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Older Gunboats of the RN World Naval Ships Forums Archive

Older Gunboats of the RN

Posts 1 to 50

With the phrase "Gunboat Diplomacy" now commonly used to refer to Diplomacy involving intimidation by threat or use of military force - I thought it was now about time to return to the age when the use of a Gunboat was a more accepted tool of World Powers. Before I start digging out photo`s and stored pictures of various RN Gunboats I will first of all respond to a request from Dave [rumrat] for examples from the Halcyon or Dryad Class. I have only managed to find so far these 3 examples of the 5 ships in the class - but hope to find more when I fire up the other `puter.
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Here's the only one I have of HALCYON.
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& HAZARD as a Depot Ship
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Thanks Guys Dave

Also this one...
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A few different gunboats for you!
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Knock out, Terry !! I'll post some as well in a few secs..

Some more gunboats....... 'SHARPSHOOTER' Class...
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'ALARM' class.....
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'FLY' Class.............
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'INSECT' Class............
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And the rest......
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After that little lot - I feel I ought to send a few more now!
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Nice one Terry. Are your pics as large as they go ?

In the photo of HMS COCKCHAFER Id No 8549 you can see the wreck of the tanker "OHIO", the photo must of been taken in 1944/45 as the OHIO was broken up in 1946. peter.

Another episode for you.
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As they seemed quite popular - here are a few more Gunboats for your enjoyment mixed in with a few MTB`s...
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And these as well.
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Yet another fine collection of good old pictures. Regards Dave

Pleasure Dave - more to come when I dig `em out.

Looks like everything is now working, thanks to kc's intervention. Post Away !!

I have just noticed this old thread which I must update with some more recent examples I have obtained. Anyway just to go on with here are two more - HMS Sedgefly and an old paddle gunboat S30 both taken on the Tigris.
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I have moved the posts about Brave Pioneer and Brave Pathfinder to this thread below: [URL]http://www.worldnavalships.com/forums/showthread.php?p=99619&posted=1#post99619[/URL] I had always intended that this thread was for older gunboats of the RN but I appreciate that I failed to make this clear so have now added "older" to the title. :o

Great photos. Never seen or heard anything about them. Post #13 shows a picture of HMS Drudge with a huge gun. I wonder what effect it would have on the ship after firing a few rounds? What calibre gun was it? Cheers Bruce

Thanks Bruce - she was constructed by Armstrong in 1887 for use by that yard as a trials platform, presumably to test new guns and turrets. She was purchased by the Royal Navy in February of 1901, becoming HMS Drudge. There she apparently continued in a gun trials role. The gun she is shown carrying in the picture here was a single 9.2 inch Mk XI turret, apparently fitted for testing purposes prior to the fitting of that turret in the Lord Nelson class battleships. HMS Drudge became a base ship in 1916 and was renamed Excellent and eventually became the navigational training ship Dryad in 1919. She was sold in March of 1920 and became a civilian salvage vessel. After many years in salvage service in the UK, and many changes of ownership, she was sold into French ownership. Unbelievably it appears she remained in salvage service as recently as 1969 before being finally scrapped!!!

Really excellent set of pix guys. Like Bruce I had noticed the rather large gun on Drudge, you can't really miss it!! My initial thought was that if she fired that one dead ahead then the ship would reverse, sorry, go astern, at 30 knots!!!! Ok, perhaps not quite that fast..............!!!!!!!!!!!!! Mik

What a facinating service history these Insect Class Gunboats had! My grandfather served on the "Cockchafer" between Dec 1919 and March 1922. That included the voyage to China and patrol on the Yangtse River. Would anyone know the National Archive reference for the ships log for the "Cockchafer" for the period Dec 1991 to March 1922, that i'm interested in? Thanks.

