HMS Blonde at anchor
Class overview
Name	Blonde class
Builders	Pembroke Dockyard
Operators	Royal Navy
Preceded by	Boadicea class
Succeeded by	Active class
Built	1909–1911
In commission	1910–1921
Completed	2
Scrapped	2
General characteristics (as built)
Type	Scout cruiser
Displacement	3,350long tons (3,400 t)
Length	406 ft (123.7 m) (o/a)
Beam	41 ft 6 in (12.6 m)
Draught	15 ft 6 in (4.7 m)
Installed power	18,000 shp (13,000 kW) 12 ×Yarrow boilers
Propulsion	4 × shafts 2 ×Parsonssteam turbine sets
Speed	24.5knots (45.4 km/h; 28.2 mph)
Range	4,100 nmi (7,600 km; 4,700 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph)
Complement	314
Armament	10 × singleBL 4 in (102 mm) guns 4 × singleQF 3-pounder 1.9 in (47 mm) guns 2 × single21-inch (533 mm)torpedo tubes
Armour	Deck: 0.5–1 in (13–25 mm) Conning tower: 4 in (102 mm)

TheBlonde-class cruisers were a pair ofscout cruisers built for theRoyal Navy in the first decade of the 20th century. Upon completion in 1910–11, they served asflotilla leaders for destroyerflotillas of theFirst Fleet until 1913 when they were assigned tobattleshipsquadrons. When theFirst World War began in August 1914, they remained with their squadrons as the First Fleet was incorporated into theGrand Fleet, although they changed squadrons over the course of the war.Blonde did not participate in theBattle of Jutland in mid-1916, unlike hersister ship,Blanche, which did, but never fired a shot. They were converted intominelayers the following year, but onlyBlanche actually laidmines. The sisters were reduced toreserve in 1919 and sold forscrap in 1920–1921.

These scout cruisers were too slow to lead destroyers in battle or to defend the fleet against enemy destroyer attacks, but they were still used as flotilla leaders. TheBlonde class was essentially a repeat of the precedingBoadicea class, albeit with a more powerful armament and less fuel.^[1]Displacing 3,350long tons (3,400 t), the ships had anoverall length of 405 feet (123.4 m), abeam of 41 feet 6 inches (12.6 m) and a deepdraught of 15 feet 6 inches (4.7 m). They were powered by four sets ofParsonssteam turbines, each driving two shafts. The turbines produced a total of 18,000indicated horsepower (13,000 kW), using steam produced by 12Yarrow boilers that burned bothfuel oil and coal, and gave a maximum speed of 24.5 knots (45.4 km/h; 28.2 mph). They carried a maximum of 780 long tons (790 t) of coal and 190 long tons (190 t) of fuel oil^[2] that gave them a range of 4,100nautical miles (7,600 km; 4,700 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). Their crew consisted of 314 officers andratings.^[3]

The main armament of theBlonde class consisted of tenbreech-loading (BL)4-inch (102 mm) Mk VII guns. The forward pair of guns were mounted side by side on a platform on theforecastle, six wereamidships, three on eachbroadside, and the two remaining guns were on the centreline of thequarterdeck, one ahead of the other.^[2] The guns fired their 31-pound (14 kg) shells to a range of about 11,400 yards (10,400 m).^[4] Their secondary armament was fourquick-firing (QF)three-pounder 1.9-inch (47 mm) Vickers Mk I guns and two submerged21-inch (533 mm)torpedo tubes.^[2]

As scout cruisers, the ships were only lightly protected to maximise their speed. They had a curved protectivedeck that was one inch (25 mm) thick on the slope and 0.5 inches (13 mm) on the flat.^[3] Theirconning tower was protected by four inches of armour.^[2]

BothBlonde andBlanche began their careers with destroyer flotillas,Blonde as senior officers' ship for the7th Flotilla of theMediterranean Fleet andBlanche with the1st Destroyer Flotilla of the First Fleet. But the sisters were transferred to the4th and the3rd Battle Squadrons, respectively, of the First Fleet in 1913.^[6]

Blonde remained with the 4th Battle Squadron through 1916,^[7] although she was detached for several months mid year.^[8] She had been transferred to the1st Battle Squadron by April 1917^[9] and was converted into a minelayer later in the year, although she never laid any mines in combat.^[2] Similarly,Blanche remained with the 3rd Battle Squadron until January 1916 when she joined her sister in the 4th Battle Squadron.^[10] The ship participated in the Battle of Jutland, but was on the unengaged side of the fleet and did not have the opportunity to fire at the Germans.^[11] She was detached from the 4th Battle Squadron at the beginning of 1917,^[12] presumably to be converted into a minelayer.^[2]Blanche was assigned to the5th Battle Squadron by April^[9] and laid some mines at the entrance to theKattegat in February 1918.^[13]

Blonde was in reserve by February 1919^[14] and had been assigned to theNore Reserve by 1 May, together withBlanche.^[15] The sisters were listed for sale by 18 March 1920^[16] andBlonde was sold for scrap on 6 May.Blanche followed on 27 July 1921.^[17]

• Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969].Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy (Rev. ed.). London: Chatham Publishing.ISBN 978-1-86176-281-8.
• Corbett, Julian (1997).Naval Operations to the Battle of the Falklands. History of the Great War: Based on Official Documents. Vol. I (2nd, reprint of the 1938 ed.). London and Nashville, Tennessee: Imperial War Museum and Battery Press.ISBN 0-89839-256-X.
• Corbett, Julian (1997).Naval Operations. History of the Great War: Based on Official Documents. Vol. II (reprint of the 1929 second ed.). London and Nashville, Tennessee: Imperial War Museum in association with the Battery Press.ISBN 1-870423-74-7.
• Corbett, Julian (1997).Naval Operations. History of the Great War: Based on Official Documents. Vol. III (reprint of the 1940 second ed.). London and Nashville, Tennessee: Imperial War Museum in association with the Battery Press.ISBN 1-870423-50-X.
• Friedman, Norman (2009).British Destroyers From Earliest Days to the Second World War. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press.ISBN 978-1-59114-081-8.
• Friedman, Norman (2011).Naval Weapons of World War One. Barnsley, South Yorkshire, UK: Seaforth.ISBN 978-1-84832-100-7.
• Newbolt, Henry (1996).Naval Operations. History of the Great War Based on Official Documents. Vol. IV (reprint of the 1928 ed.). Nashville, Tennessee: Battery Press.ISBN 0-89839-253-5.
• Phillips, Lawrie; Lieutenant Commander (2014).Pembroke Dockyard and the Old Navy: A Bicentennial History. Stroud, Gloucestershire, UK: The History Press.ISBN 978-0-7509-5214-9.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
• Preston, Antony (1985). "Great Britain and Empire Forces". In Gardiner, Robert; Gray, Randal (eds.).Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. pp. 1–104.ISBN 0-85177-245-5.
• Smith, Peter C. (2005).Into the Minefields: British Destroyer Minelaying 1916–1960. Barnsley, UK: Pen & Sword Maritime.ISBN 1-84415-271-5.

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• Blonde class in World War I
• History of the Blonde class

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