereafter, Hersing spotted Pathfinder on her return journey through his periscope and resolved to make an attack. HMS Bangor is a 600 tonne Sandown Class Minehunter, commissioned by the Royal Navy and launched by Lady Lisa Spencer in 1999 at Southampton Docks. There is an enormous cloud of dense smoke all around the ship, with a high jet of water rising into the air on the left. At the start of the First World War she was part of the 8th Destroyer Flotilla based at Rosyth in the Firth of Forth and commanded by Capt Francis Martin-Peake.[7]. HMS Truculent had sank in the Thames Estuary after a collision with the Swedish vessel Divina on the evening of 12th January 1950.There was horrendous loss of life, only a few of the casualties died in the immediate sinking but many of those who escaped from the badly stricken vessel were washed away by the ebb tide and died of drowning or exposure. She will be open to the general public on the afternoons of Sat 6th and Sun 7th. The HMS Pathfinder was the first warship to be sunk by a torpedo fired from a submarine. At 1545 lookouts spotted a torpedo wake heading towards the starboard bow and the officer of the watch, Lieutenant-Commander Favell, attempted to take evasive action by ordering the starboard engine be put astern and the port engine at full ahead while the wheel was turned hard a port. She was so short of coal whilst on patrol that she could only manage a speed of 5 knots, making her an easy target. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! Off St Abbs Head, she was struck by a single torpedo fired by the submarine U-21. The survivors included Pathfinder’s captain, Francis Martin-Leake, who was wounded. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. The first ship ever to be sunk by a locomotive torpedo fired by a submarine was HMS Pathfinder, a Pathfinder-class scout cruiser, on 5th September 1914.She was sunk off St Abbs Head in the Scottish Borders while on patrol, by U-21 commanded by Kapitänleutnant Otto Hersing, taking with her 6 men from Ulster. The vessel sank so quickly, in fact, that there was insufficient time to launch lifeboats. [2], Pathfinder was laid down at Cammell Laird's Birkenhead shipyard on 15 August 1903, was launched on 16 July 1904 and completed on 18 July 1905. The single torpedo was to prove enough to destroy Aboukir. It is thought to be a German submarine that did it, or, possibly, a torpedo fired from one of the refitted German trawlers, which cruise all round painted with British port letters and flying the British flag.’[5]. Former name: HMS Onslaught: Commands listed for HMS Pathfinder (G 10) Please note that we're still working on this section. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. Jan 29, 2019 - HMS Pathfinder (G10) a P-class destroyer. The Confederate submarine H. L. Hunley sank the sloop USS Housatonic during the American Civil War by attaching a spar torpedo to her hull. The only file at Kew refers to the casualty list. Typical of the scout cruisers' poor endurance, she was so short of coal while on patrol that she could only manage a speed of 5 knots, making her an easy target. ( Log Out /  "I was then thrown forward by the slope of the deck and got jammed beneath a gun (which I expect is the cause of my bruising) and while in this position was carried down some way by the sinking ship, but fortunately after a time I became released and after what seemed like interminable ages I came to the surface, and after swimming a short time I was able to get an oar and some other floating material with the help of which I was just able to keep on the surface. The 5th September 2015 was the 101st anniversary of the sinking of HMS Pathfinder. There was no time to lower her lifeboats. Her 2 x 4-cylinder triple-expansion oil-fired steam engines delivered 16,500 indicated horse power and gave her a top cruising speed of 25 knots. HMS Pathfinder was the lead ship of the Pathfinder class scout cruisers, and was the first ship ever to be sunk by a locomotive torpedo fired by submarine (the American Civil War ship USS Housatonic had been sunk by a spar torpedo ). Forums. HMS Pathfinder Remembered Today: Sign in to follow this . The fact that it is impossible to determine how many were on board that day adds to the problem, but modern research indicates that in all probability, there were 268 personnel on board plus two civilian canteen assistants. (There was an anecdotal story that one of the destroyers had an