The History of HMS Argyll
The current HMS Argyll is not the first Royal Navy ship to bear that proud name.
The First HMS Argyll
The first Argyll was originally named Bonaventur, a 50-gun fourth rate frigate launched at Chatham in 1711.
The name was changed in 1715 to Argyle (before the outbreak of the Jacobite Rebellion). Rebuilt at Woolwich in 1722-23, the Argyle was continuously in commission for the next 20 years - mostly engaged in the various crises with Spain which resulted in the war of 1739.
The Argyle was employed in blockade duties, and in 1741 helped cut out five captured British ships at Redonela near Vigo.
In 1746 she was paid off after a long and successful service and, with the peace of 1749, was towed to Harwich and scuttled as part of a breakwater.
The Second HMS Argyll
The new HMS Argyll was built by Scotts of Greenock. Laid down in 1902, launched in 1904 and completed in December 1905. launched in 1904 this 450-foot armoured cruiser of the Devonshire class had four 7-inch and six 6-inch guns, displaced 10,850 tons and had 21,190 horsepower engines producing 22.4 knots through twin screws.
Her complement was over 650 men. Argyll served with the 1st Cruiser Squadron in the Atlantic in 1906/7, in the Channel between 1907 and 1909, with the 5th Cruiser Squadron in the Atlantic in 1909 and 1912 and at the outbreak of war, HMS Argyll was in the 3rd cruiser Squadron with the Grand Fleet at Scapa Flow.
She patrolled in the Shetlands area and captured a German merchantman on 6 August 1914, and in November 1914 was redeployed to Rosyth as an anti-invasion and anti-raiding force. On 24 November 1914, HMS Argyll took part in an aborted raid on Helgioland and Cuxhaven, after which she mainly patrolled off the north east coast of Scotland.
During one of these patrols on the night of 28 October 1915 HMS Argyll ran aground on the Bell Rock, whose light had been extinguished by order of the Admiralty. There were no fatalities, but the ship was wrecked and only the 6-inch guns were salvaged.
Continued: Regimental Family, HMS Argyll
