HMS Goldfinch
HMS Goldfinch . 18/02/1915
Acorn class destroyer (H class)
Displacement: grt.
Length: m. Beam: m. Draught: m.
Propulsion: 2 Parson turbine engines, 4 x Yarrow boilers, 3 shafts, 3 screws
Complement: 72 officers and men.
Armament: 2 x 4"/101.6 mm gun, 2 x 12 pdr. guns, 2 x 21"/530 mm T.T.
HMS Goldfinch was built at Fairfield Shipbuilding & Engineering Co. Ltd., Govan and launched in 1910.
Acorn class destroyer (H class)
Displacement: grt.
Length: m. Beam: m. Draught: m.
Propulsion: 2 Parson turbine engines, 4 x Yarrow boilers, 3 shafts, 3 screws
Complement: 72 officers and men.
Armament: 2 x 4"/101.6 mm gun, 2 x 12 pdr. guns, 2 x 21"/530 mm T.T.
HMS Goldfinch was built at Fairfield Shipbuilding & Engineering Co. Ltd., Govan and launched in 1910.
Postcards HMS Goldfinch K Heath Collection
The History
Northern times and weekly journal for Sutherland and the North - Thursday 31 October 1912
Torpedo found at Golspie. —One of the latest torpedoes, 22 feet 6 inches in length, stated to be valued over £l000, and which was lost by one of the warships while practicing in the Moray Firth on the 14th inst, was found on the Golspie east each by a young man named William MacKay, son of Mr Mackay, The Point On the matter being reported to Serjeant Poison, Golspie, wired the naval authorities, the outcome being that the H.M.S. Goldfinch arrived in Golspie Bay on Tuesday early in the afternoon to make investigations. A crew was sent ashore, and on examination it was found, as stated above, that the torpedo was the one which was lost a fortnight ago. The finder, and those who assisted him to make the find secure, will more than likely receive reward. It now transpires that since the torpedo was found, that some of the fishermen are said, while pursuing their daily calling, to have observed something of the “sea-serpent” nature, or some other similar denizen of the deep, floating on the sea about a week ago, but not being inclined to make a close” inspection, they gave the supposed monster wide berth. So goes the story.
Ross-shire Journal - Friday 08 November 1912
LOST, In Moray Firth, from H.M.S. Goldfinch, Torpedo, marked 101. Finder, if not connected with H.M. Service, will paid £5 Reward, Please communicate with Captain (D), H.M.S. Bellona, Invergordon.
Torpedo found at Golspie. —One of the latest torpedoes, 22 feet 6 inches in length, stated to be valued over £l000, and which was lost by one of the warships while practicing in the Moray Firth on the 14th inst, was found on the Golspie east each by a young man named William MacKay, son of Mr Mackay, The Point On the matter being reported to Serjeant Poison, Golspie, wired the naval authorities, the outcome being that the H.M.S. Goldfinch arrived in Golspie Bay on Tuesday early in the afternoon to make investigations. A crew was sent ashore, and on examination it was found, as stated above, that the torpedo was the one which was lost a fortnight ago. The finder, and those who assisted him to make the find secure, will more than likely receive reward. It now transpires that since the torpedo was found, that some of the fishermen are said, while pursuing their daily calling, to have observed something of the “sea-serpent” nature, or some other similar denizen of the deep, floating on the sea about a week ago, but not being inclined to make a close” inspection, they gave the supposed monster wide berth. So goes the story.
Ross-shire Journal - Friday 08 November 1912
LOST, In Moray Firth, from H.M.S. Goldfinch, Torpedo, marked 101. Finder, if not connected with H.M. Service, will paid £5 Reward, Please communicate with Captain (D), H.M.S. Bellona, Invergordon.
Western Times - Tuesday 09 February 1915
"Better late than never** was probably on the mind of W. J. King, E.R.A., an Exonian on H.M.S. "Goldfinch'' when he received quite recently a parcel cake, puddings and other presents sent from the Depot as a Christmas gift for himself and his seven messmates on board the ship. A letter of thanks, dated February 2nd, was received from him yesterday, which stated that he and his chum* greatly appreciated the presents. It is clear, of course, that the movements the ship accounted for the delay in delivery of the parcel, but, after all. none its contents were perishable.
"Better late than never** was probably on the mind of W. J. King, E.R.A., an Exonian on H.M.S. "Goldfinch'' when he received quite recently a parcel cake, puddings and other presents sent from the Depot as a Christmas gift for himself and his seven messmates on board the ship. A letter of thanks, dated February 2nd, was received from him yesterday, which stated that he and his chum* greatly appreciated the presents. It is clear, of course, that the movements the ship accounted for the delay in delivery of the parcel, but, after all. none its contents were perishable.
Sheffield Daily Telegraph - Monday 24 May 1915
GUNLAYERS’ TEST. A Blue Book, issued on Saturday night, gives the results of the gunlayers’ test from torpedo boat destroyers and torpedo-boats of His Majesty’s Fleet in 1914. It shows that 125 destroyers and one torpedo-boat fired 538 guns, and that out of 2,616 rounds fired, in scoring time 1,274 hits were made, the percentage of hits to rounds fired being 48.700. The best ships in the tests with the various were : H.M.S. Goldfinch. H.M.S. Nemesis, H.M.S. Stour. H.M.S. Colne, and H.M.S. Albatross. The best shots in these ships were, respectively. Petty Officer F. M. Dowell. Leading Seaman S. Lammerton. Leading Seaman A. Hughes. Able Seaman F. Drake, and Able Seaman W. Faulkner. The award of the medal will promulgated in due course.
GUNLAYERS’ TEST. A Blue Book, issued on Saturday night, gives the results of the gunlayers’ test from torpedo boat destroyers and torpedo-boats of His Majesty’s Fleet in 1914. It shows that 125 destroyers and one torpedo-boat fired 538 guns, and that out of 2,616 rounds fired, in scoring time 1,274 hits were made, the percentage of hits to rounds fired being 48.700. The best ships in the tests with the various were : H.M.S. Goldfinch. H.M.S. Nemesis, H.M.S. Stour. H.M.S. Colne, and H.M.S. Albatross. The best shots in these ships were, respectively. Petty Officer F. M. Dowell. Leading Seaman S. Lammerton. Leading Seaman A. Hughes. Able Seaman F. Drake, and Able Seaman W. Faulkner. The award of the medal will promulgated in due course.
The Loss
On the night of 18th to 19th February 1915 HMS Goldfinch, in thick fog, ran aground at Start Point on the island of Sanday, Orkney. There was no loss of life. The Destroyer could not be saved so was sold for scrap and broken up in 1919.
The Wreck
HMS Goldfinch bow, Start Point.
Orkney Herald, and Weekly Advertiser and Gazette for the Orkney & Zetland Islands - Wednesday 16 April 1919
Sheffield Daily Telegraph - Thursday 10 April 1919
Selling a Wrecked T.B.D.
A reminder of the hazards encountered from the elements as well as from the enemy by the destroyers of the Navy during war service given by the announcement of the Admiralty that the destroyer Goldfinch is for sale. The wrecked hull of this boat lies stranded on Start Point in the northern Orkneys, where she ran aground in a thick fog in February. 1915. The loss was not made public during the war, but mentioned in Lord Jellicoe’s recent book. The Goldfinch was a 29-knot destroyer of the “ H’’ type, and w as built by the Fairfield Shipbuilding Company on the Clyde in 1910.
Start Point courtesy Graham Campbell Start Point courtesy Brett Green Start Point Cart 2180A (1915) UKHO
