Destroyer Depot Ship?

[Guest thigginbotham1]

Hi Guys,

Having a bit of a bashfull moment, so just wanted to ask if someone can actually tell me what a Destroyer Depot Ship actually was and what it would have been doing?

I have a Great Uncle that moved around 5 diferent ships, but im no clearer as to what he was actually doing!

He had an M number so he was an engine room artifiser on the depot ships.

Regards

Tammy

[kin47]

Hello

To answer your queries in reverse order; an M prefix does not nexessarily mean an engine room artificer. The M designates miscellaneous and covers any ratings not deck rating (J) or engine room (K). It includes shipwrights, wiremen, coopers, cooks, stewards, etc, etc.

A destroyer depot ship was usually an old cruiser no longer fit to operate at sea and was more or less permanently berthed in a specific port. By WW II, destroyer depot ships were built specifically for their purpose. The ships carried the pay and victual ledgers for the various ships within the flotilla it served. It was also had repair facilities to make and mend damage and defects that did not withdraw the ship to a dockyard. Since the small ships did not have facilities for relaxation, the depot ship also served this purpose.

Did my answer help your query?

All best

don

[SiegeGunner]

Tammy,

Do you have the names of the ships your great-uncle served on ?

Mick

[Guest thigginbotham1]

Don and Mick

Thank you both for the replies to my question, it does clear up a few things,

Edwin Thornton M21429

Served on the

Diligence

Greenwich

Sandhurst

and Woolwich

from jul 1916 to sep 1918. He seemed to move between the ships fairly regulary going from the Diligence to the Greenwich back to Diligence and then Sandhurst and back to Diligence etc...

Im afraid i cant read the rating on his service record it looks like actg Ed q A 4.

Regards

Tammy

[kin47]

Hello Tammy

"actg Ed q A 4"

That is why I dwell mainly in the Second World War. Marvellous things those typewriters; handwritten records are sometimes worse than code. Your Great Uncle then was definitely an Acting Engine Room Artificer 4th Class.

All best

don

[Tim]

DILIGENCE (ex Tabaristan, 1907. Purchased 1913). 7400 tons.

Dimensions: 390 (p.p.) x 46 x __ feet.

Guns: 4 x 4 inch.

H.P.: 5000 - 14.2 kts. Coal: 780 tons.

Complement: 258

GREENWICH (Dobson & Co., completed by Swan Hunter. Purchased 1915). 8600 tons.

Dimensions: 390 (p.p.) x 52 x 19.66 feet (max. draught).

Guns: 4 x 4 inch, 2 x 6 pdr. AA.

I.H.P. 2500 = 11 kts. Coal : 960 tons.

Complement, 261.

Cyl. boilers.

SANDHURST (ex s.s. Manipur, Harland & Wolff, purchased 1915 and converted by Workman, Clerk). 11,500 tons.

Dimensions : 470 (p.p.) x 58 x 20 feet (max. draught).

Guns: 4 x 4 inch, 2 x 6 pdr. AA.

I.H.P. 4000 = 10.5 kts. Coal: 1475 tons.

Complement, 269.

Cyl. boilers.

WOOLWICH (Scotts. S. & E. Co., 1912). 3380 tons.

Dimensions: 320 x 40 x 14.25 feet.

Guns: 2 x 4 inch.

H.P. 2600 = 13.5 kts. Coal: 370 tons.

Complement, 263.

Sorry no photo of SANDHURST. Info and Images from Jane's Fighting Ships 1919.

Cheers,

Tim

[SiegeGunner]

HMS Sandhurst was a fleet repair ship and also served in WW2.

More at www.battleships-cruisers.co.uk/depot_ships.htm

Mick

[Guest thigginbotham1]

Thanks for that, Mick, Tim and Don.

With that information and the pics that's half the battle won (no pun intended).

If i could encroach upon your time a little longer im attaching the remarks section on Edwins service record. I know that his character is very good and his ability is superior, but im not to sure what the others are. Any suggestions?

Thanks again

Tammy

[healdav]

Hello

To answer your queries in reverse order; an M prefix does not nexessarily mean an engine room artificer. The M designates miscellaneous and covers any ratings not deck rating (J) or engine room (K). It includes shipwrights, wiremen, coopers, cooks, stewards, etc, etc.

A destroyer depot ship was usually an old cruiser no longer fit to operate at sea and was more or less permanently berthed in a specific port. By WW II, destroyer depot ships were built specifically for their purpose. The ships carried the pay and victual ledgers for the various ships within the flotilla it served. It was also had repair facilities to make and mend damage and defects that did not withdraw the ship to a dockyard. Since the small ships did not have facilities for relaxation, the depot ship also served this purpose.

Did my answer help your query?

All best

don

Although depot ships were often wllflowers in a particular port, the whole idea of them was that they could move to wherever their ships were operating. They were floating bases, in other words.

The administrative functions that they carried out meant that less admin staff had to be carried on the ships themselves; an important point.

The last depot ships the RN had were submarine depot ships and the last of those was Maidstone which was based at faslane for many years and only left there in January 1968 when the new Naval Base became operational. She ended her days, bizarrely, as HM Prison Ship Maidstone during internment in Northern Ireland.