HMS Active (1911)

Active at anchor in dazzle camouflage
History
United Kingdom
Name:	HMS Active
Builder:	Pembroke Royal Dockyard
Laid down:	27 July 1910
Launched:	14 March 1911
Commissioned:	December 1911
Fate:	Sold for scrap, 21 May 1920
General characteristics (as built)
Class and type:	Active-class scout cruiser
Displacement:	3,340 long tons (3,390 t) (normal)
Length:	405 ft (123.4 m) (o/a)
Beam:	41 ft (12.5 m)
Draught:	14 ft 6 in (4.4 m)
Installed power:	18,000 shp (13,000 kW) 12 × Yarrow boilers
Propulsion:	4 × shafts 2 × Parsons steam turbine sets
Speed:	25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph)
Range:	4,630 nautical miles (8,570 km; 5,330 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph)
Complement:	293
Armament:	10 × single BL 4-inch (102 mm) guns 4 × single QF 3-pounder (47 mm (1.9 in)) guns 2 × single 18-inch (450 mm) torpedo tubes
Armour:	Deck: 0.5–1 in (13–25 mm) Conning Tower: 4 in (102 mm)

HMS Active was the name ship of her class of three scout cruisers built for the Royal Navy in the 1910s. Completed in 1911, she was briefly assigned to several different units until the ship became the flotilla leader of the 2nd Destroyer Flotilla (DF) in 1914. When the First World War began in August of that year, the 2nd DF was assigned to the Grand Fleet where their primary task was to protect the fleet from submarines.

By the beginning of 1916, Active was assigned to the Grand Fleet and played a minor role in the Battle of Jutland later in the year. Shortly afterwards, she was briefly assigned as the flotilla leader of the 4th DF and escorted the main body of the Grand Fleet during the Action of 19 August. By the end of the year, the ship was assigned to the Dover Patrol and was present during two battles with German destroyers, but was not engaged in either. Active was based in Ireland by the beginning of 1918, but was soon transferred to the Mediterranean Fleet and based in Gibraltar for the rest of the war. The ship was reduced to reserve in 1919 and was sold for scrap the following year.

The Active-class ships were the last class of turbine-powered scout cruisers ordered by the Admiralty. These ships were intended to work with destroyer flotillas, leading their torpedo attacks and backing them up when attacked by other destroyers, although they quickly became less useful as destroyer speeds increased before the First World War. Active had a length between perpendiculars of 405 feet (123.4 m), a beam of 41 feet (12.5 m) and a draught of 14 feet 6 inches (4.4 m). She displaced 3,340 long tons (3,394 t) at normal load and 3,945 long tons (4,008 t) at deep load. Her crew consisted of 289 officers and other ranks.