HMS 'Recruit' sunk 1/5/15

[Mark Hone]

One of the men on our Bury Virtual War Memorial, Stoker Francis Connor was lost when Recruit was sunk by a U-Boat in the North Sea. Can anyone provide any further details of the action?

[PhilB]

On 1st May 1915 the fast destroyer HMS Recruit was hit by a torpedo fired by UB-6 near to the Galloper Light Vessel, Southern North Sea. The torpedo cut the vessel in half and she sank almost immediately

Phil B

[Jarvis]

Hello Mark, a little info on the Recruit here.

HMS Recruit

TBD, Thomson 30-knotter. 1895-6 order

One of five of this class; Brazen, Electra, Recruit and Vulture, plus a further 1896-7 order, Kestrel.

Launched by J & G Thomson, Clydebank, yard No 290, on 22/8/1896 and sunk 1/5/1915 by a U-boat off the Galloper Lightship, North Sea.

Spent her time in home waters.

380t light and 425t full load.

218ft oa x 20ft x 8ft 6in

2 shaft, 4 Normand boilers, coal 5800ihp

1 x 12pdr, 2 x TT

Crew 63

There were difficulties in meeting the contract speed in this class and she was not completed until July 1900.

Spent all her time in home waters.

Heres the link to a picture of the ship http://www.clydesite.co.uk/clydebuilt/wars...sel.asp?id=2695

Jarvis

[historydavid]

Mark,

On 1st May 1915 HM Destroyer Recruit, built 1900, 335 tons, was torpedoed and sunk by UB 6 30 miles SW from Galloper Lightship, North Sea. There were 39 casualties.

CONNOR, FRANCIS, STOKER 1c, 301345 (Ch), RECRUIT, 01-May-15, SHIP LOSS.

Best wishes

David

[Mark Hone]

Thanks very much for that additional information. One of the results of compiling the Virtual War Memorial is encountering all sorts of features of the war I had absolutely no knowledge of.