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HMS Nugent (1917) was a repeat M class destroyer that served at Dover from 1917 to August 1918 then with the Grand Fleet for the rest of the First World War.
The Nugent was ordered as part of the Third War Programme of late November 1914. She was laid down at Palmers in April 1915, launched on 23 January 1917 and completed in April 1917.
1917
On 5 April 1917 the Nugent and the wherry Mystery collided in the River Tyne.
On 20 April 1917 the Matchless, Morris, Amazon and Nugent spent the day patrolling along the Dover barrage. That night the destroyers joined the Nugent and the combined force patrolled along the eastern side of the barrage, at the Calais end. That night the Germans carried out a raid into the channel, shelling Calais and Dover. The Nugent’s force saw the gun flashes from Calais and briefly headed toward them, but returned to their patrol when the gunfire ended. Commander Cardale, on the Nugent reported the gunfire to the Vice Admiral at Dover.
From May 1917 to August 1918 the Nugent was officially part of the Sixth Flotilla at Dover, although she had cleared joined the flotilla earlier.
On 19 May the Nugent and Myngs collided near the Maloja wreck marking vessel, about two and a half miles to the south of Dover.
On 4 September 1917 the Nugent supported a bombardment of Ostend by the monitor HMS Marshal Soult. During the attack seven German seaplanes came close to the Nugent but didn’t attempt to attack her.
On 22 September 1917 the Nugent supported a bombardment of the German naval works at Ostend by the monitor HMS Terror. During the fight one Germans seaplane came down in the water, and was salvaged by the Nugent.
On 25 September 1917 the Nugent was damaged by one of the British mines in the Dover barrage.
1918
When the Germans raided into the Dover Straits on the night of 14-15 February 1918 the Murray, Nugent and Crusader were in the Downs, but they didn’t manage to get into action.
On 29 March 1918 the Nugent collided with the Goodwin-Ruytingen barrage buoy.
On 14 May 1918 the Nugent and Moorsom collided.
From August to December 1918 she was part of the Twenty First Destroyer Flotilla of the Grand Fleet.
The 21st Flotilla took part in the surrender of the German High Seas Fleet on 21 November 1918.
In December 1919 she was in the charge of a Care and Maintenance Party at Portsmouth.
She was sold to be broken up in May 1921.
The Nugent was given a battle honour for operations along the Belgian Coast in 1917.
Service Record
May 1917-August 1918: Sixth Flotilla, Dover
November-December 1918: Twenty First Flotilla, Grand Fleet
Displacement (standard) |
1,025t (Admiralty design) |
Displacement (loaded) |
1,250t |
Top Speed |
34 knots |
Engine |
3-shaft Brown-Curtis or Parsons turbines |
Range |
|
Length |
273ft 4in (Admiralty) |
Width |
26ft 8ft (Admiralty) |
Armaments |
Three 4in/ 45cal QF Mk IV |
Crew complement |
80 |
Laid down |
April 1915 |
Launched |
23 January 1917 |
Completed |
April 1917 |
Sold for break up |
May 1921 |
British Destroyers From Earliest Days to the Second World War, Norman Friedman. A very detailed look at the design of British destroyers from their earliest roots as torpedo boat destroyers, though the First World War and up to the start of the Second World War, supported by vast numbers of plans and well chosen photographs [read full review]
