WesWorld

The following is a revised version of the Historical development of the Greek Fleet 1867 to 1921 that was original posted on the ship design board of warship 1. The revisions are limited to the following items

1) The early torpedo boat class names A, B, C, have been replaced with Alpha Beta and gamma, The Beta class TB that were to be scrapped will be retained and placed in active reserve until their replacements enter service.

2) Due to my failed attempt to get the changes that I wanted during the treaty negotiations I have been forced to change my building plans and have decided to lay down a new class of torpedo boats, sub chasers and a second batch of the Medusa class destroyers. The new torpedo boats also introduce a new naming convention for this types of boat based on a T numbering system.

3) The ten Cyclade Island class Destroyers, that were originally due to be laid down in 1921 have been cancelled.

4) The recently purchased former Atlantean Azaes class Battle Cruisers and the Australian Admiralty class destroyers have also been included in the list.

5) Since the existence of the secret Y1 class minisubs were revealed in a Greek governmental communiqué several weeks ago they too have been included in the list below.

6) And finally, I have also included two Liquid Fuel tankers that I just plain forgot about first time around in my Axillary list.


Historical development of Greek Fleet 1867 to 1921

1867) 1x King George class central battery iron clad laid down in Great Britain.

1869) 1x Queen Olga broadside iron clad purchased from Austria.

1889) 2x Hydra class Central citadel Barbette type laid down in France.

1890) 1x Hydra class Central citadel Barbette type laid down in France.
6x Alpha class torpedo boats, batch 1 laid down in Great Britain.

1892) 2x Alpha class torpedo boats, batch 2 (identical to above class) laid down in Great Britain.
1x floating dock also purchased with above contract.

1894 Queen Olga converted into cadet training ship, has most of its armament removed, also receives new boilers and existing engines reconditioned. Surplus guns transferred to the army.

1895) Offices and politicians secretly supporting the Cretan separatist movement against government wishes are discovered and purged with extreme prejudice. The 1897 Greco Turkish war over Crete is narrowly avoided.

1897) The ceremonial foundation stone for the new shipyards and steel plant in Attica is laid. Project is a joint endeavour financed by the Greek government, certain local shipping magnates and with the technical assistants of Vickers and the French company Forge et Chantiers de la Mediterranean. *

1900) 8x Beta class torpedo boats laid down. Four of these in Greece, which become the first locally, built warships and four in Britain.

1901) King George and Hydra class have all sails and rigging removed and replaced with military masts, ships power plants also refurbished.

1902) 2x merchant ships converted locally into torpedo boat tenders

1903) 2x Pericles class protected cruisers laid down in Greece and 1x Pericles class laid down in France All three have US armament.

1905 2x floating docks purchased from Great Britain.

1906) 1x Averoff class light dreadnought laid down. Built and armed with British assistants. During the same year two Alpha class torpedo boats lost during storm.

1907) One Beta class torpedo boat sunk after collision with Hydra class during a nigh time training exercise. With the commissioning of the last Pericles class cruisers, the King George and the damaged Hydra class are removed from active duty.

190 4x Gamma class torpedo boats laid down as replacements for losses.

1909) 2x Elle class Heavy Cruises laid down. Built with French assistants and US armament.

1910) 3x dolphin class submarines laid down in France.
2 x Alpha class torpedo boats enter dockyard to be converted into mine layers.
4 x Alpha class torpedo boats enter dockyard to be converted into mine sweepers.
All ships receive new power plants as part of conversions.
The decommissioned Hydra class that was damaged in the 1907 collision enters dockyard to be converted into gunnery training ship, on completion its renamed Aries.

1911) 3x merchant ships converted into Coal tenders for the navy.
2x merchant ship converted into ammunition transports.
Turkish Italian war commences and within a few weeks ends in defeat for the Ottoman Turks

1912) 8x Island class destroyers laid down. These ships are the first destroyers to enter Greek service.
1x merchant ship enters dockyard to be converted into a destroyer tender.
Albanian separatists commence insurrection against Turkey and within a few months are granted semi autonomy. Balkan states start discussions on how to take advantage of recent Turkish military setbacks. Greece asks the alliance members to postpone the planed operations against turkey until the following year so that they may have as many of their new ships operational as possible. This request is granted.

1913) In early January work commences on converting the cadet training ship Queen Olga into in a hospital ship, The two remaining Hydra class are correspondingly removed from active duty and placed in reserve, their crews are transferred to the newly completed ships and commence training. The First Balkan war begins late October and lasts six weeks. Ottoman Turks are defeated, Bulgaria momentarily becomes the largest Balkan state and Albania declares independents.


The Greek navy at the commencement of the First Balkan war.

