|
Hermes Class light cruisers built
before World War I. Ships in the class were
HMS Hermes, HMS Highflyer, HMS Hyacinth, HMS Challenger and HMS Encounter. |
| HMS
Hermes |
7th April 1898 |
Converted to take seaplanes
in 1912. |
| HMS Highflyer |
4th June 1898 |
Sold for scrapping in June
1921. |
| HMS Hyacinth |
27th October 1898 |
Sold for scrapping in
November 1923. |
| HMS Challenger |
27th May 1902 |
Sold for scrapping on 31st
May 1920. |
| HMS Encounter |
18th June 1902 |
Loaned to the New Zealand
Navy in July 1912 and then transferred permanently in December 1919. She
was scuttled in September 1923. |
|
HMS Hermes |
|

HMS Hermes, 1899.
A
large image size 10" x 7" approx, is available. Reproduced
from the original negative / photo under license from MPL, the copyright
holder. A signed numbered certificate is supplied. Price
£25. Order photograph here. Order Code
XMP1036
Original
republished © MPL Photograph (Postcard Size). Price £5 Click here
to order. Order Code MP1036 |

HMS Hermes, 1899.
A
large image size 10" x 7" approx, is available. Reproduced
from the original negative / photo under license from MPL, the copyright
holder. A signed numbered certificate is supplied. Price
£25. Order photograph here. Order Code
XMP1037
Original
republished © MPL Photograph (Postcard Size). Price £5 Click here
to order. Order Code MP1037 |
|

HMS Hermes.
A
reproduction of this original photo / photo-postcard size 10" x
7" approx available. Order photograph here © Walker
Archive. Order Code PHC695 |

HMS Hermes, 1913.
A
large image size 10" x 7" approx, is available. Reproduced
from the original negative / photo under license from MPL, the copyright
holder. A signed numbered certificate is supplied. Price
£25. Order photograph here Order Code
XMP684
Original
republished © MPL Photograph (Postcard Size). Price £5 Click here
to order. Order Code MP684 |
|

HMS Hermes in 1914 before she was sunk |

HMS Hermes before she was torpedoed by U27 on31st
October 1914. A
reproduction of this original photo / photo-postcard size 10" x
7" approx available. Order photograph here © Walker
Archive. Order Code PHC199 |
|

Channel Fleet : Dismounting 6-in. Gun for
Examination (HMS Hermes) A
reproduction of this original photo / photo-postcard size 10" x
7" approx available. Order photograph here © Walker
Archive. Order Code PHC198 |

A
reproduction of this original photo / photo-postcard size 10" x
7" approx available. Order photograph here © Walker
Archive. Order Code PHC204 |
|

HMS Hermes. A
reproduction of this original photo / photo-postcard size 10" x
7" approx available. Order photograph here © Walker
Archive. Order Code PHC496 |

