HMS Ruby (1910)

History
United Kingdom
NameRuby
BuilderJ. Samuel White, East Cowes
Laid down15 February 1910
Launched4 November 1910
Completed7 April 1911
Out of service9 May 1921
FateSold to be broken up
General characteristics (as built)
Class and typeAcorn-class destroyer
Displacement
Length
  • 246 ft (75 m) (o.a.)
  • 240 ft (73 m) (p.p.)
Beam25 ft 5 in (7.7 m)
Draught8 ft 6 in (2.6 m)
Installed power4 White-Forster boilers 13,500 shp (10,100 kW)
PropulsionParsons steam turbines, 3 shafts
Speed27 kn (50 km/h; 31 mph)
Range1,540 nmi (2,850 km; 1,770 mi) at 15 kn (28 km/h; 17 mph)
Complement72
Armament

HMS Ruby was one of 20 Acorn-class (later H-class) destroyers built for the Royal Navy that served in the First World War. The Acorn class were smaller than the preceding Beagle class but oil-fired and better armed. Launched in 1910, the ship served with the Second Destroyer Flotilla, joining the Grand Fleet at the start of the war. The destroyer served in escort and patrol roles, protecting merchant ships against German submarines. Despite multiple sightings and attacks, no submarine was claimed destroyed. In 1915, escort service in the Irish Sea proved too much for the destroyer's hull, which leaked and needed to be repaired. In 1916, while escorting the ocean liner Calgarian, the destroyer was again damaged attacking what was thought to be a German submarine but transpired to be wreckage from a merchant ship sunk by U-49. In 1917, the vessel was transferred to the Mediterranean Fleet, joining the Fifth Destroyer Flotilla. After the Armistice, the destroyer served in the Black Sea until being placed in reserve in 1919. Ruby was sold to be broken up in 1921.