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HMS Ben-my-Chree

1915 WORLD WAR 1

History of HMS Ben-my-Chree

HMS Ben-my-Chree served as the Royal Navy's seaplane carrier in the middle of the First World War. Originally, the ship was a 2,500-inch liner used to transport passengers to the Isle of Man until it was taken over by the Royal Navy for war purposes.

After her conversion, Ben-my-Chree retained some of her passenger image, but some important additions cemented her status as a battleship of the waters.

The silhouette of HMS Ben-my-Chree is dominated by two smoke funnels amidships. Masts are located in front of and behind these funnels, with bridge superstructures between the front funnels and the masts. A larger superstructure containing the hangar was installed aft. The forward upper part of the forecastle houses a take-off ramp for launching her seaplane fighters.

A total of six planes can be carried, but four planes are ideal given the space available. Initially concentrated around the Sopwith Schneider seaplanes, these planes eventually led to offensive airstrikes against the Allies and threatened the overall dominance of German zeppelins. Short seaplanes followed, bringing with them the advent of the torpedo bomber in naval aviation legend.

Several of these aircraft served in the Battle of the Dardanelles, which sank two Turkish ships directly with torpedoes.

Aside from her limited wings, the weapons on Ben-my-Chree are generally aggressive. These included guns of various calibers, led by a 4 x 12 pound battery and 2 x 3 pound system installed during the 1915 conversion of the passenger ship.

A modification in 1916 added additional 12-pounders, 2-pounders, and 3-pounders to their respective trailers.

As a warship, Ben-my-Chree saw combat during World War I. Throughout the conflict, she served as a mobile assault platform, artillery scout, rescue ship and direct attack aircraft carrier. In February 1916, Ben-my-Chree was temporarily taken out of service after a collision with the SS Uganda, causing severe damage to the former.

Once back in service, the ship began bombing, more artillery sightings, and full-scale reconnaissance of enemy movements. On January 11, 1917, while moored in the port of Kastelorgio, Ben-my-Chree was permanently disabled and capsized by a battery on the Turkish coast.

After the war, the hull was proposed and re-evaluated, and finally sold as scrap in 1921.

HMS Ben-my-Chree was laid at Barrow-in-Furness by Vickers in 1907 (refitted at Birkenhead by Cammell Laird) and launched the following year. She officially entered service in 1915.

The unusual name "Ben-my-Chree" comes from the Old Irish Manx language, related to the Isle of Man Gaelic, the original Ben-Der my-Chree-Liner passenger ferry built in 1915 Before being acquired by the Royal Navy and military remodeled.