I thought I might write a mini-series of related posts over the next couple of weeks that cover some of the various 'firsts' from the First World War. It was a conflict that saw massive technological advancement at such a pace that I am sure I will be spoilt for choice in items to include, so, here we go with the first of these - covering some of the firsts from the war at sea.
The first shots. On 5th August, 1914 - just 24 hours of the declaration of war, HMS Lance, a Royal Navy destroyer, fired the first British shot of the war in action against the Koningen Louise, a German minelayer.
The first Kaiserliche Marine loss. The SS Koningen Louise was requisitioned by the Imperial German Navy on 3rd August 1914 for mine laying activities. With British entry into the war on 4th August she was thrown straight into action - laying mines in and around the Thames estuary during the night. She was spotted by fishermen and chased north in the early hours of the morning by the light cruiser HMS Amphion of the Harwich Force and a number of destroyers of the 3rd Flotilla. Under intense and accurate fire the Captain of the Koningen Louise ordered her to be scuttled. 46 of the 100 crew were rescued by the British ships
The first Royal Navy loss. HMS Amphion, a Royal Navy cruiser, became the first Royal Naval warship to be sunk in the war on her return from helping to sink the Koningen Louise. Ironically she hit a mine laid by the German vessel the day before just outside the Thames estuary at 06:45 on 6th August 1914 - losing 1 officer and 131 ratings.
The first U-boat victim. Almost exactly a month later, on 5th September 1914, HMS Pathfinder became the first ship to be sunk by a U-boat after she was torpedoed by the German submarine U21 near St Abbs Head. A single torpedo hit the forward magazine causing it to explode, Pathfinder sank in 4 minutes with the loss of 260 lives.
The first effective depth charge, the Type D, became available in January 1916. It was a barrel-like casing containing a high explosive (usually TNT, but amatol was also used when TNT became scarce). There were initially two sizes—Type D, with a 300 lb (140 kg) charge for fast ships, and Type D* with a 120 lb (54 kg) charge for ships too slow to leave the danger area before the more powerful charge detonated.
The first aircraft carrier. HMS Argus was a converted ocean liner with a flush deck from bow to stern on which wheeled aircraft could take off and land. Lifts allowed planes to be moved in and out from the hanger below decks. In October 1918 she began to operate Sopwith T.1 Cuckoo torpedo bombers with which it was planned to attack the German fleet - however the Armistice denied any such action.
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