HMS Albacore (bow Section).
HMS Albacore (Bow Section) . 09/03/1917
Displacement: 417 tons.
Length: 67.31 m. Beam: 6.41 m. Draught: 1.97 m.
Propulsion: 4 × Reed water tube boilers. Parsons steam turbines driving 2 shafts.
Complement: 56 officers and men.
Armament: 3 × QF 12-pounder guns. 2 × single tubes for 18-inch torpedoes.
Displacement: 417 tons.
Length: 67.31 m. Beam: 6.41 m. Draught: 1.97 m.
Propulsion: 4 × Reed water tube boilers. Parsons steam turbines driving 2 shafts.
Complement: 56 officers and men.
Armament: 3 × QF 12-pounder guns. 2 × single tubes for 18-inch torpedoes.
HMS Albacore was built in Yarrow by the Palmers Shipbuilding and Iron Company. This was one of two destroyers laid down on speculation (without a specific order) in September 1905, as Yard Number 786 (Albacore) and 787 (Bonetta). The two destroyers were of a similar size and design to the Royal Navy’s “thirty knotter" destroyers.
HMS Albacore postcards K Heath Collection
On the night of 8th March 1917 HMS Albacore, a B class destroyer, under the command of Lt. Lawrence W. Newbery-Boschetti RNR, was anchored in Inganess Bay, Kirkwall. At 04.30 on the morning of the 9th March 1917 HMS Albacore weighed anchor to proceed to a position off Auskerry to try and intercept a German submarine that had been reported east of Orkney. Engines were put slow ahead at 04.35 and at 04.37 to half speed (12 ½ knots). At 04.40 HMS Albacore left Inganess Bay. The Chief Stoker William McCulloch, and four ratings were on top of the forecastle at the capstan securing for sea. At 04.44 the destroyer struck a floating mine on the starboard side of the stem which destroyed the bow as far back as the bridge (Figure 1). Eighteen crew were killed in the explosion, many of whom were sleeping in the fore mess deck under the forecastle. Several crewmen, including Lt. Newbery-Boschetti RNR who was on deck, were injured.
HMS Albacore had been damaged by a mine that had been laid by UC 55 (Kptlt. Karl Neureuther) just a few hours earlier.
In December 2019 Historic Environment Scotland funded SULA Diving to conduct a search for the bow of HMS Albacore. A side scan sonar and magnetometer search soon found a contact in an area determined to be the position the mine exploded.
HMS Albacore with damaged bow, Photos: HES
The report can be downloaded here:

sula__report_hms_albacore___final.pdf | |
File Size: | 14482 kb |
File Type: |
1. Side Scan Sonar image of contact. 2. Remote camera survey of site. 3. Magnetometer survey of contact.