HMS Intrepid (1891) on:
[Wikipedia]
[Google]
[Amazon]
HMS ''Intrepid'' was an
Along with a number of other ships of her class, as she became obsolete as a cruiser she was converted at 
Vol. 1
Vol. 2
* *
Index of 19th Century Naval Vessels
at Naval-History.net {{DEFAULTSORT:Intrepid (1891) Apollo-class cruisers Ships built on the River Clyde 1891 ships World War I cruisers of the United Kingdom
protected cruiser
Protected cruisers, a type of naval cruiser of the late-19th century, gained their description because an armoured deck offered protection for vital machine-spaces from fragments caused by shells exploding above them. Protected cruisers re ...
of the Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against F ...
built on the River Clyde
The River Clyde ( gd, Abhainn Chluaidh, , sco, Clyde Watter, or ) is a river that flows into the Firth of Clyde in Scotland. It is the ninth-longest river in the United Kingdom, and the third-longest in Scotland. It runs through the major cit ...
and launched in 1891. She was subsequently converted as a minelayer in the latter half of her career and ultimately sunk as a blockship
A blockship is a ship deliberately sunk to prevent a river, channel, or canal from being used. It may either be sunk by a navy defending the waterway to prevent the ingress of attacking enemy forces, as in the case of at Portland Harbour in 1914; ...
during the Zeebrugge Raid
The Zeebrugge Raid ( nl, Aanval op de haven van Zeebrugge;
) on 23 April 1918, was an attempt by the Royal Navy to block the Belgian port of Bruges-Zeebrugge. The British intended to sink obsolete ships in the canal entrance, to prevent German ...
on 23 April 1918.
History
Ordered under theNaval Defence Act 1889
The Naval Defence Act 1889 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It received the Royal Assent on 31 May 1889 and formally adopted the " two-power standard" and increased the United Kingdom's naval strength. The standard called for ...
, ''Intrepid'' was laid down in 1889 at the yard of the London and Glasgow Shipbuilding Company
London and Glasgow Shipbuilding Company, also known as the London and Glasgow Engineering and Iron Shipbuilding Company, was a shipbuilding firm established in 1864 by a consortium of London bankers, including the Glasgow engineer James Rodger. Th ...
.
Following completion in November 1892 ''Intrepid'' was held at Portsmouth
Portsmouth ( ) is a port and city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. The city of Portsmouth has been a unitary authority since 1 April 1997 and is administered by Portsmouth City Council.
Portsmouth is the most dens ...
. During 1896-99 she served on the North America & West Indian Station
The North America and West Indies Station was a formation or command of the United Kingdom's Royal Navy stationed in North American waters from 1745 to 1956. The North American Station was separate from the Jamaica Station until 1830 when the ...
, then in 1899 returned to Portsmouth. After a refit, she returned to service in March 1900, when she was placed in the Fleet Reserve at Portsmouth.
In 1902 she was commissioned at Portsmouth for service on the Mediterranean station
The British Mediterranean Fleet, also known as the Mediterranean Station, was a formation of the Royal Navy. The Fleet was one of the most prestigious commands in the navy for the majority of its history, defending the vital sea link between ...
. She left that city on 14 October, visiting Plymouth
Plymouth () is a port city and unitary authority in South West England. It is located on the south coast of Devon, approximately south-west of Exeter and south-west of London. It is bordered by Cornwall to the west and south-west.
Plymouth ...
and Gibraltar
)
, anthem = " God Save the King"
, song = " Gibraltar Anthem"
, image_map = Gibraltar location in Europe.svg
, map_alt = Location of Gibraltar in Europe
, map_caption = United Kingdom shown in pale green
, mapsize =
, image_map2 = Gib ...
en route before arriving at the station headquarters at Malta
Malta ( , , ), officially the Republic of Malta ( mt, Repubblika ta' Malta ), is an island country in the Mediterranean Sea. It consists of an archipelago, between Italy and Libya, and is often considered a part of Southern Europe. It lies ...
later the same month. Between October 1902 and 1904 she served in the Mediterranean, visiting various ports and taking part in manoeuvres. In late 1902 she was at Port Said
Port Said ( ar, بورسعيد, Būrsaʿīd, ; grc, Πηλούσιον, Pēlousion) is a city that lies in northeast Egypt extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, north of the Suez Canal. With an approximate population of 6 ...
, where members of her crew provided the naval guard for the Duke and Duchess of Connaught as they visited the city in December, en route for India.
From 1904 she saw harbour service at Portsmouth until 1909.
Along with a number of other ships of her class, as she became obsolete as a cruiser she was converted at Chatham Dockyard
Chatham Dockyard was a Royal Navy Dockyard located on the River Medway in Kent. Established in Chatham in the mid-16th century, the dockyard subsequently expanded into neighbouring Gillingham (at its most extensive, in the early 20th century, ...
into a minelayer, carrying 100 mines and with armament reduced to four 4.7-inch guns. In 1910 she recommissioned at Chatham. On the outbreak of the First World War ''Intrepid'' was based at Dover, undertaking minelaying duties as part of the Dover Patrol
The Dover Patrol and later known as the Dover Patrol Force was a Royal Navy command of the First World War, notable for its involvement in the Zeebrugge Raid on 22 April 1918. The Dover Patrol formed a discrete unit of the Royal Navy based at Dove ...
.
In 1915-16 she became a Depot ship, North Russia. In 1917 she was in use as a depot ship in the White Sea as part of the British North Russia Squadron
The British North Russia Squadron was a squadron of the Royal Navy based at Murmansk from 1917 to 1919.
History
The squadron was formed as part of an initiative by the Entente Powers to keep the Russian Empire in the First World War. One goal ...
.
Along with and she was selected to be used as a blockship
A blockship is a ship deliberately sunk to prevent a river, channel, or canal from being used. It may either be sunk by a navy defending the waterway to prevent the ingress of attacking enemy forces, as in the case of at Portland Harbour in 1914; ...
during the Zeebrugge Raid
The Zeebrugge Raid ( nl, Aanval op de haven van Zeebrugge;
) on 23 April 1918, was an attempt by the Royal Navy to block the Belgian port of Bruges-Zeebrugge. The British intended to sink obsolete ships in the canal entrance, to prevent German ...
. She was prepared for the raid by being filled with cement. She was sunk at the entrance to the Bruges Canal to try and prevent it being used by German U-Boats. She was subsequently broken up when the canal was cleared.
References
Publications
* &nbsVol. 1
Vol. 2
* *
External links
Index of 19th Century Naval Vessels
at Naval-History.net {{DEFAULTSORT:Intrepid (1891) Apollo-class cruisers Ships built on the River Clyde 1891 ships World War I cruisers of the United Kingdom