HMS Spitfire was an destroyer of the Royal Navy. Spitfire took part in the battle of Jutland in 1916.
She was launched on 23 December 1912 from the Wallsend yard of Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson and joined the Fourth Destroyer Flotilla.
From the beginning of the First World War, Spitfire and her flotilla were attached to the Grand Fleet.
Amongst the small engagements which happened during the night of 31 May - 1 June 1916 during the Battle of Jutland was one between Spitfire and the German battleship . Spitfire evaded an attempt by Nassau to ram her, but the two ships nevertheless collided and Spitfire was seriously damaged, blast from Nassaus guns demolishing much of her upperworks, but she ripped off a 20feet section of the German ship's side plating. Both ships survived to return to port.[1]
Spitfire helped in the rescue of survivors from the hospital/evacuation ship Rhodesia (formerly the Union Castle liner) which was torpedoed 160 miles off Fastnet by the German submarine on 12 September 1918.
Spitfire was sold to Thos. W. Ward shipbreakers for scrapping on 9 May 1921.[2]
| Pennant Number[3] | From | To | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| H41 | 6 December 1914 | 1 January 1918 | ||
| H1A | 1 January 1918 | Early 1919 | ||
| H85 | Early 1919 | 9 May 1921 |