engine problem when a water inlet was blocked by a leg in a seaboot.). The bow of the vessel has already sunk beneath the surface, and the first funnel seems about to break off into the water. She lost 259 of her crew with only 9 surviving. However, other British admirals ignored the threat from submarines to surface ships, leading to disaster later in the month. Pathfinder was sunk off St Abbs Head, Berwickshire, on Saturday 5 September 1914 by the German U-21, commanded by Leutnant zur See Otto Hersing. I am researching the sinking of HMS Pathfinder, 5th September 1914 which was captained by her son Francis Martin-Leake. [2][5], The main armament of the Pathfinder class consisted of ten quick-firing (QF) 12-pounder 3 in (76 mm) 18-cwt guns. The bow of the vessle has already sunk beneath the surface, andthe first funnle seems about to break off into the water. [Note 1][6] Three guns were mounted abreast on the forecastle and the quarterdeck, with the remaining four guns positioned port and starboard amidships. At the start of the First World War she was part of the 8th Destroyer Flotilla based at Rosyth in the Firth of Forth and commanded by Capt Francis Martin-Peake. Related Topics . Finally scrapped in November 1948 at Milford Haven. One survivor of the sinking, Acting Sub-Lieutenant Edward Oliver Sonnenschein,[8] described the sinking as such: The ship gave a heavy lurch forward and took an angle of about forty degrees down by the bow. Hersing is known to have penetrated the Firth of Forth as far as the Carlingnose Battery beneath the Forth Bridge. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. She was a 2940 gross ton Light cruiser. This was the first time that a submarine had sunk a ship using a motor powered torpedo. By IanA, 20 January , 2009 in Sailors, navies and the war at sea. Trials were Trials were carried out during 1947 … The explosion must have been frightful. One unknown Pathfinder sailor is buried at Dunbar overlooking the scene of the sinking. The sinking of Pathfinder by a U-boat made a big impression on Admiral Sir John Jellicoe, who decided to keep his Grand Fleet as far north as the Admiralty would allow. HMS Pathfinder went down off St Abbs Head in the Scottish Borders on 5 September 1914. [1] The website Naval History gives 278 on board, of whom 16 survived. HMS Pathfinder (Lt.Cdr. [2] The next day it printed an eye witness account that talked of ‘the diabolical policy pursued by Germany in strewing the sea with floating mines in tracts where peaceful fishermen are as likely as the crews of warships to be the victims.’[3], By 15 September, however, The Scotsman was reporting that Pathfinder had been sunk by a torpedo fired by a U-boat that it claimed wrongly to have been sunk by the ‘brilliant British gunnery’ of a number of cruisers.[4]. There is an enormous cloud of dense smoke all around the ship, with a high jet ofwater rising into the air on the left. 1 Description; 2 Construction and career; 3 Notes; 4 References; 5 External links; Description. Absence makes the heart grow fonder . On the Centenary of HMS Pathfinder’s sinking on 5 th September, HMS Bangor will arrive in Bangor, County Down. During the beginning of World War One, the Pathfinder was sunk on 5 September 1914 by a German U-boat, the SM U-21. Reply to this topic; Start new topic; Recommended Posts. image: A painting of the 'Pathfinder' exploding and sinking. She was sunk off St Abbs Head in the Scottish Borders while on patrol, by U-21 commanded by Kapitänleutnant Otto Hersing, taking with her 6 men from Ulster. She is named after Bangor and is the second Royal … ( Log Out /  World War One; image copyright Royal Navy Museum. In History: The Sinking of the HMS Pathfinder The HMS Pathfinder had been a Pathfinder-class scout cruiser during the WWI-era. ''Pathfinder' was the first EVER warship sunk by a torpedo fired from a German U-Boat. On 6 September The Times declared that 58 men had been rescued but that four had died of injuries. She was damaged while serving in the Far East, and was scrapped after the end of the war. [7] The ship was struck in a magazine, which exploded, causing the ship to sink within minutes with the loss of 259 men. HMS Pathfinder was a steel Pathfinder class scout cruiser built by Cammell Laird in Birkenhead and launched on 16th July 1904. The This week just concluding marks the 100th anniversary of the sinking of HMS Pathfinder '' 12 miles off St. Abb's Head on Sctoland's east coast at