View source for HMS Mohawk (1907)

{{short description|Destroyer of the Royal Navy}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2017}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
| Ship image               = HMS Mohawk.png
| Ship caption             = HMS ''Mohawk'' on trials in 1907
}}
{{Infobox ship career
| Hide header              = 
| Ship country             = United Kingdom
| Ship flag                = [[File:Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg|60px|RN Ensign]]
| Ship name                = HMS ''Mohawk''
| Ship owner               = 
| Ship namesake            = 
| Ship ordered             = 
| Ship builder             = [[J S White]]
| Ship laid down           = 1 May 1906
| Ship launched            = 15 March 1907
| Ship completed           = June 1908
| Ship acquired            = 
| Ship commissioned        = 
| Ship decommissioned      = 
| Ship in service          = 
| Ship out of service      = 
| Ship struck              = 
| Ship reinstated          = 
| Ship honours             = 
| Ship fate                = Sold for scrap 1919
| Ship notes               = 
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
| Hide header              = 
| Header caption           = 
| Ship class               = [[Tribal class destroyer (1905)|''Tribal''-class]] [[destroyer]]
| Ship displacement        =*{{convert|865|LT|t|abbr=on}} normal
*{{convert|950|LT|t|abbr=on}} deep load
| Ship length              = {{convert|276|ft|0|in|m|abbr=on}} [[length overall|oa]]
| Ship beam                = {{convert|25|ft|0|in|m|abbr=on}}
| Ship draught             = {{convert|8|ft|11|in|m|abbr=on}}
| Ship draft               = 
| Ship propulsion          =*6 × White-Foster boilers
*[[Steam turbine]]s, 3 shafts
*{{convert|14500|shp|kW|abbr=on}}
| Ship speed               = {{convert|33|kn|mph km/h|lk=in|abbr=on}}
| Ship range               = 
| Ship complement          = 74
| Ship sensors             = 
| Ship EW                  = 
| Ship armament            =*3 × [[QF 12 pounder 12 cwt naval gun|QF 12-pounder gun]]s,
*2 × [[British 18 inch torpedo|18 inch (450 mm)]] [[torpedo tube]]s
| Ship armour              = 
| Ship armor               = 
| Ship aircraft            = 
| Ship aircraft facilities = 
| Ship notes               = 
}}
|}
'''HMS ''Mohawk''''' was a [[Tribal-class destroyer (1905)|Tribal-class]] [[destroyer]] of the [[Royal Navy]] launched in 1907 and sold for scrap in 1919.

During the [[First World War]] she served in the [[North Sea]] and the [[English Channel]] with the [[6th Destroyer Flotilla]], being damaged by a mine in 1915 and fighting in the [[Battle of Dover Strait (1916)|Battle of Dover Strait]] in 1916.

==Construction and design==
HMS ''Mohawk'' was ordered from [[J. Samuel White]] under the 1905–06 shipbuilding programme for the Royal Navy, one of five [[Tribal class destroyer (1905)|Tribal class]] [[destroyers]] ordered under that programme.<ref name="Fried p108">{{Harvnb|Friedman|2009|p=108}}</ref> The Tribals derived from a requirement by the [[First Sea Lord]] [[John Fisher, 1st Baron Fisher|"Jackie" Fisher]], for a [[steam turbine]] powered, oil-fueled destroyer capable of at least {{convert|33|kn}}. Armament was specified as three [[QF 12 pounder 12 cwt naval gun|12 pounder (3 inch, 76 mm) 12 cwt guns]]{{#tag:ref|cwt stands for [[hundredweight]], 12 cwt referring to the weight of the gun.|group=lower-alpha}} and two [[British 18 inch torpedo|18 inch (450 mm)]] torpedo tubes.<ref name="conways06 p71-2">{{Harvnb|Gardiner|Gray|1985|pp=71–72}}</ref><ref name="Fried p107-8">{{Harvnb|Friedman|2009|pp=107–108}}</ref>

While the [[British Admiralty|Admiralty]] laid down the basic requirements, the details of the design of individual ships was left to the builders, although the builder's designs did need to be approved by the [[Director of Naval Construction]] before orders were placed. This meant that individual ships of the class differed significantly from each other.<ref name="conways06 p71-2"/><ref name="Fried p107-8"/> White's design featured a [[flush deck]] and a turtleback [[forecastle]].<ref name="Fried p102,8">{{Harvnb|Friedman|2009|pp=102, 108}}</ref> ''Mohawk'' was {{convert|276|ft|0|in|m}} [[length overall|long overall]] and {{convert|270|ft|0|in|m}} [[length between perpendiculars|between perpendiculars]], with a [[Beam (nautical)|beam]] of {{convert|25|ft|0|in|m}} and a [[Draft (ship)|draught]] of {{convert|8|ft|11|in|m}}.  [[Displacement (ship)|Displacement]] was {{convert|865|LT|t}} normal and {{convert|950|LT|t}} deep load.<ref name="Fried p293">{{Harvnb|Friedman|2009|p=293}}</ref> Six White-Foster boilers fed steam to [[steam turbine|turbines]] driving three propeller shafts. The main high-pressure turbine drove the centre shaft, with the outer shafts being fitted with low-pressure turbines, together with cruise and astern turbines. Four funnels were fitted.<ref name="Fried p108"/><ref name="conways06 p71">{{Harvnb|Gardiner|Gray|1985|p=71}}</ref> The machinery was rated at {{convert|14500|shp}}. The ship had a complement of 74 officers and men.<ref name="Fried p293"/>

