HMS Mystic (1915)
HMS "Mystic was an which served with the Royal Navy during the First World War. The M class were an improvement on the previous , capable of higher speed. The vessel, originally named HMS "Myrtle but renamed before being launched on 20 June 1915, joined the Grand Fleet and acted part of the screen for the battleships of the 2nd Battle Squadron as they sought battle with the German High Seas Fleet. The largest confrontation between the two fleets was the Battle of Jutland in 1917. "Mystic" participated in the battle as part of the destroyer screen, attacking  the German battle line as the evening fell, but recorded no hits. After the Armistice that marked the end of the First World War, "Mystic" was placed in reserve before being decommissioned and sold to be broken up on 8 November 1921. Design and development. "Mystic" was one of sixteen destroyers ordered by the British Admiralty in September 1914 as part of the First War Construction Programme. The M-class was an improved version of the earlier destroyers, designed to reach the higher speed of in order to counter rumoured German fast destroyers. The destroyer was long overall, with a  beam of and a draught of . displacement was standard and full load. Power was provided by three Yarrow boilers feeding two Parsons steam turbines rated at and driving two shafts, to give a design speed of . Three funnels were fitted. The vessel carried of fuel oil, giving a design range of at . Armament consisted of three Mk IV QF guns on the ship's centreline, with one on the forecastle, one aft on a raised platform and one between the middle and aft funnels. A single 2-pounder (40 mm) pom-pom anti-aircraft gun was carried, while torpedo armament  consisted of two twin mounts for torpedoes. The ship had a complement of 76 officers and ratings. On 12 July 1917, the destroyer was fitted with a kite balloon to spot submarines. Construction and career. Laid down by William Denny and Brothers of Dumbarton at their shipyard on 27 October 1914 with the yard number 1029, "Mystic" was launched on 20 June the following year and completed on 11 November. The vessel was originally to be named "Myrtle" but was renamed before being launched. The ship was the first of the name in naval service. The vessel was deployed as  part of the Grand Fleet, joining the Eleventh Destroyer Flotilla. The destroyer took part in a large naval exercise, involving four flotillas of the Grand Fleet as well as the Harwich Force, on 26 and 27 February 1916. The vessel subsequently took part in a number of sweeps, looking for the German fleet, including a large operation on 21 April which involved battleships from the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Battle Squadrons. None of these led to a confrontation with the German fleet until the Battle of Jutland. The Battle of Jutland, the only major confrontation between the Royal Navy and  the German High Seas Fleet took place between 30 May and 1 June 1917. The destroyer formed part of the flotilla that initially accompanied the 2nd Battle Squadron from Cromarty until they joined the main battlefleet. The flotilla then formed close to the dreadnought battleship as the two fleets converged on 31 May. The destroyer avoided being in much of the fray until late in battle. However, as evening fell, "Mystic" took advantage of a smoke screen laid by the German destroyers to loose a torpedo at the German fleet, but this missed. Two hours later, the flotilla saw a  line of unknown vessels ahead. The cruiser , ahead, opened fire, obscuring the ships from the destroyer, which missed a second opportunity to attack the main German fleet. After the Armistice and the end of the First World War, the Royal Navy returned to a peacetime level of mobilisation, and surplus vessels were culled. "Mystic" was initially placed in reserve at Devonport. The destroyer was decommissioned and, on 8 November 1921, was sold to Slough TC to be broken up in Germany.