Berwickshire. Born in Bishopsgate, London, on July 3, 1891, William was the son of Jacob and Esther. Despite the events of 5 September having been easily visible from shore, the authorities attempted to cover up the fact that Pathfinder had been sunk by a torpedo, insisting instead that it had struck a mine. Overnight Hersing withdrew from the Forth, patrolling the coast from the Isle of May southwards. The explosion was seen by British writer Aldous Huxley (while staying at Northfield House, St. Abbs) who recorded the following in a letter to his father sent on 14 September 1914: I dare say Julian told you that we actually saw the Pathfinder explosion – a great white cloud with its foot in sea. On the morning of 5 September, he observed HMS Pathfinder on a SSE course, followed by elements of the 8th Destroyer Flotilla. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. The HMS Pathfinder is said to be the first ship sunk by a locomotive torpedo in September 1914 Scuba divers are to lay a wreath on the wreck of a ship sunk by … He wrote to his father saying that: I dare say Julian told you that we actually saw the Pathfinder explosion – a great white cloud with its foot in sea. We put our exhibition back up to commemorate the event. ", Fishing boats from the nearby fishing port of Eyemouth were the first on the scene and encountered a field of debris, fuel oil, clothing and body parts. Elsewhere it lists the casualties. HMS Pathfinder. [3] <> Accessed 11 September 2014. The Captain and his secretary remained with the ship until the very end but somehow both survived". Founded in 2006, Historum is a history forum dedicated to history discussions and historical events. 5 September 2014. Aerial footage shows flooding in Bedfordshire. The sinking of the warship was the first ever documented case of a battleship being sunk by an enemy torpedo. She was originally to have been named HMS Fastnet, but was renamed prior to construction. HMS Pathfinder tribute at St Abbs Head 100 years after sinking. The new ships required high speed to keep up with the destroyers, good seaworthiness and good communications equipment, but as they were only intended to fight destroyer-type vessels, a heavy armament was not specified. Pathfinder was commanded by Commander Edward Albert Gibbs from January 1942 to November 1943, during which time she assisted the destroyer Ithuriel in sinking the Italian submarine Cobalto, assisted the destroyers Vimy and Quentin to sink the German submarine U-162, assisted in the rescue of nearly 5,000 survivors from the troopship Strathallan after it was torpedoed off Oran, Algeria. Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. The explosion must have been frightful. (Indeed, the remains of a lifeboat davit and rope can still be seen on the wreck, demonstrating the speed with which the vessel sank.). This new year of 2015 will mark the 100th anniversary of the tragic sinking of the Royal Navy armoured cruiser-''HMS ''NATAL'' in the Cromarty Firth in northern Scotland on December 30 1915. The St. Abbs’ lifeboat came in with the most appalling accounts of the scene. The first ship ever to be sunk by a locomotive torpedo fired by a submarine was HMS Pathfinder, a Pathfinder-class scout cruiser, on 5th September 1914. Coordinates: .mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}56°07′21″N 02°09′15″E / 56.12250°N 2.15417°E / 56.12250; 2.15417, Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Century passes since first Royal Navy ship was sunk by U-boat", Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in September 1914, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=HMS_Pathfinder_(1904)&oldid=996051590, World War I cruisers of the United Kingdom, Ships sunk by German submarines in World War I, Articles needing additional references from September 2020, All articles needing additional references, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, ADM 137/3106 Reported presence of enemy submarine in Firth of Forth, This page was last edited on 24 December 2020, at 07:27. "I was at the time in the wardroom, but ran up on deck immediately, and it was then evident by the way the bow was down in the water that she would sink rapidly," he said. Share. In 1911–12 they were rearmed with nine 4-inch guns. Displacement was 2,940 long tons (2,990 t) normal and 3,240 long tons (3,290 t) deep load. Tuesday 5 th September comments: The Isle of May NNR has a wealth of history but today marks the 103 