HMS Defender (1911)
HMS "Defender" was an "Acheron"-class destroyer which was built in 1911, served throughout World War I and was broken up in 1921. She was the fifth ship of the name to serve in the Royal Navy. Construction. "Defender" was laid down at William Denny & Brothers in Dumbarton, Scotland on 7 November 1910, launched on 30 August 1911 and completed in January 1912. Her total cost was £83,000. Capable of , she carried two guns, other smaller guns and torpedo tubes and had a complement of 70 men. Operational history. Pre-World War One. "Defender" and her sisters  formed the First Destroyer Flotilla and were attached to the Grand Fleet in 1914. Battle of Heligoland Bight. On 28 August 1914 the Royal Navy and the Imperial German Navy met at the Battle of Heligoland Bight. When the German Destroyer "V-187" was hit by eight British destroyers and sank with heavy loss of life, "Defender" stopped to pick up survivors. The reappearance of the German cruiser SMS "Stettin" caused two of her boats to be left behind. Their crews were lucky to be rescued by the British submarine "E4". Short of space, the captain of "E4" embarked three German  prisoners and supplied the boats with water, biscuits, a compass, and a course to steer, and they returned safely to base. On 23 November 1914, the British battleships and bombarded the German-occupied Belgian port of Zeebrugge, which was being used as a base for German submarines. "Defender" was one of eight destroyers detached from the Harwich Force to reinforce the escort for the operation, joining six destroyers of the Dover Patrol and four French destroyers. The operation was unchallenged by the German defences, but little damage was done to the port. Battle of Dogger Bank. "Defender" was present at  the Battle of Dogger Bank on 24 January 1915 with the First Destroyer Flotilla, led by the light cruiser "Aurora". Battle of Jutland. On the night of 31 May - 1 June 1916 "Defender" took an active part in the Battle of Jutland, with the First Destroyer Flotilla operating in support of Beatty's battlecruiser force. At about 18:30 she was struck in the forward boiler room by a single 12 inch (305 mm) shell, killing one man and wounding two. Although the shell failed to explode, it knocked out the boiler room, reducing the ship's speed to about , forcing  her out of formation with the rest of her Flotilla. On restoring power (about 19:15) she took the damaged "Onslow" in tow and made Aberdeen the next day. Her captain, Lieutenant Commander L R Palmer received the Distinguished Service Order. The event was described in detail by Rudyard Kipling, in "Sea Warfare" under the heading "Towing Under Difficulties". The report on the battle by Admiral Beatty stated that: Lieutenant Commander Palmer wrote after the battle that "Onslow" had signalled "Defender" with the following message: She was transferred to the 3rd Battle Squadron in 1916 and survived the war. Disposal. "Defender  was laid up and sold to Rees of Llanelly for breaking up on 4 November 1921. HMS Defender (1911) HMS Defender" was an "Acheron"-class destroyer which was built in 1911, served throughout World War I and was broken up in 1921. She was the fifth ship of the name to serve in the Royal Navy. Construction. "Defender" was laid down at William Denny & Brothers in Dumbarton, Scotland on 7 November 1910, launched on 30 August 1911 and completed in January 1912. Her total cost was £83,000. Capable of , she carried two guns, other smaller guns and torpedo tubes and