HMS Magic (1915)
HMS "Magic was a which served with the Royal Navy during the First World War. Originally laid down as HMS "Marigold by J. Samuel White at East Cowes on the Isle of Wight, the vessel was renamed before being launched on 10 September 1915. The ship served during the War as part of the Grand Fleet, mainly on anti-submarine and convoy escort duties from the port of Queenstown. In 1917, the destroyer took part in the Battle of Jutland and was one of a small number of British vessels that attacked the German fleet with torpedoes , although both torpedoes missed. In 1918, the ship struck a mine of the coast of Ireland and, although the damage was repaired, 25 lives were lost. After the War, the destroyer was placed in reserve and decommissioned, being sold to be broken up on 21 September 1921. Design and development. "Magic" 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, required 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 normal 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. of oil were carried, 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. Construction and career. "Marigold" was laid down by J. Samuel White at East Cowes on the Isle of Wight on 1 January 1915 with the yard number 1455, and launched on 10 September. The ship was completed on 8 January 1916 and joined the Grand Fleet. By this time, the ship's name had already been changed to "Magic". The vessel was initially deployed as part of the Grand Fleet, joining the Eleventh Destroyer Flotilla. In February 1917, increasing U -boat activity threatened shipping sailing south of Ireland to Britain. A new flotilla of four destroyers, "Magic", , and were allocated to Queenstown in response to provide escort and anti-submarine duties. On 16 February, it was proposed that the flotilla move to Milford Haven in response to threats in the Bristol Channel, but the need did not transpire and so they remained at Queenstown. Another move to the Channel was attempted on 1 March, this time only with "Magic" and "Narwal", but again, the destroyers soon returned to Queenstown. The destroyer then escorted convoys across the Irish Sea, including one  of four merchant ships that was redirected from Liverpool to Milford Haven on 28 March due to mines. Other duties including towing damaged ships, including the steamer "Dykland", which had been attacked by , on 23 April. On the following day, the vessel picked up the survivors from liner "Abosso" which had been sunk by the German submarine , subsequently picking up survivors from the schooner "Ehrglis" and tanker "Hektoria" over the next week. By 30 May, the destroyer had rejoined the Eleventh Flotilla and sailed with the Grand Fleet to confront the German High Seas Fleet in what would be the  Battle of Jutland. "Magic" was one of fourteen M-class destroyers that were allocated to form part of the screen to protect the battleships of the Fleet. In the ensuing battle, the destroyer fired two torpedoes at the German light cruisers and , one of only two destroyers to use torpedoes in the melee. Both missed. On 10 April 1918, the destroyer hit a mine that had been laid by the minelaying submarine off the Irish coast near to Lough Swilly. 25 lives were lost, but the ship was successfully repaired and returned to service. After the war, the Royal Navy  returned to a peacetime level of mobilisation, and surplus vessels were culled. "Magic" was initially placed in reserve at Devonport. On 22 September 1921, the vessel was sold and broken up for scrap.