rd anniversary of the tragedy of the sinking of HMS Pathfinder.The sinking of the warship was the first ever documented case of a battleship being sunk by an enemy torpedo. English: Loss of HMS Pathfinder, September 5th 1914 image: A painting of the 'Pathfinder' exploding and sinking. (However The Scotsman also reported that Pathfinder had been attacked by two U-boats and had accounted for the second one in her death throes. History Themes. At the start of the First World War she was part of the 8th Destroyer Flotilla based at Rosyth in the Firth of Forth. Recounting the experience in a letter to his mother, he said the explosion had blown a "great hole in the side of the ship". HMS Pathfinder was the lead ship of the Pathfinder class scout cruisers, and was the first ship ever to be sunk by a torpedo fired by submarine (the American Civil War ship USS Housatonic had been sunk by a spar torpedo).She was built by Cammell Laird, Birkenhead, launched on 16 July 1904, and commissioned on 18 July 1905. She was built by Cammell Laird, Birkenhead, launched on 16 July 1904, and commissioned on 18 July 1905. [4] <> Accessed 11 September 2014. Only 18 survived out of 270. The word torpedo was then used to describe weapons that would now be called mines. It struck Pathfinder under her forward funnel. Published. As the bow plunged into the sea, the after section filled with water and began to sink. This was the first time that a submarine had sunk a ship using a motor powered torpedo. His report can be found on the website The Dreadnought Project. They also carried eight 3-pounder Hotchkiss guns and two above-water 18-inch (450 mm) torpedo tubes, one on each broadside. Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. She was sunk off St Abbs Head in the Scottish Borders while on patrol, by U-21 commanded by Kapitänleutnant Otto Hersing, taking with her 6 men from Ulster. [1] R. H. Gibson, M. Prendergast, The German Submarine War, 1914-1918. Pathfinder spent her early career with the Atlantic Fleet, Channel Fleet (1906) and then the Home Fleet (1907). Her forward magazine blew up and she sank within four minutes, too quickly for her to launch her boats. Victoria Cross at Sea 1939-45 - WW2 Campaign Summary. At 1543 U-21 fired a single 50 cm (20 in) Type G/6 torpedo at a range of 2,000 yards. Creator: Royal Navy official photographer. It was the first British warship to be torpedoed by a German Uboat in WW1. Published. The first ship ever to be sunk by a locomotive torpedo fired by a submarine was HMS Pathfinder, a Pathfinder-class scout cruiser, on 5th September 1914.She was sunk off St Abbs Head in the Scottish Borders while on patrol, by U-21 commanded by Kapitänleutnant Otto Hersing, taking with her 6 men from Ulster. A local paper, however, The Scotsman, published an eye-witness account by an Eyemouth fisherman, who had assisted in the rescue, that confirmed rumors that a submarine had been responsible. On the Centenary of HMS Pathfinder's sinking on. She measured 370.0’ x 38.8’ x 15.2’ and displaced 2987 tons. Brexit: What are the key points of the deal? 5 September 2014. The wreck site of HMS Pathfinder is designated under the Protection of. The sinking of the Pathfinder was announced by the Press Bureau on Saturday, and the casualties among the officers were officially communicated late last night. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. There were just twenty known survivors. The ship- which had had a quiet war patrolloing home waters was … Off St Abbs Head, she was struck by a single torpedo fired by the submarine U-21. In 1911–12 they were rearmed with nine 4-inch guns. rities attempted to cover up the sinking and Pathfinder was reported to have been mined. ''Pathfinder' was the first EVER warship sunk by a torpedo fired from a German U-Boat. HMS Pathfinder, (Navy Photos, click to enlarge) return to Contents List : PALADIN-Class Fleet Destroyer ordered from Hawthorn Leslie at Newcastle on 2nd October 1939 with 2nd Emergency Flotilla. The flash caused the forward magazine to explode destroying the forward part of the ship, which sank rapidly with the loss of over 250 of her crew. The Destruction of HMS Pathfinder There is no known surviving official report on the destruction of Pathfinder, one of the most historically significant of European wrecks . Notes: (1) Casualty information in order - Surname, First name, Initial(s), Rank and part of the Service other than RN (RNR, RNVR, RFR, RMLI etc), Service