HMS Blanche (1909)

Blanche at anchor
History
United Kingdom
Name	HMS Blanche
Builder	Pembroke Royal Dockyard
Laid down	12 April 1909
Launched	25 November 1909
Completed	November 1910
Decommissioned	1919
Fate	Sold for scrap, 27 July 1921
General characteristics
Class and type	Blonde-class scout cruiser
Displacement	3,350 long tons (3,400 t) (normal)
Length	406 ft (123.7 m) (o/a)
Beam	41 ft 6 in (12.6 m)
Draught	14 ft 3 in (4.3 m)
Installed power	18,000 shp (13,000 kW) 12 × Yarrow boilers
Propulsion	4 × shafts 4 × Parsons steam turbines
Speed	25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph)
Complement	317
Armament	10 × single BL 4-inch (102 mm) guns 4 × single QF 3-pounder 47 mm (1.9 in) guns 2 × single 21-inch (530 mm) torpedo tubes
Armour	Deck: .5–1 in (13–25 mm) Conning Tower: 4 in (102 mm)

HMS Blanche was the second of two Blonde-class scout cruisers built for the Royal Navy in the first decade of the 20th century. She led the 1st Destroyer Flotilla from completion until 1912 and was then briefly transferred to the 4th Destroyer Flotilla before the ship was assigned to the 3rd Battle Squadron in 1913. During World War I, Blanche was assigned to several different battleship squadrons of the Grand Fleet. She was present at, but did not fight in, the Battle of Jutland in mid-1916. The ship was converted into a minelayer in early 1917 and made 16 sorties to lay mines during the war. Blanche was paid off in 1919 and sold for scrap in 1921.