HMS Cheerful
HMS Cheerful. 30/06/1917.
Mermaid class destroyer
Displacement: 385 ton
Length: 65.4 m. Beam: 6.4 m. Draught: 4 m.
Propulsion: 2 x 3 cyl. triple expansion engines, coal fired Thornycroft boilers, dual shaft, 2 screws
Complement: 63 officers and men.
Crew Lost: 40
Armament: 1 x 12 pdr gun, 5 x 6 pdr., 2 x 18" T.T
Mermaid class destroyer
Displacement: 385 ton
Length: 65.4 m. Beam: 6.4 m. Draught: 4 m.
Propulsion: 2 x 3 cyl. triple expansion engines, coal fired Thornycroft boilers, dual shaft, 2 screws
Complement: 63 officers and men.
Crew Lost: 40
Armament: 1 x 12 pdr gun, 5 x 6 pdr., 2 x 18" T.T
HMS Cheerful was laid down in 1896, at the R.W. Hawthorn Leslie and Company shipyard at Hebburn-on-Tyne, and launched in 1897 and after trials entered into the Royal Navy in 1900.
Norfolk News - Saturday 23 June 1900
NAVAL VISIT TO YARMOUTH. On Wednesday morning, about five o’clock, s fleet of torpedo boat destroyers, comprising the Bittern, Cheerful, Haughty, Angler, Sturgeon, Porcupine, and Mallard, arrived m Yarmouth Roads and anchored in line between the Jetty and the Britannia Pier. The destroyers were moored close inshore, and many boats put off to them for a closer inspection. The flotilla not to be described handsome from nautical point of view. The hulls of the destroyers are black, with but little freeboard, carrying only one mast, and each has two or three short squat funnels, while forward over the sharp bows formidable guns are mounted. The vessels all considerable length but narrow, their line being designed for great speed. Each of the seven was dressed with flags. The flagship of the squadron was H.M.S. Cheerful, under the command of Commander Kerr. The flotilla, which known as the Chatham division of the torpedo boat destroyers, and on an instructional cruise, were timed to leave Yarmouth Roads about three o'clock on morning.
NAVAL VISIT TO YARMOUTH. On Wednesday morning, about five o’clock, s fleet of torpedo boat destroyers, comprising the Bittern, Cheerful, Haughty, Angler, Sturgeon, Porcupine, and Mallard, arrived m Yarmouth Roads and anchored in line between the Jetty and the Britannia Pier. The destroyers were moored close inshore, and many boats put off to them for a closer inspection. The flotilla not to be described handsome from nautical point of view. The hulls of the destroyers are black, with but little freeboard, carrying only one mast, and each has two or three short squat funnels, while forward over the sharp bows formidable guns are mounted. The vessels all considerable length but narrow, their line being designed for great speed. Each of the seven was dressed with flags. The flagship of the squadron was H.M.S. Cheerful, under the command of Commander Kerr. The flotilla, which known as the Chatham division of the torpedo boat destroyers, and on an instructional cruise, were timed to leave Yarmouth Roads about three o'clock on morning.
Leigh Chronicle and Weekly District Advertiser - Friday 21 June 1901
THE SWELL OF A DESTROYER FLOTILLA. In the King’s Bench on Monday, Messrs. Williams and Sons Limited sued Commander Kerr, of H.MS. Cheerful, and also in command of the Medway flotilla of torpedo-boat destroyers for damages suffered through the swamping of their barge East when lying Northfleet in May last year, the plaintiff’s case being that the flotilla of destroyers, headed by the Cheerful, passed down the Thames such a speed as make swell which swamped the barge her moorings. The defendant said the swell was caused breeze which sprang up. was stated that this was teat ease.—His lordship found that there was no negligence in the navigation the flotilla, and entered judgment for the defendant with costs.
Leigh Chronicle and Weekly District Advertiser - Friday 21 June 1901
THE SWELL OF A DESTROYER FLOTILLA. In the King’s Bench on Monday, Messrs. Williams and Sons Limited sued Commander Kerr, of H.MS. Cheerful, and also in command of the Medway flotilla of torpedo-boat destroyers for damages suffered through the swamping of their barge East when lying Northfleet in May last year, the plaintiff’s case being that the flotilla of destroyers, headed by the Cheerful, passed down the Thames such a speed as make swell which swamped the barge her moorings. The defendant said the swell was caused breeze which sprang up. was stated that this was teat ease.—His lordship found that there was no negligence in the navigation the flotilla, and entered judgment for the defendant with costs.