HMS Hermes.
A
reproduction of this original photo / photo-postcard size 10" x
7" approx available. Order photograph here © Walker
Archive. Order Code PHC620 |
|
HMS Highflyer |
|
HMS
Highflyer - Name History |
|
The fourth “HIGHFLYER” is an 8-gun twin-screw
cruiser, launched at Govan in 1898.
She is of 5600 tons, 10,000 horse-power, and 20 knots speed. Her length, beam, and draught were 350ft., 54ft., and 20ft.
From November 1902 to March 1903 the “Highflyer,”
commanded by Captain Arthur H. Christian flying the flag of Rear-Admiral
Sir Charles Drury, was at the head of the squadron of six ships which
took part in the Somaliland campaign in various coastal capacities.
The ships assisted in landing troops and stores, in transport
work, and in the prevention of delivery of munitions of war to the
enemy. Three officers
attached to the “Highflyer” were landed, and assisted the progress
of the campaign with a wireless telegraphy apparatus. In August
1914 the “Highflyer,” commanded by Captain Henry T. Buller, was
employed on the north -west African coast protecting British trade.
On August 27 she met the German armed ship “Kaiser Wilhelm der
Grosse” off the Oro River, and after a short engagement in which the
“Highflyer” lost one man killed and about six wounded, the German
ship was sunk.
|
HMS Highflyer, with HMS Narcissus, 1905.
A
large image size 10" x 7" approx, is available. Reproduced
from the original negative / photo under license from MPL, the copyright
holder. A signed numbered certificate is supplied. Price
£25. Order photograph here. Order Code
XMP1040
Original
republished © MPL Photograph (Postcard Size). Price £5 Click here
to order. Order Code MP1040 |
HMS Highflyer with SS Marmora, 1916.
A
large image size 10" x 7" approx, is available. Reproduced
from the original negative / photo under license from MPL, the copyright
holder. A signed numbered certificate is supplied. Price
£25. Order photograph here. Order Code
XMP1041
Original
republished © MPL Photograph (Postcard Size). Price £5 Click here
to order. Order Code MP1041 |
HMS Highflyer, 1900.
A
large image size 10" x 7" approx, is available. Reproduced
from the original negative / photo under license from MPL, the copyright
holder. A signed numbered certificate is supplied. Price
£25. Order photograph here. Order Code
XMP1038
Original
republished © MPL Photograph (Postcard Size). Price £5 Click here
to order. Order Code MP1038 |
HMS Highflyer, in dock, 1900.
A
large image size 10" x 7" approx, is available. Reproduced
from the original negative / photo under license from MPL, the copyright
holder. A signed numbered certificate is supplied. Price
£25. Order photograph here. Order Code
XMP1039
Original
republished © MPL Photograph (Postcard Size). Price £5 Click here
to order. Order Code MP1039 |
HMS Highflyer, 1913.
A
reproduction of this original photo / photo-postcard size 10" x
7" approx available. Order photograph here © Walker
Archive. Order Code PHC200 |
HMS Highflyer. Photo published 1915. A
reproduction of this original photo / photo-postcard size 10" x
7" approx available. Order photograph here © Walker
Archive. Order Code PHC558 |
HMS Highflyer.
A
reproduction of this original photo / photo-postcard size 10" x
7" approx available. Order photograph here © Walker
Archive. Order Code PHC578
|
HMS Highflyer.
A
reproduction of this original photo / photo-postcard size 10" x
7" approx available. Order photograph here © Walker
Archive. Order Code PHC628 |
HMS Highflyer.
A
reproduction of this original photo / photo-postcard size 10" x
7" approx available. Order photograph here © Walker
Archive. Order Code PHC664 |
HMS Highflyer in Muscat of Oman. Picture sent in by Damien Handslip. |
HMS Highflyer in Calcutta. Picture sent in by Damien Handslip |
HMS Highflyer |
.
HMS Highflyer.Contributed by
email. |
|
HMS Hyacinth |
|
HMS
Hyacinth - Name History |
|
The fifth “HYACINTH” is an 11-gun twin-screw
cruiser, launched at Glasgow in 1898.
She is of 5600 tons, 10,000 horse-power, and 20 knots speed.
Her length, beam, and draught were 350ft., 54ft., and 20ft.
In 1904 the “Hyacinth,” commanded by Captain the Hon.
Horace Hood, and flying the flag of Rear-Admiral George Atkinson-Willes,
was at the head of a squadron of three ships which took part in the
Somaliland campaign. On
April 20th the “Hyacinth,” and “Fox” arrived off the
Gulluli River after dark, and on the following day a small landing party
went ashore under Flag-Captain Hood.
One hundred and twenty-five men of the Hampshire Regiment
accompanied the sailors. The
brigade advanced upon Fort Illig in face from a brisk fire from rifles,
and two old fashioned cannon loaded with mixed iron, and finally carried
the place at the point of the bayonet.
The “Hyacinths’” subsequently cleared the village and some
caves at the bottom of the cliffs. The enemy left between 60 and 70 dead, and the British
re-embarked with a loss of 3 killed and 11 wounded. Fort Illig was then reduced, and the British ships withdrew.
At various dates the “Hyacinth,” while commanded by Captain J.D Dick
and flying the flag of Rear-Admiral E.J.W. Slade, was employed in the
prevention of the gun-running traffic in the Persian Gulf.
760 rifles were captured off the Jagin River on one occasion.
|
HMS Hyacinth
A
reproduction of this original photo / photo-postcard size 10" x
7" approx available. Order photograph here © Walker
Archive. Order Code PHC201
|
HMS Astrea with HMS Hyacinth in the background.
A
reproduction of this original photo / photo-postcard size 10" x
7" approx available. Order photograph here © Walker
Archive. Order Code PHC033 |
HMS Hyacinth pictured with Rear Admiral
Edmund Samuel Poe CVO inset.
A
reproduction of this original photo / photo-postcard size 10" x
7" approx available. Order photograph here © Walker
Archive. Order Code PHC202
|
HMS Hyacinth |
|
HMS Challenger |
The Old Challenger was famous for a voyage of exploration round
the world and was used as a police boat in 1902. She was first
commissioned in 1872, and left Portsmouth that December. She called at
Madeira and then went down the coast of Africa and on to Cape Town. She
then went on to the Antarctic regions and back to Melbourne on 17th
March 1874. She left for New Zealand, China and Japan in April then
crossed the Pacific to South America. Passing through the Straits of
Magellen, and calling at Monte Video, she completed her voyage on May
24th 1876. |
|

