Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Chapter · 41:48-43:03

Ben-my-Chree's torpedo attack and design legacy

A Short Type 184 from HMS Ben-my-Chree sank an Ottoman supply ship in 1915, while the carrier's wider service shaped later Royal Navy designs.

Aerial TorpedoesCarrier DesignCharles EdmondsHMS Ben-my-ChreeOttoman EmpireRoyal Naval Air ServiceSea Of MarmaraShort Type 184
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Notes

In August 1915, Flight Commander Charles Edmonds flew a Short Type 184 from HMS Ben-my-Chree and sank an Ottoman supply vessel in the Sea of Marmara. The Short Type 184 developed from the earlier Short Folder. The attack used a 14-inch (360 mm), 810-pound (370 kg) torpedo and became the first sinking of a ship by aerial torpedo. Ben-my-Chree's wider operational experience also influenced subsequent Royal Navy carrier development. Its combat record connected proof of the torpedo bomber with practical lessons that shaped carrier design.