HMS Falmouth (1910)

Falmouth at anchor, 1914
History
United Kingdom
NameFalmouth
NamesakeFalmouth, Cornwall
BuilderWilliam Beardmore and Company, Dalmuir
Laid down21 February 1910
Launched20 September 1910
CommissionedSeptember 1911
FateSunk, 20 August 1916, by U-63
General characteristics (as built)
Class and typeTown-class light cruiser
Displacement5,275 long tons (5,360 t)
Length
  • 430 ft (131.1 m) p/p
  • 453 ft (138.1 m) o/a
Beam47 ft 6 in (14.5 m)
Draught15 ft 6 in (4.72 m) (mean)
Installed power
Propulsion4 × shafts; 2 × Parsons steam turbines
Speed25 kn (46 km/h; 29 mph)
Range5,610 nautical miles (10,390 km; 6,460 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph)
Complement475
Armament
Armour

HMS Falmouth was a Town-class light cruiser built for the Royal Navy during the 1910s. She was one of four ships of the Weymouth sub-class. The ship was initially assigned to the Atlantic Fleet upon completion in 1911, but was reduced to reserve in mid-1913. When the First World War began in 1914, Falmouth was transferred to the 1st Light Cruiser Squadron (LCS) of the Grand Fleet and then the 3rd Light Cruiser Squadron at the end of the year. The ship participated in most of the early fleet actions, including the Battles of Heligoland Bight, Dogger Bank, and Jutland, but was only seriously engaged in the latter. She was torpedoed and sunk off Flamborough Head, Yorkshire by German submarines during the action of 19 August 1916.