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:
“Let the good service of well-deservers be never rewarded with loss. Let their thanks be such as may encourage more strivers for the like.”
—Elizabeth I (1533–1603)
“The master class seldom lose a chance to insult a woman who has the ability for something besides service to his lordship.”
—Caroline Nichols Churchill (1833–?)
“In public buildings set aside for the care and maintenance of the goods of the middle ages, a staff of civil service art attendants praise all the dead, irrelevant scribblings and scrawlings that, at best, have only historical interest for idiots and layabouts.”
—George Grosz (1893–1959)