HMS Retriever (1917)

HMS Retriever was a Thornycroft-built R-class destroyer (1916) destroyer which served with the Royal Navy during the First World War. Launched in 1917, the vessel formed part of the Harwich Force and took part in operations off the coast of Ostend in support of the bombardment of the town in June that year. During August the following year, the vessel attempted to deploy a seaplane from a towed lighter, but a lack of wind meant the operation was unsuccessful. The vessel was also jointly credited with the destruction of the submarine SMU UB-54 that year, although this has been disputed. After the war, the ship was placed in reserve and was sold to be broken up in 1927.

Design and development
Retriever was one of three R-class destroyer (1916) destroyers ordered by the British Admiralty from Thornycroft of Woolston, Southampton, in July 1915 as part of the Sixth War Construction Programme. The ships differed from the six preceding Thornycroft M-class destroyer built by the yard, in having all geared turbines and the aft gun being raised on a bandstand. Like other Thornycroft-built vessels, they differed from the rest of the R class in having flat sided funnels.

Retriever had a long overall of 274 ft, with a beam of 27 ft and a draught of 9 ft. Displacement was 1035 LT normal and 1208 LT at deep load.Three Yarrow boilers fed steam to two sets of Brown-Curtis geared steam turbines rated at 27000 shp and driving two shafts, giving a design speed of 35 kn. Three funnels were fitted. A total of 296 LT of fuel oil was carried, giving a design range of 3450 nmi at 20 kn.

Armament consisted of three single 4 in Mk IV guns on the ship's centreline, with one on the forecastle, one aft on a raised bandstand and one between the second and third funnels. A single 2-pounder 40 mm "pom-pom" anti-aircraft gun was carried, along with four 21 in torpedoes in two twin rotating mounts.

Construction and career
Retriever was laid down in January 1916 and launched on 15 January 1917. On being completed in March 1917, the ship joined the Harwich Force, serving as part of the Tenth Destroyer Flotilla until the end of the war. On 4 June the vessel formed part of a flotilla led by the light cruiser HMS Undaunted (1914) that escorted the Erebus-class monitor monitors HMS Erebus (I02) and HMS Terror (I03) in their bombardment of Ostend. The flotilla was tasked with patrolling Schouwen Bank, but encountered no opposition. Between 16 and 17 October, the destroyer was again called upon to be part of an even larger force of 84 warships sent out to search for a German fleet based around a minelayer, although once again Retriever saw no action. The ship was credited with the destruction of the submarine SMU UB-54 with depth charges on 12 March 1918 with the destroyers HMS Sturgeon (1917) and HMS Thruster (1917) but this has been disputed. The destroyer was subsequently equipped to tow a lighter which carried a seaplane, but a lack of wind meant that operations were curtailed at the first attempt to launch the aircraft on 10 August.

Placed in reserve after the Armistice, Retriever was allocated to the Home Fleet, serving under the dreadnought battleship HMS King George V (1911). However, in 1923, the Navy decided to scrap many of the older destroyers in preparation for the introduction of newer and larger vessels. The destroyer was sold for breaking up on 26 July 1927 to Hughes Bolckow of Blyth.