Battle Fleet
1x Averoff class light Dreadnought
2x Elle class Heavy Cruises
3x Pericles class protected cruisers
5x Island class destroyers (3 more under construction or at varies stages of fitting out)
7x B class torpedo boats
4x C class torpedo boats
3x dolphin class submarines
1x Aries class gunnery-training ship (converted Hydra class used for convoy escort and shore bombardment)

Axillaries
2x Minelayers. (Former A class torpedo boats)
4x Minesweepers. (Former A class torpedo boats)
1x Destroyer tender (converted merchant ship)
2x Torpedo boat tenders (converted merchant ships)
3x Colliers (converted merchant ships)
2x Ammunition transports (converted merchant ships)
1x Queen Olga class hospital ship (former cadet training ship)
12x Troop transports (requisitioned civilian passenger liners and general merchant ships)
3x Floating docks
6x Ocean going tug boats (requisitioned civilian vessels).

Losses sustained during campaign
1x B class torpedo boat lost during the first battle of the Sea of Crete.
2x B class torpedo boats lost during the second battle of the Sea of Crete.
2x Island class destroyers lost in the battle for Imroz and Tenevos. (Bozcaada?)
1x dolphin class submarine, lost while trying to penetrate Dardanelle defences
3x mine sweepers lost trying to penetrate Dardanelle defences.

Damaged vessels
1x Pericles class protected cruisers heavily damaged during the second battle of the Sea of Crete.
1x Island class destroyer heavily damaged in the battle for Imroz and Tenevos
Averoff class light Dreadnought slightly damaged in the battle for Imroz and Tenevos
1x Minesweeper slightly damaged while trying to penetrate Dardanelle defences.
1x Elle class Heavy Cruises was slightly damaged during aerial attack in the Gulf of Saros while transporting 500 Bulgarian troops from Thessalonica to the port of Mecidiye. This event gave the Elle the dubious distinction of being the first warship in the world to come under aerial attack. Total casualties were 36 Bulgarian troops and 3 Greek sailors. (Bulgarian troops were destined for the Catalca Front)


1914) The three remaining Island class destroyers are completed by early March and rushed into service.
The Second Balkan war begins in June and a certain royal tourist decides it may not be a good idea for him or his wife to visit Sarajevo while the neighbouring nations are waging all out war. On the Serbian Bulgarian Front a young conscript is robed of his potential Fifteen minutes of fame and his legs by a non discriminating artillery shell, “such is life” The Second Balkan war ends within four weeks with the defeat of Bulgaria. In December Turkey receives its two new British built battle ships, the Reshadie and Sultan Osman the first. Due to the comprehensive destruction of their navy and heavy personnel losses during the First Balkan war, it takes a decade to properly crew them and build new escorts.

The Greek navy at the commencement of the Second Balkan war.


Battle Fleet
1x Averoff class light Dreadnought
2x Elle class Heavy Cruises
2x Pericles class protected cruisers (one Pericles class under repair)
5x Island class destroyers (one Island class under repair)
4x B class torpedo boats
4x C class torpedo boats
2x dolphin class submarines
1x Aries class gunnery-training ship (converted Hydra class used for convoy escort and shore bombardment)
2x Hydra class Central citadel Barbette type (taken out of reserve to make up for losses, mainly used for troop transport and shore bombardment)

Axillaries
2x Minelayers. (Former A class torpedo boats)
1x Minesweeper. (Former A class torpedo boats)
1x Destroyer tender (converted merchant ship)
2x Torpedo boat tenders (converted merchant ships)
3x Coal tenders (converted merchant ships)
2x Ammunition transports (converted merchant ships)
1x Queen Olga class hospital ship (former cadet training ship)
4x Troop transports (general civilian merchant ships requisitioned)
3x Floating docks
6x Ocean going tug boats (requisitioned civilian vessels).

The only action seen by the Greek navy during the Second Balkan War was shore bombardment and transport of troops for the marine landings at Kilkis

1915) 2x Salamis super dreadnoughts are laid down in April. Ships built to counter the Reshadie and Sultan Osman.
4x Triton class submarines laid down in France as stopgap but submarines not delivered, taken over by France at the commencement of the First World War.
Queen Olga removed from active duty and converted into accommodation hulk for the new Souda bay naval station.
1x Hydra class removed from active service and converted into accommodation hulk for Souda bay.
The hulk of the decommissioned King George sent to Souda bay to be used as a coal storage barge.
1x Floating dock also sent to Souda bay

1916) Word War One brakes out, Greeks and the Ottomans are happy to sit this one out.
1x Hydra class enters dockyards to be converted into cadet training ship. New power plant installed as part of modifications.