Globe - Monday 09 December 1907
H.M.S. "Cheerful" and H.M.S. 'Garry " in collision. " Cheerful's" stem damaged, and will not be able to take any further part in the present stage of the manoeuvres. The `Garry' was slightly damaged."
The Loss
HMS Cheerful was part of convoy escort ‘’A’’ (28th 30th June 1917).
The escort left the Humber on 28th June 1917 with four ships.
Seven ships joined the convoy off Tyne and one ship left the convoy at Tyne and one at Blyth.
The convoy with nine ships hen proceeded north to Lerwick, Shetland.
The convoy was in two lines with HMS Cheerful on the port side (west) of the Convoy and HMS Ness on the starboard (east).
At 11.50 GMT 30th June the convoy was south of Lerwick east of Helli Ness when the drifter Boy Charlie approached flying the signal ‘’LOOK OUT FOR MINES’’.
HMS Ness made contact with the drifter by megaphone and was told that mines had been found off Bard Head but the main channel into Lerwick was clear.
Around midday there was an explosion on the port side of the convoy, HMS Cheerful had hit a mine a few hundred yards west of the swept channel. The trawler Gloria II and drifter Boy Charlie proceeded to assist in rescuing the crew.
HMS Ness then ordered the convoy into single line and follow the wake of their next ahead then proceeded to assist with rescuing survivors as HMS Cheerful had sunk.
Trawler Gloria II had picked up three officers and fifteen men and drifter Boy Charlie one officer and three men. Forty crew were missing.
The skipper of the trawler Gloria II reported that they arrived at HMS Cheerful before she sank and picked up four swimming men. They reported that the C.O. of HMS Cheerful had gone aft of the damaged vessel and made safe the depth charges. This action by the C.O no doubt saved many lives and damage to the rescuing vessels.
After all the crew were rescued it was found the forepart HMS Cheerful was still floating bottom upwards and knocking could be heard from inside the hull in the area of the seaman’s mess deck. The C.O of Cheerful told men from the Gloria II to get all cutting tools and assist the men trapped inside. The men worked with an axe and hammer but once a hole was made in the ship, the air rushed out and ‘’she sank like a stone’’.
A Court of Enquiry was held into the loss of HMS Cheerful aboard HMS Brilliant in July 1917 ( ADM 137/3673 ) It was reported that while zig zagging 1200 to 1500 yards west of the convoy at 12 knots there was a violent explosion under the aft boiler room. The ship broke in two and the forepart turned over and had floated bottom up for about fifteen minutes.
The escort left the Humber on 28th June 1917 with four ships.
Seven ships joined the convoy off Tyne and one ship left the convoy at Tyne and one at Blyth.
The convoy with nine ships hen proceeded north to Lerwick, Shetland.
The convoy was in two lines with HMS Cheerful on the port side (west) of the Convoy and HMS Ness on the starboard (east).
At 11.50 GMT 30th June the convoy was south of Lerwick east of Helli Ness when the drifter Boy Charlie approached flying the signal ‘’LOOK OUT FOR MINES’’.
HMS Ness made contact with the drifter by megaphone and was told that mines had been found off Bard Head but the main channel into Lerwick was clear.
Around midday there was an explosion on the port side of the convoy, HMS Cheerful had hit a mine a few hundred yards west of the swept channel. The trawler Gloria II and drifter Boy Charlie proceeded to assist in rescuing the crew.
HMS Ness then ordered the convoy into single line and follow the wake of their next ahead then proceeded to assist with rescuing survivors as HMS Cheerful had sunk.
Trawler Gloria II had picked up three officers and fifteen men and drifter Boy Charlie one officer and three men. Forty crew were missing.
The skipper of the trawler Gloria II reported that they arrived at HMS Cheerful before she sank and picked up four swimming men. They reported that the C.O. of HMS Cheerful had gone aft of the damaged vessel and made safe the depth charges. This action by the C.O no doubt saved many lives and damage to the rescuing vessels.
