HMS Blackwater (1903)

HMS Blackwater was a Laird Type River Class Destroyer ordered by the Royal Navy under the 1902 – 1903 Naval Estimates. Named after the River Blackwater in southern England near London she was the first ship to carry this name in the Royal Navy.

Construction
She was laid down on 27 August 1902 at the Cammell Laird shipyard at Birkenhead and launched on 25 July 1903. She was completed in March 1904. Her original armament was to be the same as the Turleback torpedo boat destroyers that preceded her. In 1906 the Admiralty decided to upgrade the armament by landing the five 6-pounder naval guns and shipping three 12-pounder 8 hundredweight (cwt) guns. Two would be mounted abeam at the foc'x'le break and the third gun would be mounted on the quarterdeck.

Pre-War
After commissioning she was assigned to the East Coast Destroyer Flotilla of the 1st Fleet and based at Harwich.

On 27 April 1908 the Eastern Flotilla departed Harwich for live fire and night manoeuvres. During these exercises HMS Attentive rammed and sank HMS Gala then damaged HMS Ribble.

In April of 1909 she was assigned to the 3rd Destroyer Flotilla on its formation at Harwich.

Loss
On 6 April 1909 HMS Blackwater sank after a collision with the merchantman SS Hero off Dungeness in the English Channel.

She was not awarded a Battle Honour for her service.

Pennant Numbers
She was assigned a pennant number during her career.