HMS Tornado was a Royal Navy R-class destroyer constructed and then operational in the First World War. She was sunk, with most of her crew in 1917.

She was built by Alexander Stephen and Sons on the River Clyde and launched 4 August 1917.[1] She was completed and saw service from November 1917.[2] She was engaged in escorting a convoy with HMS Torrent, HMS Radiant and HMS Surprise off the coast of Holland in December 1917. On the 23 December while attempting to rescue the crew of the sinking Torrent, she was also sunk after coming into contact with mines.[3] Only the Radiant surviving undamaged and was able to rescue casualties. [4] The Radiant picked up all survivors that could be found.[5] However it was reported that only 2 survivors from the Tornado were picked up, with 75 casualties unaccounted for and lost to the sea.[6] The wreck of the Surprise remains off MAAS in the approaches to the Port of Rotterdam.[7]

References

  1. ^ Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921, Conway Maritime Press, 1997, p. 81.
  2. ^ Friedman. British Destroyers, Seaforth Publishing, 2009, p. 310.
  3. ^ "Destroyers post 1900". Battleships and Cruisers. Retrieved 23 September 2016.
  4. ^ "HMS Surprise". Clyde Maritime. Retrieved 23 September 2016.
  5. ^ Pare, Andy. Call the Hands. Lodge Books, 2015, R Class Destroyer, p.126
  6. ^ "Obituaries, MAAS". Merseyside Roll of Honour. Retrieved 23 September 2016.
  7. ^ "HMS Tornado (1917)". Wreck Site. Retrieved 23 September 2016.
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