HMSOak showing her white hull and flying theRoyal Standard of KingGeorge V, 20 November 1918
History
United Kingdom
Name	HMSOak
Builder	Yarrow & Company,Scotstoun, Glasgow
Yard number	1306
Launched	5 September 1912[1]
Fate	Sold May 1921,[2] scrapped 1922[3]
General characteristics
Class & type	Acheron-class destroyer
Displacement	990 tons[3]
Length	75 m (246 ft)
Beam	7.8 m (26 ft)
Draught	2.7 m (8.9 ft)
Installed power	20,000 shp (15,000 kW)[3]
Propulsion	2 × Parsons turbines 3 × Yarrow oil-fired boilers 2 × shafts[4]
Speed	32 kn (59 km/h)[3]
Complement	70
Armament	2 ×BL 4-inch (102 mm) Mark VIII guns, mounting P Mark V 2 ×QF 12-pounder (76 mm) guns, mounting P Mark I 2 × single tubes for21-inch (533 mm) torpedoes

HMSOak was a modifiedAcheron-class destroyer of theRoyal Navy. Launched in 1912, she saw extensive service during World War I as a tender to theflagship of theGrand Fleet, and for this purpose she was painted white, instead of the usual warship grey. She was sold in 1921 to be scrapped. Named after theOak tree (genusQuercus), she was only the second ship of the Royal Navy to carry the name, and the first for over 250 years.

SirAlfred Yarrow maintained that it was possible to build strong,seaworthy destroyers with a speed of 32 kn (59 km/h), and eventually a contract for three such boats was placed withYarrow & Company ofScotstoun,Glasgow. The"Firedrake Specials", "Special I class" or "Yarrow Specials" were a little larger than the rest of the class but carried the same armament.Firedrake,Lurcher andOak were, however, distinctive in appearance and at least 4knots faster than the rest of their class. They all exceeded their contract speed,Lurcher making over 35 knots (65 km/h).Oak, the last of the class, was launched on 5 September 1912.

Oak was tender to the flagship of the Grand Fleet throughout the war, including theBattle of Jutland,^[5] and had the distinction of having the samecommanding officer, Lieutenant Commander Douglas FaviellMVO, all her career. Her hull was painted white to distinguish her, and in the course of her duties she often carried the most important visitors. Of note, KingGeorge V travelled toScapa Flow in 1915 for a two-day review of the Grand Fleet, crossing fromThurso.Oak also carriedLord Kitchener fromScrabster to Scapa Flow on 5 June 1916 before transferring him to the cruiserHampshire, which struck amine shortly before 19:30 the same day, with the loss of all but 12 crew, including Field Marshal Kitchener.

Distinctive in her white paint,Oak carried the German Rear-AdmiralHugo Meurer from the cruiserKönigsberg to surrender on 15 November 1918, toAdmiral Sir David Beatty on board his flagship,HMS Queen Elizabeth, in theFirth of Forth.

Under the terms of theArmistice, the GermanHigh Seas Fleet went intointernment at the Royal Navy's base at Scapa Flow - in Operation ZZ, 60Allied battleships escorted 11 battleships, 5 battlecruisers, 8 cruisers and 48 destroyers of the High Seas Fleet into captivity. At 11:00 on 20 November 1918 King George V,Queen Mary and thePrince of Wales embarked inOak and, preceded by the destroyerVerdun, steamed through the fleet, theRoyal Standard atOak's mainmast, cheered by every ship.^[6]

Oak was sold in May 1921^[2] for breaking.

Wikimedia Commons has media related toHMS Oak (ship, 1912).

• Battle of Jutland Crew Lists Project - HMS Oak Crew List

• Acheron-class destroyers of the Royal Navy
• Ships built on the River Clyde
• 1912 ships
• World War I destroyers of the United Kingdom

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