HMS ''Maidstone'' was a
submarine depot ship
A submarine tender is a type of depot ship that supplies and supports submarines.
Development
Submarines are small compared to most oceangoing vessels, and generally do not have the ability to carry large amounts of food, fuel, torpedoes, and ...
of the
Royal Navy. She was purpose built to support 12 of the new
'D' Class submarines under the 1910/11 Naval Programme.
Pennant numbers
Service History
Pre-war
''Maidstone'' commissioned at
Portsmouth on 15 October 1912, as the principal depot ship of the officer commanding the newly established
8th Submarine Flotilla
The 8th Submarine Flotilla was a flotilla of the British Royal Navy consisting of submarines and their supporting depot ships and destroyers. It was established as part of the Home Fleet in 1912. The flotilla brought together the newer, longer ran ...
. This was the offensive submarine force based in UK waters.
First World War
''Maidstone'' led the
8th Submarine Flotilla
The 8th Submarine Flotilla was a flotilla of the British Royal Navy consisting of submarines and their supporting depot ships and destroyers. It was established as part of the Home Fleet in 1912. The flotilla brought together the newer, longer ran ...
to its war station at
Harwich
Harwich is a town in Essex, England, and one of the Haven ports on the North Sea coast. It is in the Tendring district. Nearby places include Felixstowe to the north-east, Ipswich to the north-west, Colchester to the south-west and Clacton-on- ...
in the 1914
mobilisation. She remained the principal depot ship for the offensive submarine force at Harwich for the duration of the hostilities. ''Maidstones Flotilla was re-established as the 9th Submarine Flotilla in August 1916. However, this was only a change of the flotilla number and there was no change in her duties.
Fate
''Maidstone'' decommissioned from service on 15 December 1927.
[ADM 53/80247] She was sold on 31 August 1929.
Sources
*
* The National Archives:ADM 186/15: ''War Vessels and Aircraft (British and Foreign): Quarterly Return, Oct 1915''
* The National Archives:ADM 53/23406, 47893-47941, 80240-80247: ''Logs of HMS Maidstone''
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Maidstone (1912), HMS
Ships built on the River Clyde
Auxiliary ships of the Royal Navy
Royal Navy Submarine Depot Ships
1912 ships