''Mohawk'' was [[Keel laying|laid down]] at White's [[Isle of Wight]] shipyard on 1 May 1906 and [[Ceremonial ship launching|launched]] on 15 March 1907.<ref name="Fried p305">{{Harvnb|Friedman|2009|p=305}}</ref> ''Mohawk''{{'}}s [[sea trials]] showed that she was fast, reaching a speed of {{convert|34.916|kn}}, well in excess of the required {{convert|33|kn}}.<ref name="Fried p108"/> [[Seakeeping]] was poor, however, with the ship rolling badly, and ''Mohawk'' had to be rebuilt with a raised forecastle to give acceptable seakeeping.<ref name="conways06 p72">{{Harvnb|Gardiner|Gray|1985|p=72}}</ref><ref name="Fried p102-3,8">{{Harvnb|Friedman|2009|pp=102–103, 108}}</ref> ''Mohawk'' was completed in June 1908.<ref name="Fried p305"/> It had been realised during construction that the armament of the Tribals was too light, so it was decided to strengthen the armament of the first five ships, including ''Mohawk'', by adding another two 12-pounder guns. This was done to ''Mohawk'' following acceptance by the Royal Navy.<ref name="Fried p109-0">{{Harvnb|Friedman|2009|pp=109–110}}</ref>

==Service==
On commissioning, ''Mohawk'' joined the other ships of her class in the [[1st Destroyer Flotilla]] of the Home Fleet. She remained part of the 1st Flotilla until 1913, when she transferred to the [[4th Destroyer Flotilla]],<ref name="nmm">{{cite web|url=http://www.rmg.co.uk/upload/pdf/Warship_Histories_Vessels_ii.pdf|title=NMM, vessel ID 371588|work=Warship Histories, vol ii|publisher=[[National Maritime Museum]]|access-date=15 August 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141101002700/http://www.rmg.co.uk/sites/default/files/media/pdf/Warship_Histories_Vessels_ii.pdf|archive-date=1 November 2014|df=dmy-all}}</ref> based at [[HMNB Portsmouth|Portsmouth]].<ref name="manning p25">{{Harvnb|Manning|1961|p=25}}</ref>  In October that year, the Tribals were officially designated the F class, and as such the letter "F" was painted on the bows of the class.<ref name="conways06 p72"/><ref name="Fried p100">{{Harvnb|Friedman|2009|p=100}}</ref> In February 1914, the Tribals (including ''Mohawk''), whose range was too short for effective open sea operations, were sent to [[Dover]], forming the [[6th Destroyer Flotilla]].<ref name="conways06 p72"/><ref name="nmm"/>

On the outbreak of the [[First World War]] the 6th Flotilla formed the basis of the [[Dover Patrol]].<ref name="Fried p139">{{Harvnb|Friedman|2009|p=139}}</ref> An early duty was escorting the ships carrying the [[British Expeditionary Force (World War I)|British Expeditionary Force]] to France. A German submarine attempted to attack ''Mohawk'' on 6 October, but the destroyer and the ships she was escorting were unharmed.<ref name="navop1 p190-1">{{Harvnb|Corbett|1920|pp=190–191}}</ref> On 1 June 1915 ''Mohawk'' encountered a minefield laid by {{SMU|UC-11}} at the southern entrance to the [[The Downs (ship anchorage)|Downs]]. Several [[naval mine|mines]] were spotted close to ''Mohawk'' which struck one. Five of ''Mohawk''{{'}}s crew were killed, and ''Mohawk'' was towed back to Dover with her decks almost awash.<ref name="navop3 p55">{{Harvnb|Corbett|1923|p=55}}</ref><ref name="Baconv2 p360">{{Harvnb|Bacon|1919|p=360}}</ref><ref name="uboat">{{cite web|last=Helgason|first=Guðmundur|title=HMS Mohawk|work=Ships hit during WWI|publisher=uboat.net|url=http://www.uboat.net/wwi/ships_hit/4204.html|access-date=15 August 2015}}</ref>