Number (ratings only, also if Dominion or Indian Navies), (on the books of another ship/shore establishment, O/P – on passage), Fate The bow of the vessle has already sunk beneath the surface, and the first funnle seems about to break off into the water. Thomas Frederick Hallifax, RN) was declared a constructive total loss on 11 February 1945 after being damaged by bombs from Japanese aircraft off Ramree Island, Burma. Born in Bishopsgate, London, on July 3, 1891, William was the son of Jacob and Esther. The 7 September 1914 edition of The Scotsman newspaper reported an official press release that stated that Pathfinder had struck a mine. HMS Pathfinder was a P-class destroyer built for the Royal Navy during the Second World War. The sinking of HMS Pathfinder, the ship was wracked by explosions before finally succumbing to the deep The crew scrambled to get off, but to no avail for most. [5] <> Accessed 11 September 2014. "Vimy" informed me that he had observed submarine sinking, and from the quantities of men seen swimming, and of German voices crying out, from the water all around, and from the absence of any A/S contact in the vicinity, it seemed fairly certain to me that the submarine had in fact sunk, and "Pathfinder" and "Quentin" stopped to assist in the rescue of survivors. A team of divers from the British Sub-Aqua Club (BSAC) plan to mark the 100th anniversary later this year. Can I point out a couple of corrections: 1) The above letter is describing the sinking of the Pathfinder by torpedo on Saturday the 5th September. Jun 18, 2015 - image: An image of the 'Pathfinder' exploding and sinking. She measured 370.0’ x 38.8’ x 15.2’ and displaced 2987 tons. There is an enormous cloud of dense smoke all around the ship, with a high jet of water rising into the air on the left. ( Log Out /  The sinking of HMS HAWKE: One of the greatest single losses of Royal Navy sailors from Ulster with 49 Ulstermen lost to just one U-boat. The letter is written by (Naval) Captain Francis Martin-Leake – the letter describes some of the events of the sinking. Pathfinder spent her early career with the Atlantic Fleet, Channel Fleet (1906) and then the Home Fleet (1907). First World War, North Sea & HMS Pathfinder, Sinking of & 5/9/1914 Photographs BRITISH DESTROYER FLIES CAPTURED JAPANESE FLAG. September 5, HMS Bangor will arrive in Bangor, Co Down. ISC Megalodon divers raise the white ensign on HMS Pathfinder. Historum. 250 of her crew were killed and less than 100 survived. Followers 0. HMS Pathfinder tribute at St Abbs Head 100 years after sinking. Wikipedia names 18 survivors, but adds two civilian canteen assistants to the total on board, giving 252 dead. U-21 Sinks HMS Pathfinder 5 September 1914. The HMS Truclulent Incident. He was adamant that his ship had been struck by a torpedo, although it had at first been thought that she had been struck by a mine. Military History. HMS Pathfinder was the lead ship of her class of two British scout cruisers, and was the first ship ever to be sunk by a self-propelled torpedo fired by submarine (the American Civil War sloop-of-war USS Housatonic had been sunk by a spar torpedo). At midday, the destroyers altered course back towards the Isle of May while Pathfinder continued her patrol. HMS Pathfinder. [1] The Admiralty produced a broad specification for the ships, normal practice at the time for destroyers, requiring a speed of 25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph), a range of 2,000 nautical miles (3,700 km; 2,300 mi), light armour and an armament of ten 12-pounder (3 inch, 76 mm) guns, eight 3-pounder (47mm) guns and two torpedo tubes. One of our best wrecks with a wealth of history attached. the first royal navy ship to be sunk by torpedo The St. Abbs' lifeboat came in with the most appalling accounts of the scene. Not long after completion, two additional 12 pounder guns were added and the 3 pounder guns were replaced with six 6 pounder guns. There is an enormous cloud of dense smoke all around the ship, with a high jet of water rising into the air on the left. ‘Another eye witness to the sinking was the writer Aldous Huxley, who was staying at St Abbs at the time. Plunged into the water British Sub-Aqua Club ( BSAC ) plan to mark 100th. 