Service
During the First World War, Laforey was assigned to the Dover Patrol, where she escorted troopships across the Strait of Dover: carrying soldiers from Britain to France, and wounded back to Britain. Ships on this duty had to remain alert for enemy submarines, destroyers, and sea mines in addition to the usual hazards of crossing the English Channel.
In 1915, Laforey, three of her sister ships and four naval trawlers engaged and destroyed a pair of German torpedo boats in the Battle off Noordhinder Bank.
During 1917, operations in the English Channel became more dangerous as German units became more adventurous in their operations against the link between Britain and France. Just four days before Laforey was lost, a raid by German destroyers sank the destroyer Paragon with all but 10 hands.
On 23 March 1917, Laforey and sister ship, Laertes were escorting several cargo ships to France, using the Folkstone to Boulogne route. The merchant ships arrived safely, but at around 16:30, after the destroyers had begun the return trip, a large explosion occurred amidships on Laforey. The ship immediately broke in half, and the stern sank rapidly. The bow remained afloat for a short time before sinking, during which Laertes struggled to rescue survivors. Only 18 of the 77 aboard survived.
Read more about this topic: HMS Laforey (1913)
Famous quotes containing the word service:
“I can counterfeit the deep tragedian,
Speak, and look back, and pry on every side,
Tremble and start at wagging of a straw,
Intending deep suspicion. Ghastly looks
Are at my service like enforced smiles,
And both are ready in their offices
At any time to grace my stratagems.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)
“Whatever events in progress shall disgust men with cities, and infuse into them the passion for country life, and country pleasures, will render a service to the whole face of this continent, and will further the most poetic of all the occupations of real life, the bringing out by art the native but hidden graces of the landscape.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)
“His character as one of the fathers of the English language would alone make his works important, even those which have little poetical merit. He was as simple as Wordsworth in preferring his homely but vigorous Saxon tongue, when it was neglected by the court, and had not yet attained to the dignity of a literature, and rendered a similar service to his country to that which Dante rendered to Italy.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)