View source for HMS Philomel (1890)

{{Short description|Pearl-class cruiser}}
{{Other ships|HMS Philomel}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
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|Ship image=HMS Philomel (1890).jpg
|Ship caption=HMS ''Philomel'' in New Zealand service
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|Ship country=United Kingdom
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|Ship name=''Philomel''
|Ship namesake=
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|Ship builder=HM Naval Dockyard, Plymouth
|Ship laid down=
|Ship launched=28 August 1890
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|Ship commissioned=1890
|Ship decommissioned=1941
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|Ship fate=Formally transferred to [[Royal New Zealand Navy]]
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{{Infobox ship career
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|Ship country=New Zealand
|Ship flag={{shipboxflag|United Kingdom|naval}}<!--Royal New Zealand Navy used the British White Ensign until 1968. Do NOT change to post-1968 Royal New Zealand Navy ensign.-->
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|Ship commissioned=1941
|Ship decommissioned=1947
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|Ship fate=Sunk at [[Coromandel, New Zealand|Coromandel]] 1949
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{{Infobox ship characteristics
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|Ship class={{sclass|Pearl|cruiser}}
|Ship displacement={{convert|2575|LT|t|lk=in|abbr=on}}
|Ship length={{convert|278|ft|m|abbr=on|1}}
|Ship beam={{convert|41|ft|m|abbr=on|1}}
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|Ship draught={{convert|17|ft|6|in|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship power={{convert|7500|ihp|abbr=on|lk=in}} on forced draught
|Ship propulsion=*2 × 3-cylinder triple-expansion steam engines
*4 × double-ended cylindrical boilers
*2 screws
|Ship speed={{convert|19|kn|lk=in}}
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|Ship complement=220
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|Ship armament=*8 × [[QF 4.7-inch Gun Mk I - IV|QF 4.7-inch (120 mm) guns]]
*8 × [[QF 3-pounder Hotchkiss|{{convert|3|pdr|adj=on}}]] guns
*4 × machine-guns
*2 × {{convert|14|in|mm|0|adj=on}} [[torpedo tube]]s
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'''HMS ''Philomel''''', later '''HMNZS ''Philomel''''', was a {{sclass|Pearl|cruiser}}. She was the fifth ship of [[HMS Philomel|that name]] and served with the [[Royal Navy]]. After her [[Ship commissioning|commissioning]] in 1890, she served on the [[Cape of Good Hope Station]] and later with the [[Mediterranean Fleet]].

In 1914, she was loaned to [[New Zealand]] for service with what would later become the [[Royal New Zealand Navy]]. During the early stages of the [[First World War]] she performed [[convoy]] escort duties and then carried out operations in the Mediterranean against the [[Ottoman Empire|Turks]]. She later conducted patrols in the [[Red Sea]] and [[Persian Gulf]].

By 1917, she was worn out and dispatched back to New Zealand where she served as a [[depot ship]] in [[Wellington Harbour]] for [[minesweeper]]s.  In 1921 she was transferred to the [[Devonport Naval Base]] in [[Auckland]] for service as a [[training ship]]. [[Ship decommissioning|Decommissioned]] and sold for scrap in 1947, her hulk was [[Scuttling|scuttled]] in 1949.

==Design and description==
HMS ''Philomel'' was laid down on 9 May 1889 at [[HMNB Devonport|HM Naval Dockyard]] in [[Devonport, Devon|Devonport, Plymouth]].  Her name is derived from [[Philomela]], in Greek mythology the daughter of [[Pandion I]], [[King of Athens]],{{sfn|McDougall|1989|pp=11–13}} and was the fifth ship to be so named.{{sfn|Harker|2001|p=24}}

The ship had an [[Length overall|overall length]] of {{convert|278|ft|m|1}}, a [[Beam (nautical)|beam]] of {{convert|41|ft|m|1}} and a [[Draft (ship)|draught]] of {{convert|17|ft|6|in|m|1}}.  She [[Displacement (ship)|displaced]] {{convert|2575|LT|t|lk=in|abbr=on}}. Propulsion was through 3-cylinder [[Compound engine#Multiple expansion engines|triple-expansion steam engine]]s, driving two shafts, which produced a total of {{convert|7500|ihp|lk=in}} and gave a maximum speed of {{convert|19|kn|lk=in}}.{{sfn|McDougall|1989|pp=11–13}} She was also rigged for sail and when installing the foremast, workmen noticed it was stamped "Devonport Dockyard 1757".{{sfn|Harker|2001|p=25}} Her main armament consisted of eight [[QF 4.7-inch Gun Mk I - IV|QF {{convert|4.7|in|mm|adj=on}}]] guns with a secondary armament of eight [[Ordnance QF 3 pounder Vickers|3-pounders]].  As well as four [[machine guns]], the ship also mounted two submerged [[British 14-inch torpedo|{{convert|14|in|mm|adj=on}}]] [[torpedo tube]]s.{{sfn|McDougall|1989|pp=11–13}}