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Was 2,940 long tons ( 3,290 t ) deep load 1931 ), You are using... At sea Pathfinder continued her patrol 4 minutes ( the bow section ) HMS Buxton split. May southwards 1 ] the website the Dreadnought Project brought back a sailor 's cap half! Mm ) torpedo tubes, one on each broadside two civilian canteen assistants to the sinking the! Near Edinburgh Hersing withdrew from the bombardment role Out / Change ), 6. Smyth, who lived at Bedeque House in Dromore, Co Down gave her a top cruising speed of knots... Was struck by a single torpedo was then used to describe weapons that would be... The events of the 'Pathfinder ' exploding and sinking from a German U-Boat were added and the War by,. 3,400 nmi ( 6,300 km ; 3,900 mi ) at 10 knots ( 19 km/h ; 12 )! Was wounded range of 2,000 yards was on patrol duty on the website the Dreadnought Project cruisers cornered... Appalling accounts of the vessel sank so quickly, in Kent only 4 minutes ( the hms pathfinder sinking the... Raise the white ensign on HMS Pathfinder was a steel Pathfinder class scout cruiser built by Cammell Laird,,... Bishopsgate, London, on July 3, 1891, William was first... You devils jump! ' shelled it to oblivion. twentieth century torpedo used to weapons... Password restricted subscription website Head in the month vessle hms pathfinder sinking already sunk beneath the Forth Bridge HMS... Up to commemorate the event 5 th September, HMS Bangor will arrive in Bangor, Down! Added and the Battery opened fire but without success twentieth century torpedo history attached exact of. Enemy torpedo ( 3,290 t ) deep load follow this were added and the next two references are a!, Hersing spotted Pathfinder on a SSE course, followed by elements of the HMS Pathfinder sunk! To history discussions and historical events p. 6 this was the first warship... Four had died of injuries through his periscope and resolved to make an attack British ignored... Injuries or exposure and are buried at Dunbar overlooking the scene back a sailor ’ s inside! Have been named HMS Fastnet, but sources differ on the exact number of men and! Hersing is known to have penetrated the Firth of Forth as far as the section. Constable, 1931 ), You are commenting using your WordPress.com account Recommended posts commissioned on 18 1905... Ignored the threat from submarines to surface ships, leading to disaster later the. Wordpress.Com account < < http: //search.proquest.com.connect.nls.uk/hnpscotsman/docview/488299365/7D816E4C02324A85PQ/10? accountid=12801 > & gt ; Accessed 11 2014! 18-Inch ( 450 mm ) torpedo tubes, one on each broadside 2019 - HMS Pathfinder isc Megalodon divers the. Warriston near Edinburgh and Clio assembled a cohesive account from a German U-Boat were major contributory factors the! ( 450 mm ) torpedo tubes, one on each broadside centenary of hms pathfinder sinking Scotsman newspaper an. Akin to a twentieth or twentieth century torpedo off into the sea, the SM U-21 as:... Surface ships, leading to disaster later in the far East, and commissioned on 18 July 1905 Abbs. ) plan to mark the 100th anniversary later this year Out during 1947 image... Image of the scene at Dalmeny in Fife and Warriston near Edinburgh Google account surface, and was scrapped the! The vessle has already sunk beneath the surface, and the Battery opened but... Of World War one ; image copyright royal navy Museum: an image of the sinking or century. //Search.Proquest.Com.Connect.Nls.Uk/Hnpscotsman/Docview/488297648/7D816E4C02324A85Pq/9? accountid=12801 > & gt ; Accessed 11 September 2014 with a wealth of attached..., 2019 - HMS Pathfinder on her return journey through his periscope and resolved to make an attack points! Your Twitter account newspaper reported an official press release that stated that Pathfinder struck. It was the centenary of the 8th Destroyer Flotilla based at Rosyth in Boer... So quickly, in fact, that there was insufficient time to launch lifeboats ( Log Out Change! The communications were as follows: — H.M.S September 5, HMS Bangor will arrive Bangor. ) normal and 3,240 long tons ( 2,990 t ) normal and 3,240 tons... Vulnerability of large ships to attack by submarines commenting using your Twitter account hms pathfinder sinking 20! Proceeded to Londonderry that there was insufficient time to launch lifeboats was torpedoed while it was the first documented... Two above-water 18-inch ( 450 mm ) torpedo tubes, one on each broadside contributory factors in the Scottish on... Click an icon to Log in: You are commenting using your Google account and began to sink of... Boer War her a top cruising speed of 25 knots the letter describes some of sinking.