HMS Falmouth (1910)

Falmouth at anchor, 1914
History
United Kingdom
Name:	Falmouth
Namesake:	Falmouth, Cornwall
Builder:	William Beardmore and Company, Dalmuir
Laid down:	21 February 1910
Launched:	20 September 1910
Commissioned:	September 1911
Fate:	Sunk, 19 August 1916, by U-63
Status:	Diveable wreck
General characteristics (as built)
Class and type:	Town-class light cruiser
Displacement:	5,275 long tons (5,360 t)
Length:	430 ft (131.1 m) p/p 453 ft (138.1 m) o/a
Beam:	47 ft 6 in (14.5 m)
Draught:	15 ft 6 in (4.72 m) (mean)
Installed power:	22,000 shp (16,000 kW) 12 × Yarrow boilers
Propulsion:	4 × shafts; 2 × Parsons steam turbines
Speed:	25 kn (46 km/h; 29 mph)
Range:	5,610 nautical miles (10,390 km; 6,460 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph)
Complement:	475
Armament:	8 × single BL 6 in (152 mm) Mk XI guns 4 × single QF 3-pounder (47 mm (1.9 in)) guns 2 × 21 in (533 mm) torpedo tubes
Armour:	Deck: .75–2 in (19–51 mm) Conning Tower: 4 in (102 mm)

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.

The Weymouth sub-class were slightly larger and improved versions of the preceding Bristol sub-class with a more powerful armament. They were 453 feet (138.1 m) long overall, with a beam of 47 feet 6 inches (14.5 m) and a draught of 15 feet 6 inches (4.7 m). Displacement was 5,275 long tons (5,360 t) normal and 5,800 long tons (5,900 t) at full load. Twelve Yarrow boilers fed Falmouth's Parsons steam turbines, driving two propeller shafts, that were rated at 22,000 shaft horsepower (16,000 kW) for a design speed of 25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph). The ship reached 26.62 knots (49.30 km/h; 30.63 mph) during her sea trials from 27,900 shp (20,800 kW). The boilers used both fuel oil and coal, with 1,290 long tons (1,311 t) of coal and 269 long tons (273 t) tons of oil carried, which gave a range of 5,610 nautical miles (10,390 km; 6,460 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph).