Name HMS Tipperary Beam 32.6 ft (9.9 m) Launched 5 March 1915 Draft 3.4 m | Displacement 1,700 tons Draught 11 ft (3.4 m) Length 101 m Builder J. Samuel White | |
 | ||
Fate Sunk at Jutland, 1 June 1916 Class and type Faulknor-class flotilla leader | ||
HMS Tipperary, launched on 5 March 1915, was a Faulknor-class destroyer leader.
Originally ordered by Chile, Tipperary and her sisters were bought by the Royal Navy at the outbreak of World War I. Initially, Tipperary served as the second flotilla leader with the 3rd destroyer flotilla in the Harwich Force, arriving there in June 1915. Late in that same year, she took charge of a detachment of destroyers from the 2nd Flotilla, while in March 1916, Tipperary had rejoined the Harwich Force, being attached to the Fifth Light Cruiser Squadron. In May 1916, Tipperary was made the leader of the 4th Flotilla, a formation which directly supported the Grand Fleet.
About 21:58 GMT 31 May while 4th Destroyer Flotilla was searching for the German fleet it encounter the German 7th Flotilla (destroyers). The Germans fired torpedoes, none of which hit, and 7th Flotilla turned away. Nicholas Jellicoe's account states that "Between 23:15 and 23:20 a lookout [on HMS Garland] . . . saw what he thought were enemy ships on the starboard quarter". A few minutes later Tipperary flashed the recognition signal and was immediately lit up by the searchlights of three German battleships and three light cruisers.
From about 23:30 to about 23:34 150 rounds of 5.9in shells from SMS Westfalen and SMS Nassau were fired at her. She was badly hit, her bridge damaged and most crew forward were killed or wounded, including Capt Wintour. At about 02:00 GMT 1 June Tipperary was abandoned and she eventually sank. 150 of her crew of 197 were lost in the action. The wrecksite is designated as a protected place under the Protection of Military Remains Act 1986.