HMS Thruster (1917)

Sister ship HMS Thisbe at sea in 1917
History
United Kingdom
NameHMS Thruster
BuilderHawthorn Leslie and Company, Hebburn
Laid down2 June 1916
Launched10 January 1917
Commissioned30 March 1917
Out of service16 March 1937
FateSold to be broken up
General characteristics
Class and typeR-class destroyer
Displacement
Length265 ft (80.8 m) (p.p.)
Beam26 ft 9 in (8.2 m)
Draught9 ft 8 in (2.9 m)
Installed power3 Yarrow boilers, 27,000 shp (20,000 kW)
PropulsionGeared Parsons steam turbines, 2 shafts
Speed36 knots (41 mph; 67 km/h)
Range3,440 nmi (6,370 km) at 15 kn (28 km/h)
Complement82
Armament

HMS Thruster was an R-class destroyer which served with the Royal Navy during the First World War. The R class were an improvement on the previous M class with geared steam turbines to improve efficiency. Built by Hawthorn Leslie and launched in January 1917, Thruster joined the Harwich Force, serving as part of a flotilla that escorted the monitors Erebus and Terror in their bombardment of Ostend in June that year. During the following month, Thruster, along with sister ship Springbok, captured the two German merchant ships SS Brietzig and SS Pellworm. The destroyer was also jointly credited with sinking the submarine UB-54 the following year. After the signing of the Armistice that ended the war, the destroyer was allocated to anti-submarine research and helped in the development of anti-submarine tactics with ASDIC. In April 1928, the ship took part in a high-speed demonstration for the King of Afghanistan, the Amanullah Khan, and, in January 1932, participated in the unsuccessful search for the crew of the submarine M2. Placed in reserve at the Nore in June 1936, Thruster was sold to be broken up in March 1937.