HMS Tigress (1911)
Introduction '''HMS ''Tigress''''' was an ''Acheron''-class destroyer of the Royal Navy that served during World War I. She was built under the 1910–11 shipbuilding programme by R. W. Hawthorn Leslie & Company of Hebburn, was launched on 20 December 1911 and was sold for breaking on 9 May 1921.
Pennant numbers Pennant NumberToH926 December 19141 January 1918H4A1 January 1918Early 1919H61Early 19199 May 1921
Operational history ''Tigress''In March 1913, ''Tigress'' was part of the First Destroyer Flotilla, and remained as part of the First Flotilla in August 1914, on the eve of the outbreak of the First World War. On the outbreak of the war, the 1st Destroyer Flotilla joined the Harwich Force, which, while nominally part of the Grand Fleet was based at Harwich from where it could reinforce the Grand Fleet or forces in the English Channel as required.===Battle of Dogger Bank===On 24 January 1915, she was present at the Battle of Dogger Bank with the First Destroyer Flotilla.===Mediterranean service===In late 1917 ''Tigress'' was sent to join the Fifth Destroyer Flotilla, operating in the Mediterranean.===Pursuit of ''Goeben'' and ''Breslau''===On 19 January 1918, the two German-Turkish ships SMS ''Breslau'' and ''Goeben''  passed through the Dardanelles to the Aegean. The two ships were shadowed by a Royal Navy flotilla that was stationed there to intercept them, of which ''Tigress'' was a part, along with HM Ships , , and . The German ships outgunned their opposition, sinking the two monitors, ''M28'' and ''Raglan'', but subsequently ran into a minefield. ''Breslau'' struck a mine and sank immediately, with the loss of 330 men. ''Goeben'' was damaged but managed to escape.The Captain of the Tigress Lt Cdr J B Newill was awarded the DSO for this action. his citation read:For the great skill and gallantry displayed by him in handling his ship in the presence of a greatly superior enemy force and under heavy fire. He performed most efficiently his main duty of shadowing the enemy and reporting his movements. He proceeded into the minefield to engage a superior force of enemy destroyers and drove them back to their base. He again entered the minefield at great risk to his ship, and gallantly rescued 162 survivors of the "Breslau" whilst still being fired on from shore batteries.===Entry of the Allied Fleet through the Dardanelles===''Tigress'' was present at the entry of the Allied Fleet through the Dardanelles on 12 November 1918.The Fleet sighted the minarets of Constantinople at 07:00 on 13 November and anchored an hour later. The destroyers maintained an anti-submarine patrol to the west of the anchored fleet.===Disposal===''Tigress'' was sold on 9 May 1921 to Ward of Milford Haven, Wales for breaking.
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