Peter... there is not one log for the period, but lots.... refs are: ADM53/38175 - 38181 & ADM53/69611-69613 & ADM53/73542 - 73565

Who approved that name for a ship? No doubt it was the butt of a few sailors jokes :D

Ladybird was a river steamer, I tnink she was lost. When a requirement for a HQ vessel arose at Sasebo, Japan, to keep the name going River Steamer Wusueh was obtained & renamed HMS Ladybird. The reason for the HQ ship was the Korean war.
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Thanks Gentlemen, that's a big help. Gary, perhaps there was a Ministry of Silly Names, but may be appropriate, "Dance like a Butterfly,sting like a Bee" as these little vessels could pack a punch. (two 6" guns,two 12 pdrs) But as for the silliest name my vote would go to a sister ship of the "Cockchafer" that being "HMS Glowworm". The "Cockchafer" and her three sisters, "Cricket, Cicala and Glowworm" were sent to North Russia in Sept 1918 and spent a year there operating on the Dvina River doing some good work in support of the "White Russian" forces. In January 1920, the "Cockchafer" & other gunboats (Cricket,Moth,Mantis &Scarab) set out from Chatham for China, arriving July 1920. The "Cockchafer" was stationed on the Yangtse River (& maybe the others) and was still there in 1939. During WW2 she did some useful work at Basra and in the Mediterranean. Like I said, a fascinating history. PBM

There is an excellent site on this topic which I'll give a quick plug on the forum. [URL]http://www.hmsfalcon.com/[/URL]

[QUOTE=oldsalt;151998]Ladybird was a river steamer, I tnink she was lost. When a requirement for a HQ vessel arose at Sasebo, Japan, to keep the name going River Steamer Wusueh was obtained & renamed HMS Ladybird. The reason for the HQ ship was the Korean war.[/QUOTE] Keith, My Grandad served on HMS Ladybird in China from 1936-38 - he was on board when the ship was shelled by Japanese artillery while on the Yangtse, and Ladybird was also involved in ferrying the survivors of the USS Panay gunboat after it was bombed and sunk by Japanese planes in 1938. The Ladybird ended her career at Tobruk in 1941 when she was sunk in shallow water by dive bombers, but was still used as an anti-aircraft platform for some time after that. Del.

Hello Peter, Here an are award to crew of `Thingychafer' (damn those itchy pants !). Presume from the time you have posted your GFather would have been aboard ; PRESTON-THOMAS Quitin B N/E Lt.Cdr. RN 88X892 Cockchafer S.N.O. Archangel River Expedition 22.01.20 N/E Post War - Russia 1919 M in D For conspicuous enterprise and coolness while fighting his ship in a very narrow channel on the occasion of the taking of Topsa, and for his prompt action in laying his ship alongside "Gloworm" after the damage caused to the latter by the explosion of an ammunition barge. THOROLD Anthony Herbert G N/E Lt. RN 88X879 Gloworm S.N.O. White Sea 12.12.19 N/E Post War - Russia 1918 - 1919 Brought to Notice Admiralty Displayed much coolness and presence of mind 0n the 25th August, 1919, on the occasion of injuries to H.M.S. "Gloworm", from the explosion of an army ammunition barge. WILDBORE Albert M N/E Gunner RN 88X880 Gloworm S.N.O. White Sea 12.12.19 N/E Post War - Russia 1918 - 1919 MBE(M)Captain Altham writes :- In recognition of his gallantry and coolness under very trying circumstances on the 25th August, 1919, on the occasion of injuries to H.M.S. "Gloworm", from the explosion of an army ammunition barge. The presence of mind displayed by him in anchoring the ship undoubtedly saved her from grounding or danger by collision, which in the strong current might have been serious. Sadsac

Del, that's the one, the name lived on for a few years in early 50's.

[QUOTE=oldsalt;152914]Del, that's the one, the name lived on for a few years in early 50's.[/QUOTE] Keith, There was also a class of RMAS stores carriers built for the RMAS in 1970's which kept the name of the Insect class around for a while - now all gone though I think.. Del.

A few more I have dragged up from my external hard drive. 1. HMS CICALA ON WEST RIVER. 2. HMS FALCON AT CHUNGKING DURING 1938. 3. HMS LADYBIRD AFTER SHELLING BY JAPANESE-SHANGHAI DRYDOCK. 4. HMS LADYBIRD SHOWING MORE EVIDENCE OF JAPANESE SHELLING. 5. HMS SANDPIPER - C1938. 6. HMS SCARAB - C1939 - DRYDOCK SHANGHAI. 7. HMS SCORPION - 1939 - SHANGHAI. 8. HMS TERN-CHUNGKING - C1938. 9. HMS BEE - DURING AIRRAID AT NANKING DURING 1937. 0. NMS TERN-1927. Many more to come when I remember to sort some more out!
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Just like to point out there are lots of interesting pictures/photos of old RN gunboats including many of this and other similar classes in this photogallery I have linked to below. I have just added a few more and have others to follow once I have got my head together! [URL]http://www.worldnavalships.com/forums/showthread.php?p=153215#post153215[/URL]

