Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Chapter · 13:06-18:25

HMS Birmingham rams U-15 and serves with the Grand Fleet

Birmingham's career runs from the 1914 Kiel visit through the destruction of U-15 and service at Heligoland Bight, Dogger Bank, and Jutland.

Africa StationBattle Of Dogger Bank 1915Battle Of Heligoland BightBattle Of JutlandBirmingham Class CruisersCruiser ConversionsHMS BirminghamMinelayingSM U-15Submarine WarfareWorld War I
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Notes

A prewar visit to Kiel put Birmingham among the Royal Navy's newest ships in a conspicuous display of fleet capability. Weeks later the cruiser found U-15 stopped on the surface in fog and rammed it as the submarine attempted to dive, making it the first U-boat lost to an enemy warship in the war. Birmingham then served through several major North Sea actions and survived splinter damage during Jutland's night fighting. A 1922 proposal considered converting the two-shaft Towns into minelayers, but it was abandoned before Birmingham recommissioned for the Africa Station. Postwar foreign-station work returned the same hull to imperial presence duties.