''Philomel'' was launched on 28 August 1890, and completed the following March.{{sfn|McDougall|1989|pp=11–13}} After completing sea trials, she was commissioned in the Royal Navy on 10 November 1891. Commanded by [[Captain (naval)|Captain]] Charles Campbell, she was assigned to the [[Cape of Good Hope Station]] although fitting work and working up trials meant that ''Philomel'' did not arrive in South Africa until June 1892.{{sfn|Harker|2001|p=25}}

==Operational history==
For six years, ''Philomel'' served on station, intercepting slave traders along the coast of Africa. In 1896, she participated in the [[Anglo-Zanzibar War]], during which rebels murdered the [[Hamad bin Thuwaini of Zanzibar|Sultan of Zanzibar]] and seized his palace.  Along with the three gunboats and {{HMS|St George|1892|6}}, she bombarded the palace fortress and the only ship of the Zanzibar Navy, {{ship|HHS|Glasgow}}.  This action lasted less than an hour and resulted in the routing of the rebels.{{sfn|Harker|2001|p=25}} The following year, ''Philomel'' was transferred to the West Africa component of the [[Cape of Good Hope Station]] and participated in the [[Benin Expedition]].{{sfn|Waters|1956|pp=544–546}}

A refit was completed in 1898 after which ''Philomel'' returned to Cape of Good Hope Station. She served throughout the [[Second Boer War]]. Some of her complement of 220 men served in the field with the Naval Brigade. Two of her 4.7-inch guns were disembarked and used in the [[Battle of Colenso]]. After the war, she returned to Devonport and was [[paid off]] on 22 March 1902.{{sfn|Waters|1956|pp=544–546}}<ref>{{Cite newspaper The Times |title=Naval & Military intelligence |date=24 March 1902 |page=10 |issue=36723}}</ref> She was laid up in the [[Firth of Forth]] for several years before a refit was carried out in 1907 at Haulbowline Dock in Ireland. During her tow to Ireland she went adrift for a night in the [[North Sea]] when the rope to the towing vessel, {{HMS|Hampshire|1903|6}}, broke.{{sfn|McDougall|1989|pp=11–13}}

''Philomel'' was recommissioned in February 1908 for service with the [[Mediterranean Fleet]] under the command of Captain John Seagrave. She provided assistance in the wake of the [[1908 Messina earthquake|earthquake at Messina]] in Sicily. The following year she served with the [[East Indies Station]], running patrols from [[Aden]] in the [[Persian Gulf]] for two years and served in operations off [[Somaliland]], 1908–1910.{{sfn|Harker|2001|p=26}}

===Transfer to New Zealand===
In 1913 the [[British Admiralty|Admiralty]] agreed to lend ''Philomel'' to New Zealand as a seagoing training cruiser to form the nucleus of the newly established [[New Zealand Naval Forces]], which was a new division of the Royal Navy. This was in response to the desire of the New Zealand Minister of Defence at the time, [[James Allen (New Zealand politician)|James Allen]], who wanted to establish a local naval force which would co-operate with the fledgling [[Royal Australian Navy]].{{sfn|McGibbon|2000|p=353}}

''Philomel'' was recommissioned in October 1913 in Singapore and later sailed for New Zealand to join {{HMAS|Psyche}} and [[HMS Pyramus (1897)|HMAS ''Pyramus'']], both {{sclass|Pelorus|cruiser|1}}s serving in New Zealand waters. ''Philomel'' was commissioned for New Zealand service on 15 July 1914, under the command of Captain [[Percival Hall-Thompson]]. Although mainly crewed by Englishmen, she was the country's first warship.{{sfn|McDougall|1989|pp=11–13}}