[QUOTE=mik43;99816]Really excellent set of pix guys. Like Bruce I had noticed the rather large gun on Drudge, you can't really miss it!! My initial thought was that if she fired that one dead ahead then the ship would reverse, sorry, go astern, at 30 knots!!!! Ok, perhaps not quite that fast..............!!!!!!!!!!!!! Mik[/QUOTE] I'm pretty sure I recall seeing a photo of DRUDGE (or another flat iron gunboat) with an even larger gun mounted, looked to be at least 11 inch. Cannot recall the source now, but it sure looked surreal. Made the old teeth rattle I'll warrant. Cheers, Nigel

Probably this shot nigel.
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[QUOTE=astraltrader;154837]Probably this shot nigel.[/QUOTE] This is usually described as DRUDGE with a 9.2 inch Mk XI turret shipped for trials.

Re- DRUDGE Contrary to Terrys post DRUDGE wasn't purpose built as a trials platform for testing large calibre weapons ,she was in fact a self propelled hopper barge launched on June 8 1887 to remove waste from Armstrongs Elswick yard, before being re-fitted as a trials gunboat for the RN following her aquisition by the Admiralty in Februray 1901. Regrads Dave

Actually Dave if you read the post a little more carefully you will see that it was Nigel who said that about her - I just posted the picture!

[QUOTE=rumrat;154846]Re- DRUDGE Contrary to Terrys post DRUDGE wasn't purpose built as a trials platform for testing large calibre weapons ,she was in fact a self propelled hopper barge launched on June 8 1887 to remove waste from Armstrongs Elswick yard, before being re-fitted as a trials gunboat for the RN following her aquisition by the Admiralty in Februray 1901. Regrads Dave[/QUOTE] DRUDGE was built by Armstrongs to test their guns and mountings. She replaced the HANDY, which had been purchased by the RN, as a test bed. She was also used to carry waste from the works out to sea (she was built with a slag hopper on each side) but that was not her main purpose. (See: Peter Brook- "Warships for Export- Armstrong Warships 1867-1927").

[QUOTE=Nigel999;154835]I'm pretty sure I recall seeing a photo of DRUDGE (or another flat iron gunboat) with an even larger gun mounted, looked to be at least 11 inch. Cannot recall the source now, but it sure looked surreal. Made the old teeth rattle I'll warrant. Cheers, Nigel[/QUOTE] The HANDY is also a possibility - here is an orphan thread: [url]http://www.worldnavalships.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1948[/url] . Here she is with a 12" gun mounted. She is also said to have shipped a 13.5" gun (as mounted in the old "Royal Sovereign" Class) for trials.
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I was only quoting from Armstrongs own publication, Armstrongs river empire where it states she was built as a waste hopper. Regards Dave

[QUOTE=rumrat;154902]I was only quoting from Armstrongs own publication, Armstrongs river empire where it states she was built as a waste hopper. Regards Dave[/QUOTE] Hello Dave: Thanks for that. I take it that this is the new book by Richard Keys and Ken Smith first published in 2010 and published by Tyne Bridge Publishing. In what way is it Armstrong's own publication and what do you think of the book?

Gentlemen Many thanks for posting such an interesting collection of pictures. Mel

Patroclus, When i said Armstrongs own publication what i really ment was the book dedicated to Armstrongs River Empire, It's not a bad publication all in all some good photographs which incidently were borrowed from the Newcastle Library (which are available to download) with lots of information and trivia i think the local connection make it for me. Regards Dave

[quote=patroclus;154887]The HANDY is also a possibility - here is an orphan thread: [URL]http://www.worldnavalships.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1948[/URL] . Here she is with a 12" gun mounted. She is also said to have shipped a 13.5" gun (as mounted in the old "Royal Sovereign" Class) for trials.[/quote] I think this is Handy with the larger 13.5" gun fitted.
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