1917) Construction on the Salamis class is suspended in November due to non-delivery of main gun turrets.
(Ships 65% complete) Turrets used by the British in their new battle cruiser class.
1x torpedo boat tender is converted into a submarine tender.

191 8x Ionian Island class Destroyers laid down as stopgap to counter Turkish battleships and to replace war loses.
1x merchant ship enters dockyard to be converted into a destroyer tender.
3x Experimental Y1 class minisubs secretly built, batch 1.


1919) Word War One ends in Allied victory on the 11 of March. England agrees on 20 of August to supply 14 inch barrels originally designed for Russia with new turrets for salamis class.
1x Improved Salamis laid down
2x Minelayers. (Former A class torpedo boats) placed in active reserve.
4x C class torpedo boats enter dockyards to be converted into mine sweepers
2x Liquid Fuel tankers laid down
1x torpedo boat tender decommissioned and sold for scrap.
3x Experimental Y1 class minisubs secretly built, batch 2.
1x Experimental Y1 class minisubs lost due to accident, batch 1.

1920) Construction on the salamis class resumes
1x Pericles class protected cruisers enters dockyard on the 5 2 1920 to be converted into experimental Hybrid Aircraft Carrier. Work completed on the 28 11 1920
4x Medusa class Destroyers laid down. Two on the 2 3 1920 and two on
the 12 7 1920.
1x merchant ship enters dockyard to be converted into a destroyer tender.
3x Experimental Y1 class minisubs secretly built, batch 3.
1x Experimental Y1 class minisubs batch 1, scrapped due to structural failure sustained during testing.

Hellenic fleet on the 1st of January 1921


Battle Fleet
1x Experimental Hybrid Aircraft Carrier. Former Pericles class protected cruisers.
1x Averoff class light dreadnought
2x Elle class heavy cruises
2x Pericles class protected cruisers
6x Island class destroyers
8x Ionian Island class Destroyers
4x Medusa class Destroyers. (Two still running acceptance trials)
4x Beta class torpedo boats in active reserve.
2x Dolphin class submarines
7x Experimental Y1 class minisubs.

Axillaries
1x Alpha type Minesweeper, former A class torpedo boats
4x Gamma type Minesweepers, former Gamma class torpedo boats
2x Minelayers. Former A class torpedo boats, in active reserve.
3x Coal tenders.
2x Liquid Fuel tankers
2x Ammunition transports. (converted merchant ships)
2x Destroyer tenders.(converted merchant ships)
1x torpedo boat tender, (converted merchant ship) in active reserve.
1x submarine tender, (converted merchant ship)
1x Hydra class cadet training ship. Most of the original armament removed, only some light guns remain.
1x Aries class gunnery-training ship. Former Hydra class Central citadel Barbette type.
3x Floating docks

Second hand ships purchased in December of 1920.
2x Former Atlantean Azaes class Battle Cruisers.
8x Former Australian Admiralty class destroyers.
These ships will enter service with the Greek navy in mid 1921

Ships under construction on the 1st of January 1921
2x Salamis class super dreadnoughts, virtually complete awaiting delivery of main armament.
1x improved Salamis class super dreadnought 38% complete.
2x merchant ships being converted into destroyer tenders.

Ships budgeted for construction in 1921
12x T1 class torpedo boats.
12 YK 1 class sub-chasers
4x Medusa class destroyers, batch 2.
8 x Delta class minesweepers
2x merchant ships to be converted into small craft tenders

The order for ten Cyclade Island class Destroyers scheduled to be laid down in 1921 was cancelled and replaced with the contract for 15 former Australian admiralty class destroyers. Of these only 8 will be commissioned into Greek naval serves.

There is the possibility that two of the Pericles class protected cruisers will be rebuilt some time during 1921 or 1922. The final decision is still pending on budget allocations.


That’s all folks

Harry

I was wondering how long it would take before some one noticed the discrepancy in my capital ship building program.

To answer your question, the completion of the improved Salamis class ship seem very unlikely due to delays in the building program and Treaty obligations that you just pointed out

The possibility of converting the ship into an aircraft carrier also seems very unlikely. I just don’t want to tie up all my carrier tonnage in a single ship but, I would like to add that the final decision on that matter would depend on what the neighbours get up to.

The ex Atlantean battle cruisers are a stopgap measure. Unfortunately due to those ships being built in 1909 and the building holiday coming into affect they will probably soldier on until the mid thirties. So keep an eye on those ships, some time in the future they will have major work performed on them.

The First two Salamis class are now basically the world’s biggest cruisers at 30 odd thousand tonnes. I am still waiting for the main armament to be delivered by those treacheries thieving pommy bustards.

By the way, would you have any Idea on how long it takes to build new turrets based on existing designs?

Offvedasane.

Harry