active class scout cruiser built royal_navy world war completed initially assigned fleet destroyer flotilla leader war began flotilla assigned patrolling day war destroyers encountered sank german sms laid mines returning patrolling following morning accidentally struck august thames estuary sank loss crewmen killed ship royal_navy sunk world war wreck site protected permission design description active class ships class turbine powered scout cruisers ordered admiralty ships intended work destroyer leading torpedo attacks backing attacked destroyers quickly useful destroyer speeds increased world war length perpendiculars feet beam feet draught feet inches displaced long tons normal load long tons deep load crew consisted officers ranks main armament active class consisted breech loading inch vii guns forward pair guns mounted platform forecastle amidships broadside remaining guns quarterdeck ahead guns fired pound shells range yards secondary armament quick firing pounder guns submerged inch torpedo tubes scout cruisers ships lightly protected speed curved protective deck inch thick slope inches flat conning tower protected inches armour construction career ordered naval programme laid dockyard march launched december wife dockyard captain superintendent captain completed march commander captain lieutenant lieutenant commissioned april assigned 4th battle squadron fleet month later ship assigned 1st remained squadron nearly year serving flotilla leader 3rd destroyer flotilla june start world war august flotilla assigned defending eastern approaches command captain cecil fox morning august 3rd flotilla sortied north_sea patrol area dutch island german activity ship black buff yellow colours great eastern railway hook holland spotted fox sent destroyers lance investigate shortly destroyer reported seen suspicious ship throwing things overboard presumably mines led flotilla investigate observed fleeing ship deploying mines lance opened fire range yards target sms hamburg excursion boat converted auxiliary germans planned mount pair guns board time armament pair lighter guns mines night august departed headed north_sea lay mines thames estuary began dawn fire destroyers ineffective closed range yards began hitting german ship noon sinking british ships rescued officers ratings flotilla proceeded onwards patrol reached dutch coast turned home fox uncertain locations mines laid laid course seven nautical miles west thought mines led flotilla danger area struck detonated underneath bridge explosion set forecastle fire broke ship keel destroyer attempted tow cruiser deep crack upper deck showed badly fox ordered crew abandon ship shortly forward magazine exploded throwing inch gun air narrowly missed shells burst deck destroyer killing men german prisoner rescued cruiser rapidly sank minutes explosion losing officer ratings killed sinking plus unknown number crew rescued wreck protected site remains act
HMS Amphion (1911)