HMS Erne (1903)

HMS Erne was a Palmer Type River Class Destroyer ordered by the Royal Navy under the 1901 – 1902 Naval Estimates. Named after the River Erne in north western Ireland, she was the third ship to carry this name since it was introduced in 1813 for a 20-gun brig sold in 1819.

Construction
She was laid down on 3 July 1902 at the Palmers shipyard at Jarrow and launched on 14 January 1903. She was completed in February 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 1909 she was assigned to the 3rd Destroyer Flotilla on its formation at Harwich. She remained until displaced by a Basilisk Class destroyer by May 1912. She was assigned to the 5th Destroyer Flotilla of the 2nd Fleet with a nucleus crew.

On 30 August 1912 the Admiralty directed all destroyer classes were to be designated by alpha characters starting with the letter 'A'. The ships of the River Class were assigned to the E Class. After 30 September 1913, she was known as an E Class destroyer and had the letter ‘E’ painted on the hull below the bridge area and on either the fore or aft funnel.

World War I
In early 1914 when displaced by G Class destroyers she joined the 9th Destroyer Flotilla based at Chatham tendered to HMS St George. The 9th Flotilla was a Patrol Flotilla tasked with anti-submarine and counter mining patrols in the Firth of Forth area. Soon after the commencement of hostilities she was deployed to the Scapa Flow Local Flotilla under the command of the Commander-in-Chief Home Fleet tendered to HMS King George V. Her duties here included counter mining patrols and antisubmarine measures in defence of the Fleet anchorage.

Loss
On 6 February 1915 under the command of Lieutenant-Commander John Landon, RN, during a severe easterly gale she was driven ashore on the Scottish North Sea Coast at 800 yards South of Rattray Head lighthouse north east of Aberdeenshire with no lives lost. After failing to refloat her she was abandoned as a wreck in October. After a survey in November it was discovered that her back was broke and she was sold for £405 in January 1916 to Forth Shipbreaking, Bo’ness for breaking.

She was not awarded a Battle Honour for her service.