# Newbie says Hi.



## denlee (Sep 22, 2008)

Hello folks, 
I have just found this forum and am still finding my way around, so forgive me if this is the wrong place to ask for help.

While doing research into family tree, I have found my great grandfather was a sailor, Royal Navy I think! He was a Stoker 1st class on HMS Spey. I have found out that the ship was sunk 7th March 1917 in Hoo, Kent. I have searched internet but can not find any more info about this ship. I was hoping somebody on here might be able to give me some info?

Thanks in advance.

Denise.


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## Gulpers (Sep 8, 2005)

*Welcome*

Denise,

A warm welcome to the site from the Isle of Anglesey!
I hope you thoroughly enjoy the SN experience and get many happy hours entertainment from your membership. 
I am also sure that it won't be long before some of our RN members will offer you some help with your query. (Thumb)


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## Bruce Carson (Jun 14, 2005)

Denise, from Michigan, a warm welcome to Ships Nostalgia.
Good to have you as a member.
There is a picture of an HMS Spey, a 'Medina' class gunboat, about one third of the way down the following page, but I don't know if she is the ship on which your great grandfather served.
Apparently built in 1876, the site lists her as being sold in 1923.
http://www.battleships-cruisers.co.uk/r_n_gunboats.htm

Bruce


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## non descript (Nov 18, 2005)

Denise, a warm welcome to you on your first posting, and thank you joining the community; please enjoy the site and all it has to offer, and we very much look forward to your further postings. - If I am not mistaken we do have one Member who knows just about everything there is to know about _*Grey Funnel Line*_, and could possibly give you some additional information on *HMS Spey*; I see that he is away from his PC at the moment (possibily doing some valet parking in the fine clear blue waters of the East Coast) - but he will surely comment when he surfaces. (Thumb) 
Mark


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## K urgess (Aug 14, 2006)

Welcome aboard, Denise.
I'm sure you will soon receive some replies from the crew beyond that already supplied.
Find your way around this ship and enjoy the voyage.


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## Steve Woodward (Sep 4, 2006)

Denise,
First welcome to SN - lets hope we can be of some help 
There have been six HMS Speys dating back to 1822, the one we are interested in is the fourth, a Medina class Flat Iron Gunboat, she was built by Palmers Shipbuilding and Iron Company at Jarrow on the River Tyne with a launch date of the 05th October 1876 beyond this there is little detail on her, some time ago I had looked for her info and suspect to get any further I would need a visit to the Imperial war Museum in London.

About the Medina class, these were not sleek warships, they were termed flat iron gunboats for a reason, they were very broad, normally a warship is nearly ten time as long as it is wide but the Medina class was just three and half times as long as they were wide, they also were of very shallow draft so as to be able to work in shallow rivers.
Length 110' Beam (width) 34' draft 5'09" displacement ( weight) 386 tonnes
Machinery : a single propeller was driven by a single two cylinder reciprocating steam engine of 310 IHP giving 9,5 knots ( ten miles an hour).
Armament was three single 64 pounder MLR guns, a Muzzle Loading Rifle was the next step up from a cannon. As well as being steam powered the ships carried three masts , square rigged on the foremast and fore and aft on the after two, they carried a crew of just over 50 men.
HMS Spey at the time of her loss was part of the home defence force and was based on the Thames Estuary when on the night of 07th march 1917 she was involved in a collision with the sludge disposal vessel SS Belvedere, at the time of the collision Spey had a crew of 37 and 19 men were lost with her, the collision occurred in a gale and appeared to have been caused by the Spey losing her anchor and dragging into the Belvedere.
Two of the men I know about who perished are : . Able Seaman Runacles and Petty Officer Stoker William Leeder Laight
I hope this is what you needed
Rgds
Steve


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## gdynia (Nov 3, 2005)

Welcome onboard to SN and enjoy the voyage


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## bert thompson (Nov 28, 2005)

Welcome Denise to this wonderful addictive site. Best wishes
Bert.


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## denlee (Sep 22, 2008)

*Thanks for welcome.*

Thanks for help and warm welcome. Special thanks to Steve for detailed info.
If anybody has more info then I would be very grateful. Thanks again every body.(Applause)


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## benjidog (Oct 27, 2005)

Welcome from Lancashire.
I hope you will enjoy the site.


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## billyboy (Jul 6, 2005)

Welcome aboard from the Philippines. Enjoy all this great site has top offer


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## R58484956 (Apr 19, 2004)

Greetings Denise and welcome to SN. Bon voyage.


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