On the night of 26/27 October 1916, German [[torpedo boat]]s of their [[Flanders Flotilla]] carried out a [[Battle of Dover Strait (1916)|large scale raid]] into the English Channel, hoping to attack the drifters watching the anti-submarine nets of the Dover Barrage, and to sink Allied shipping in the Channel. ''Mohawk'' was one of six Tribal-class destroyers waiting at readiness in Dover harbour, and when the Germans attacked the drifters and sank the supporting destroyer {{HMS|Flirt|1897|6}}, they were ordered to intervene. The destroyers split up as they left Dover harbour, with {{HMS|Viking|1909|2}} leading ''Mohawk''  and {{HMS|Tartar|1907|2}} from the Western entrance to the port, while the other three destroyers ({{HMS|Nubian|1909|2}}, {{HMS|Amazon|1908|2}} and {{HMS|Cossack|1907|2}}) left by the other entrance and failed to join up with ''Viking''{{'}}s group. ''Nubian'' and ''Amazon'' separately ran into the German 17th Half Flotilla, with ''Nubian'' first being badly damaged by a torpedo and ''Amazon'' then heavily hit by German shells. The group led by ''Viking'' then encountered another German formation, the 18th Half Flotilla. German shells killed four aboard ''Mohawk'' and caused her steering to jam, blocking the course of ''Viking'' when she attempted to pursue the German torpedo boats, that escaped unharmed.<ref name="navopv4 p55-4">{{Harvnb|Newbolt|1928|pp=55–64}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Kindell|first=Don|title=1st - 31st October 1916 in date, ship/unit & name order|work=World War 1 - Casualty Lists of the Royal Navy and Dominion Navies|publisher=Naval-History.net|url=http://www.naval-history.net/xDKCas1916-10Oct.htm|access-date=15 August 2015}}</ref>

''Mohawk'' remained with the 6th Flotilla until 3 October 1917,<ref name="Baconv2 p626">{{Harvnb|Bacon|1919|p=626}}</ref> joining the 10th Submarine Flotilla.<ref name="conways06 p72"/> ''Mohawk'' remained part of the 10th Submarine Flotilla at the end of the war on 11 November 1918.<ref>{{cite web|title=Ships of the Royal Navy - Location/Action Date, 1914–1918: Part 2 - Admiralty "Pink Lists", 11 November 1918|url=http://www.naval-history.net/WW1NavyBritishShips-Locations2PL1811.htm|publisher=Naval-History.net|access-date=15 August 2015}}</ref> She was sold for scrap on 27 May 1919.<ref name="ditt p60">{{Harvnb|Dittmar|Colledge|1972|p=70}}</ref>

==Pennant Numbers==
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left"
!Pennant Number<ref name="ditt p60"/>||Date
|-
|H19||1914
|-
|D05||September 1915
|-
|D57||January 1918
|}

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=lower-alpha}}

==Citations==
{{reflist|30em}}

==Bibliography==
* {{cite book|last=Bacon|first=Reginald|title=The Dover Patrol 1915–1917 Volume II|year=1919|publisher=Hutchinson & Son|location=London|oclc=230639524|url=https://archive.org/details/doverpatrol1915102baco }}
* {{cite book|last=Corbett|first=Julian|author-link=Julian Corbett|title=History of the Great War: Naval Operations: Vol. I: To the Battle of the Falklands December 1914|year=1920|publisher=Longmans Green|location=London| url=https://archive.org/details/navaloperations01corb }}
* {{Cite Colledge2006}}
* {{cite book|last=Corbett|first=Julian|title=History of the Great War: Naval Operations: Vol. III|year=1923|publisher=Longmans Green|location=London|oclc=3759388| url=https://archive.org/details/navaloperations03corb }}
* {{cite book|last1=Dittmar|first1=F.J.|last2=Colledge|first2=J. J.|title=British Warships 1914–1919|year=1972|publisher=Ian Allan|location=Shepperton, UK|isbn=0-7110-0380-7}}
* {{cite book|last=Friedman|first=Norman|title=British Destroyers: From Earliest Days to the Second World War|year=2009|publisher=Seaforth Publishing|location=Barnsley, UK|isbn=978-1-84832-049-9|author-link=Norman Friedman}}
* {{cite book|editor1-last=Gardiner|editor1-first=Robert|editor2-last=Gray|editor2-first=Randal|title=Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921|year=1985|publisher=Conway Maritime Press|location=London|isbn=0-85177-245-5|name-list-style=amp}}
* {{cite book|last=Manning|first=T. D.|title=The British Destroyer|year=1961|publisher=Putnam & Co.|location=London|oclc= 6470051}}
* {{cite book|last=March|first=Edgar J.|title=British Destroyers: A History of Development, 1892–1953; Drawn by Admiralty Permission From Official Records & Returns, Ships' Covers & Building Plans|year=1966|publisher=Seeley Service|location=London |oclc=164893555}}
* {{cite book|last=Newbolt|first=Henry|author-link=Henry Newbolt|title=History of the Great War: Naval Operations: Vol. IV|year=1928|publisher=Longmans Green|location=London| url=https://archive.org/details/navaloperations04corb |oclc=220475138}}

{{Tribal class destroyer (1905)}}
{{June 1915 shipwrecks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mohawk (1907)}}
[[Category:Tribal-class destroyers (1905)]]
[[Category:Ships built on the Isle of Wight]]
[[Category:1907 ships]]
[[Category:World War I destroyers of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in 1915]]