HMS Romola (1916)

HMS Romola was an R-class destroyer (1916) destroyer which served with the Royal Navy during World War I. Launched on 14 May 1916, the ship operated as part of the Grand Fleet, operating as part of a destroyer flotilla. The ship sailed to intercept the German High Seas Fleet in what would be one of the last major expeditions of their Navy in the war but saw no action. After the conflict, the destroyer was held in reserve until being retired and sold to be broken up on 13 March 1930.

Design and development
Romola was one of seventeen R-class destroyer (1916) destroyers ordered by the British Admiralty in July 1915 as part of the Sixth War Construction Programme. A development of the preceding M-class destroyer (1913), the design differed primarily in utilising geared turbines to improve fuel consumption. Comparative trials with HMS Norman (1916) showed a 15% saving in fuel at 15 kn and 28% at 15 kn.

The destroyer was 265 ft long between perpendiculars, with a beam of 26 ft and a draught of 9 ft. Displacement was 975 LT normal and 1173 LT deep load. Power was provided by three Yarrow boilers feeding two Brown-Curtis geared steam turbines rated at 27000 shp and driving two shafts, to give a design speed of 36 kn. Three funnels were fitted. A total of 296 LT of fuel oil was carried, giving a design range of 3450 nmi at 15 kn.

Armament consisted of three 4 in Mk IV QF guns on the ship's centreline, with one on the forecastle, one aft on a raised platform and one between the second and third funnels. A single 2-pounder (40 mm) pom-pom anti-aircraft gun was carried, while torpedo armament consisted of two rotating twin mounts for 21 in torpedoes. The ship had a complement of 82 officers and ratings.

Construction and career
Romola was laid down by John Brown & Company at Clydebank on the River Clyde on 25 August 1915 and launched on 14 May 1916, leaving the yard on 17 August that year. The destroyer was allocated the yard number 449. The build took 263 days and fitting out 96 days, the latter the longest of any of the class constructed at the yard. Despite that, Romola was the first of the order to enter service.

On commissioning, Romola joined the 11th Destroyer Flotilla of the Grand Fleet. On 24 April 1918 the Flotilla was called to intercept the High Seas Fleet on what was to prove the last major expedition by the German Navy during the War. The ships did not meet and no shots were fired in anger.

After the War, Romola was sent to Gibraltar along with sister-ship HMS Rowena (1916), arriving on 8 May 1920. Romola, as part of the Gibraltar Local Defence Flotilla, escorted the battlecruiser HMS Renown (1916), carrying Edward, the Prince of Wales, into Gibraltar on 29 October 1921. From 1922, as part of a general demobilisation of the Royal Navy's local defence flotillas, Romola carried a reduced complement. In September 1922, as a result of the Chanak Crisis, which threatened war between Britain and Turkey, Romola's crew was made up to a full complement with men from the cruiser HMS Vindictive (1918) and the destroyer, together with sister-ship HMS Rigorous (1916) was ordered to Malta. In September 1923, it was announced that Romola and Rigorous would be replaced in the Gibraltar Local Defence Flotilla by the S-class destroyers HMS Splendid (1918) and HMS Tourmaline (1919), with the two R-class destroyers going into reserve at Plymouth. In November 1927, Romola relieved HMS Simoom (1918) as emergency destroyer at Devonport, and in November 1927 was replaced as Devonport emergency destroyer by HMS Thanet (H29). The destroyer was subsequently recommissioned at Devonport and held in reserve. On 13 March 1930, the vessel was sold to King of Troon and broken up.