After all the crew were rescued it was found the forepart HMS Cheerful was still floating bottom upwards and knocking could be heard from inside the hull in the area of the seaman’s mess deck. The C.O of Cheerful told men from the Gloria II to get all cutting tools and assist the men trapped inside. The men worked with an axe and hammer but once a hole was made in the ship, the air rushed out and ‘’she sank like a stone’’.
A Court of Enquiry was held into the loss of HMS Cheerful aboard HMS Brilliant in July 1917 ( ADM 137/3673 ) It was reported that while zig zagging 1200 to 1500 yards west of the convoy at 12 knots there was a violent explosion under the aft boiler room. The ship broke in two and the forepart turned over and had floated bottom up for about fifteen minutes.
The Wreck Today
HMS Cheerful is part of an ongoing HES funded project and a report will be released soon
HMS Cheerful is part of an ongoing HES funded project and a report will be released soon
1916
CUTHBERT Frank, ERA 2nd Class - fell overboard 5th February 1916
The Crew - Research ongoing
ANTRICHAN, Robert, Stoker 1c, 299884 (Ch
BAILES, Percy C, Able Seaman, J 18502 (Ch)
BODIN, Hugh, Signalman, RNVR, Clyde Z 7910
BREITNAUER, Walter C, Able Seaman, J 56721 (Ch)
BRIDGES, Walter E, Stoker 1c, 309868 (Ch)
CARPENTER, Henry, Able Seaman (RFR B 2839), 201208 (Ch)
CHALMERS, David, Stoker 1c, K 10502 (Ch)
COLLINGS, Henry V, Stoker 1c, K 31162 (Ch)
COLLYER, Henry, Cook's Mate, M 5916 (Ch)
CUTTANCE, Gabriel J, Telegraphist, J 21053 (Ch)
DARBON, Daniel, Able Seaman, J 39649 (Ch)
DIXON, Robert W, Stoker 1c, K 33490 (Ch)
DUNN, James V, Stoker 1c, K 12856 (Ch)
DYSON, Louie F, Stoker 1, SS 112188 (Ch)
EASON, Daniel E, Stoker 1c, K 15961 9Ch)
FLINDALL, Arthur F B, Leading Stoker, 309109 (Ch)
GREEN, Albert E, Stoker Petty Officer, 304957 (Ch)
HANKS, Edgar R, Stoker 1c, K 15527 (Ch)
HERBERTS, Sydney, Leading Signalman, J 6652 (Ch)
HICKMAN, William P B, Stoker 1c, K 16316 (Ch)
HINDS, William H, Stoker 1c, K 21847 (Ch)
HUTCHISON, John H, Stoker 1c, K 28705 (Dev)
JOSLIN, Sidney J, Stoker 1c, K 14862 (Ch)
LEWIS, John E, Stoker 1c, K 24432 (Ch)
LIDDLE, Thomas, Stoker Petty Officer, 301616 (Ch)
MACRO, Frederick J, Engine Room Artificer, RNR, EA 1170
MAIN, Alexander M, Act/Engine Room Artificer 4c, M 20180 (Ch)
MCGRADY, William J, Stoker 1c, SS 110738 (Ch)
MOKLER, Walter, Officer's Steward 2c, L 8204 (Ch)
MORGAN, George A H, Leading Seaman, 216909 (Ch)
OLIVER, Bernard, Stoker 1c, K 12608
PAYNE, Edwin E, Stoker 1c, SS 117592
PERRIN, James C W, Leading Seaman (RFR B 4286), 182220 (Ch)
ROWLEY, Ben B, Stoker 1c (RFR B 10636), SS 108643 (Ch)
SCOVELL, Ernest B, Able Seaman, J 22641 (Ch)
TANNER, Arthur W, Leading Stoker, K 6893 (Ch)
TAYLOR, Edward A, Stoker 1c, K 9752 (Ch)
VIRGO, Albert H, Stoker 1c, SS 114569 (Ch)
WILLIAMS, William S, Leading Stoker, 290196 (Ch)
WOODCOCK, Albert, Stoker Petty Officer, 298175 (Ch)
