Throughout 1987 the team continued its research both in and out of the
sea. We took hundreds of photographs and slides, numerous measurements
and spent hours sifting through silt and sand under the wreck.
During this period we systematically opened all the compartments starting at the WT compartment and working forward. (See the plan of the hold). It was during this time that we began to find artifacts which all went towards confirming the identity of the ship HMS Cricket.
The majority of the compartments were empty with most of the fittings having been removed in Alexandria. The one exception was the engineers store which still had the original wind scoops and various stores now beyond recognition and rusted to the interior.
To gain entry into the forward compartments which include the Captains cabin, Officers quarters and the communications store, a tunnel was dug under the wreck in order to gain entry via the scuttle into the forward Capstan engine room. Taking the necessary precautions both Bryan and Myself entered the forward compartments, the first people since 1944. It is hard to describe the feelings that went through my mind that day, feelings that I will probably never experience again during my diving career. Because of safety we could only stay for a few minutes and also for safety reasons it was decided to cut a hole in the bow on the Starboard side around the second porthole from the front. This took a number of dives as the only tools we had were one hacksaw and a crowbar, however eventually we succeeded and now it is possible to enter the whole ship in safety.
The majority of our finds were in the main engine room where we found the light fittings, an electrical circuit name plate, Z valves, Controls and a spanner 3/8 w stamped 1939.
The best find was the copper steam pipe bearing the serial number 529 which we found in the rear capstan engine compartment. It was this find that helped to positively identify the wreck as HMS Cricket...
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Porthole taken from the Port side Wardroom and communication store This
was the last porthole on HMS Cricket...
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A bronze lamp found in the main engine room still bearing the wiring and
bayonet style bulb fittings...
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Another bronze lamp found in the main engine room still bearing the wiring
and bayonet style bulb fittings...
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A bronze/copper control “Z” valve leading to the Aux Feed Pump situated on the port side of the boiler room...
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(Untitled)
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(Untitled)
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(Untitled)
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The ships anchor was found in March 1987 by following the cable which was buried below the sand. After numerous attempts to cut the cable the club finally cut the anchor free in July 1987.
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The anchor was raised in July by the author, his wife, and son with Don
a Canadian member of the club. It took 8 hours to tow the anchor back to
the jetty and with the help of 62 Engr Sgn came to rest outside the Dhekelia
Sub Aqua club...
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The ship's anchor being raised...
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The final raising of the anchor...
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The ship's anchor being lowered to shore...
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A clue as to the anchor's former owners. In her final days, HMS Cricket
had been equipped with an anchor scavenged from a German vessel...
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I have come to the conclusion that after the failure of reconstructing HMS GNAT with HMS CRICKET, Cricket was laid up in Suez until a suitable ship could be found to tow her to her final destination. During this time RAF NICOSIA would have been training pilots around the safe waters of Cyprus and it would only have taken a simple request for a target to start the wheels in motion which brought HMS Cricket to Cyprus. This may account for the lack of documentation over this period. She became lost to the world. Late in August 1944 HMS Cricket just gave up and sank beneath the waves to lie in her watery grave 30 metres below the surface.
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HMS Cricket on the Tigris in 1917...
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| HMS Cricket on the river Yangtse whilst with the China station 1920... |
| THE TWELVE INSECTS |
HMS APHIS
Launched 15th September 1915
Sent to Port Said November 1915 until April 1916
She patrolled the Danube from November 1919 until March 1920
She then returned to the Mediterranean and laid up in Malta
She was then towed to China and stayed until 1940-41
The Aphis then went back to the Mediterranean and finally the Pacific in 1945
Scrapped Singapore 1947
HMS BEE
Launched 8th December 1915
Sent to Port Said November 1915 until April 1916
Sent to Hong Kong March 1918
Scrapped Shanghai 22nd March 1939
HMS CICALA
Launched 10th December 1915
1916 rearmed temporarily with 6-inch anti-aircraft mountings for use against zeppelins
Sent to east coast in the Humber 1916
In September 1918 sent to Dwina River Russia
In 1920 towed to Hong Kong
Sunk by Japanese aircraft in Hong Kong 21st December 1941
HMS COCKCHAFER
Launched 17th December 1915
1916 rearmed temporarily with 6-inch anti-aircraft mountings
Sent to east coast Brightlingsea in 1916
Sent to Dwina River north Russia in 1918
In 1920 towed to Hong Kong
In 1920's patrolled the Yangtse
In 1940 was partially converted to a minesweeper at Hong Kong but this was not completed
From 1940 she went to the West Indies
From 1943 the Mediterranean
Returned to the Pacific and scrapped 1947 in Singapore
HMS MANTIS
Launched 14th September 1915
Towed to Persian Gulf in 1916
Towed to Hong Kong in 1920 from England
Awaiting disposal Shanghai 1940 when Japanese attacked
Scrapped 1946
HMS MOTH
Launched 1915
Towed to Persian Gulf in 1916
Returned to England
Towed out to Hong Kong 1920
Scuttled at Hong Kong 1941
Raised by Japanese recommissioned as Suma
Mined in the Yangtse 19th March 1945
HMS SCARAB
Launched 7th October 1915
Sent to Port Said November 1915 to April 1916
Sent to Hong Kong March 1918
Sent to East Indies 1941
Sent to the Mediterranean 1943
Sent to the Pacific
Scrapped Singapore May 1948
HMS TARANTULA
Launched 8th December 1915
Towed to the Persian Gulf in 1916
Returned to England
Towed to Hong Kong 1920
Sent to West Indies 1941 remained until the end of the war
Sunk on 1st May 1946 off Trincomalee, Sri Lanka, as a target
HMS CRICKET
Launched 17th December 1915
1916 rearmed temporarily with 6-inch anti-aircraft mountings for use against zeppelins
1916 sent to east coast Humber
September 1918 sent to Dwina River north Russia
1920 towed to Hong Kong
Earmarked for conversion to a minesweeper went to the Mediterranean in 1941
1941 mined (WWII book)
1941 bombed (WWI book)
Laid up at Port Said hull stripped
Sold to be broken up 1942 (WWI book)
Scrapped 1944 Alexandria (WWII book)
HMS GLOWWORM
Launched 5th February 1916
1916 rearmed temporarily with 6-inch anti-aircraft mountings against zeppelins
Sent to east coast, Lowestoft 1916
September sent to Dwina River north Russia
24th August 1919 badly damaged by an exploding ammunition barge at Bercznik
In 1920 replaced HMS Aphis on the Danube
Scrapped September 1928
HMS GNAT
Launched 1915
Towed to the Persian Gulf 1916
Between 1916 and 1940 nothing known
1940 arrived in the Mediterranean and was torpedoed by 579 and laid up at Suez (21st October 1941)
She was used by the army as an anti-aircraft gun platform
Stripped for spares and sold to be broken up 1945
HMS LADYBIRD
Launched 1915
Sent to Port Said November 1915 to April 1916
Patrolled the Danube from November 1918 until March 1922
She was then laid up in Malta until 1940
12th May 1941 bombed and sunk in Tobruk harbour
her upperworks remained above water so she was used as an anti-aircraft gun platform
Lost 12th May 1941 |
| Editor's note: The descriptions of the history of each of the Insect Class
vessels seen above are quite excellent, but an occasional error may exist.
It should be noted that HMS Ladybird also went on to China in 1927 to serve
on the Yangtse River. |
All rights reserved. No photographs or information appearing here may be
reproduced without permission. Inquiries regarding the photographs or information
appearing here should be directed to the site webmaster. Copyright 2005 - Geoff Brown.
Webmaster: wampit@warstrike.com
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