Category:Ardent

HMS Ardent was an 'Acasta Class' destroyer in the 4th Destroyer Squadron and the 4th Division at Jutland. She was under the command of Arthur Marsden and was sunk on 1st June 1916. Extract from the Official History; " Naval Operations" by Sir Julian S. Corbett. 1923 ..........This destroyer now found herself alone, and having escaped with little injury, made away southwards in the hope of finding the rest of her division, which in fact had ceased to exist. What she fell in with was something quite different. .............. Lieutenant-Commander A. Marsden in the Ardent saw smoke ahead of him, and thinking it came from his consorts he made towards it. Then the form of a large German ship loomed up, and without hesitation he attacked. Another torpedo was fired at very close range, but before he could see the result he was blinded by the searchlights of four battleships in line ahead. Out of the glare came the inevitable hurricane of shell. In a minute or so the Ardent was a mere mass of scrap-iron, and switching off their lights the enemy disappeared and left her to sink helpless and in total darkness. She was lost with all hands except Lieutenant-Commander Marsden and one man..............