HMS Challenger.
A
reproduction of this original photo / photo-postcard size 10" x
7" approx available. Order photograph here © Walker
Archive. Order Code PHC756 |
HMS Challenger, 1914.
A
large image size 10" x 7" approx, is available. Reproduced
from the original negative / photo under license from MPL, the copyright
holder. A signed numbered certificate is supplied. Price
£25. Order photograph here. Order Code
XMP1042
Original
republished © MPL Photograph (Postcard Size). Price £5 Click here
to order. Order Code MP1042 |
|
HMS Challenger as she slides down the slipway at her launch in
1902. She was a second class cruiser of 5,800 tons. The first keel plate
was laid at Chatham on December 1st 1900 by Mrs Atkinson. She was
floated out of dock on May 27th being christened by Mrs Holland, wife of
the Admiral Superintendent of the dockyard. |

Some crew from HMS Challenger possibly taken in Hong Kong. A
reproduction of this original photo / photo-postcard size 10" x
7" approx available. Order photograph here © Walker
Archive. Order Code PHC203 |
|
HMS Encounter |
|

HMS Encounter, 1914.
A
large image size 10" x 7" approx, is available. Reproduced
from the original negative / photo under license from MPL, the copyright
holder. A signed numbered certificate is supplied. Price
£25. Order photograph here. Order Code
XMP1043
Original
republished © MPL Photograph (Postcard Size). Price £5 Click here
to order. Order Code MP1043 |
|
Crew of HMS Encounter at Russell, North Island, New Zealand 1912
A
reproduction of this original photo / photo-postcard size 10" x
7" approx available. Order photograph here © Walker
Archive. Order Code PHC205 |
HMS Encounter
A
reproduction of this original photo / photo-postcard size 10" x
7" approx available. Order photograph here © Walker
Archive. Order Code PHC206 |
HMS Encounter on the slips before her launch in July 1902. |
The Encounter afloat for the first time in 1902. |
|
HMS
Encounter - Name History |
|
The fourth “ENCOUNTER” is an 11-gun twin-screw
cruiser, launched at Devonport in 1903.
She is of 5880 tons, 12,500 horse-power, and 21 knots speed.
Her length, beam, and draught were 355ft., 56ft., and 21ft. In 1912 this
ship was temporarily lent to the Australian government. |
| |
|
Our message board system has now
been upgraded to a discussion forum at worldnavalships.com. Any
messages on this page are now archive messages kept here to service
those who left the messages originally. Click
Here to go to the new Forum |