===First World War===
[[File:Percivalhallthompson.jpg|thumb|right|Captain P. Hall-Thompson, who commanded HMS ''Philomel'' for most of the First World War]]
''Philomel'' was on a short shakedown voyage to [[Picton, New Zealand|Picton]] on 30 July 1914, prior to taking on its first complement of New Zealand cadets, when it was recalled to [[Wellington Harbour]] in anticipation of the outbreak of war. Largely crewed by personnel from the Royal Navy, volunteers were brought on board to bring the ship up to full strength and after stocking up with supplies, she departed for Auckland to await further instructions.{{sfn|Hall-Thompson|1923|p=63}} On 15 August 1914 she formed part of the ocean escort for the New Zealand forces that were dispatched to [[Occupation of German Samoa|occupy]] [[German Samoa]] (now [[Samoa]]). The escort would have been unlikely to offer much resistance to the [[Imperial Germany|German]] cruisers {{SMS|Scharnhorst}} and {{SMS|Gneisenau}} that were known to be in the area. Fortunately, the convoy did not encounter the German ships. ''Philomel'' then steamed for the [[Kingdom of Tonga]] to deliver news of the hostilities with Imperial Germany before returning to New Zealand.{{sfn|Hall-Thompson|1923|pp=65–67}}

By now the main body of the [[New Zealand Expeditionary Force]], formed for service overseas, were ready to embark from Wellington on a convoy for the [[Middle East]]. ''Philomel'' escorted the convoy as far as Western Australia. Then, along with ''Pyramus'', she sailed northeastwards for Singapore in search of the German cruiser {{SMS|Emden|1908|6}}, which was then carrying out raids in the [[Indian Ocean]].  The two ships, which would have been outgunned by the more modern ''Emden'', had reached [[Christmas Island]] when they received news of ''Emden''{{'}}s sinking by {{HMAS|Sydney|1912|6}}. They arrived in Singapore on 12 November from where ''Philomel'' continued onto [[Port Said]], escorting three French troopships.{{sfn|Hall-Thompson|1923|pp=67–68}}

From late 1914, ''Philomel'', needing maintenance and an update of equipment, was berthed at [[Malta]] and underwent an overhaul. This was completed by late January 1915 and she then started operations in the Mediterranean against the [[Ottoman Empire|Turks]].{{sfn|Hall-Thompson|1923|pp=69–70}} On 8 February she landed an armed party in Southern [[Turkey]] where a large force of Turkish soldiers were encountered, resulting in three seamen being killed and three wounded. This action marked the first deaths in the war of New Zealanders serving with a New Zealand formation.{{sfn|Hall-Thompson|1923|pp=71–72}}

Subsequently, ''Philomel'' was deployed in the [[Red Sea]] and in the [[Persian Gulf]] for much of the remainder of the year. In December 1915 she sailed to [[Bombay]] for maintenance work but was back in the Persian Gulf in January 1916,{{sfn|Hall-Thompson|1923|pp=79–81}} continuing her patrolling. By the end of the year, her engines were giving trouble and her stern glands were worn out. A lengthy and costly refit was required and rather than incur this cost for a ship which was nearly at the end of her operational life, the Admiralty decided to give her to New Zealand and dispatched her home to be paid off. She duly arrived in Wellington Harbour in March 1917. A large portion of her Royal Navy crew were returned to England to be assigned to other berths.{{sfn|Hall-Thompson|1923|p=83}} Armament removed, ''Philomel'' was recommissioned as a depot ship in Wellington, supporting minesweeping operations until May 1919.{{sfn|McDougall|1989|pp=11–13}}

===Postwar service===
[[File:Slaves rescued by HMS Philomel, April 1893.jpg|thumb|upright|Slaves rescued by HMS 'Philomel', April 1893, Many of the children received by the Universities Mission.]]
In March 1921, on the creation of the [[New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy]], ''Philomel'' was recommissioned as a [[training ship|training base]]. She steamed from her berth at Wellington to the dockyard at the [[Devonport Naval Base]] in Auckland. Moored alongside the training jetty, she was operated as a training facility for new recruits to the naval service, under the command of a series of officers from the Royal Navy including, for nearly six months in 1923, [[Commander (Royal Navy)|Commander]] [[Augustus Agar]] [[Victoria Cross|VC]].{{sfn|Harker|2001|pp=37–38}} Training armament was installed and in 1925, her boilers and engines were removed to create more accommodation space. Further accommodation, in the form of wooden cabins, was later constructed on her deck. In October 1941, on the creation of the [[Royal New Zealand Navy]], ''Philomel'' was recommissioned as the training base {{HMNZS|Philomel}}.{{sfn|McDougall|1989|pp=11–13}}

===Fate===
''Philomel'' was paid off and decommissioned on 17 January 1947 and her name transferred to the Devonport Naval Shore Establishment. On the day of her decommissioning, the New Zealand Naval Board sent a signal to ''Philomel'' which stated:

{{Blockquote|"...their regret at the passing from the service of the first of His Majesty’s New Zealand Ships, a ship that has meant so much to all who served in her. She goes as many good ships have gone before her, but when HMNZS ''Philomel'''s colours are hauled down at sunset this evening, the tradition which she has established during her long career will live on in the depot to which she has given her name."{{sfn|Other|1983}}}}

The hulk of ''Philomel'' was sold to Strongman Shipping Company, based in [[Coromandel, New Zealand|Coromandel]].  She was towed and deliberately ran aground in Coromandel harbour, near the wharf. After her fittings and parts were removed, she was towed out to sea and sunk in 100 fathoms near [[Cuvier Island]] on 6 August 1949, when sunk she was just 22 days shy of 59 years afloat. Much of the teak timber and some fittings went into a newly built coaster named ''Coromel'', an amalgamation of Coromandel and Philomel.{{sfn|McDougall|1989|pp=11–13}} Her crest is mounted to the gate of the Devonport Naval Base and her builders plate is on display in the William Sanders building which serves as the administrative Headquarters of the shore establishment.{{sfn|Other|1983}} Additionally her mast has been used as a flag pole at HMNZS Tamaki and is now situated in front of the parade ground on the Jim Tichener Parade side of the base.

==Notes==
{{reflist|30em}}

==References==

* {{cite book |editor1-last= Drew |editor1-first= Lieut. H. T. B.|year= 1923 |title= The War Effort of New Zealand |url= http://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-WH1-Effo.html|series=[[Official History of New Zealand's Effort in the Great War]] |first= Captain P. |last= Hall-Thompson |chapter= The Work of the ''Philomel''|chapter-url= http://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-WH1-Effo-t1-body-d4.html|publisher=Whitcombe and Tombs Limited |location= Auckland, New Zealand |oclc= 2778918 }}
* {{cite book |last= Harker |first= Jack S. |title= The Birth and Growth of the Royal New Zealand Navy |year= 2001 |location= Durham, United Kingdom |publisher= Pentland Press |isbn= 1-85821-804-7}}
* {{cite book |last= McDougall |first= R. J. |title= New Zealand Naval Vessels |year= 1989 |location= Wellington, New Zealand |publisher= Government Printing Office |isbn= 978-0-477-01399-4 }}
* {{cite book |editor-last= McGibbon |editor-first= Ian |editor-link= Ian McGibbon |title= The Oxford Companion to New Zealand Military History |year= 2000 |publisher= Oxford University Press |location= Auckland, New Zealand|isbn=0-19-558376-0 }}
* {{cite news |last= Other |first= A. N. |title= HMNZS Philomel: The Cradle of the Royal New Zealand Navy |url= http://www.navyhistory.org.au/hmnzs-philomel/|journal=Naval Historical Review |year= 1983 |publisher= Naval Historical Society of Australia|access-date=6 June 2013|issn=0158-5738 }}
* {{cite book |last= Waters |first=S. D. |title= The Royal New Zealand Navy |url= http://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-WH2Navy.html | series= [[Official History of New Zealand in the Second World War 1939–45]] |year= 1956 |publisher= War History Branch |location= Wellington, New Zealand |oclc= 800613100 }}

==Further reading==
*{{cite thesis |last= Hawes |first= Conor |date= 2020 |title= HMS Philomel and HMS New Zealand; The History of New Zealand's First Warships and their Influence on the Formation of the Royal New Zealand Navy |type= |publisher=University of Auckland |url= https://researchspace.auckland.ac.nz/handle/2292/53592}}

==External links==
{{subject bar|auto=y|d=y}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20071211001232/http://www.navymuseum.mil.nz/history/time/ww1/hms-philomel.htm NZ Navy Museum – HMS ''Philomel'']
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20071215071539/http://www.navymuseum.mil.nz/history/time/49-2000/training/hmnzs-philomel.htm NZ Navy Museum – HMNZS ''Philomel'']

{{Pearl class cruisers}}
{{1949 shipwrecks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Philomel}}
[[Category:Pearl-class cruisers]]
[[Category:Ships built in Plymouth, Devon]]
[[Category:1890 ships]]
[[Category:Pearl-class cruisers of the Royal New Zealand Navy]]
[[Category:World War I cruisers of New Zealand]]
[[Category:Training ships]]
[[Category:Scuttled vessels]]
[[Category:Shipwrecks of New Zealand]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in 1949]]