View of HMS Comus alongside Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson shipyard, seen from south side of River Tyne, c1915 (TWAM ref. DS.SWH/5/3/4/2/B187).

HMS Comus was launched on 16 December 1914 at the Wallsend Yard of Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson. She was a C-class light cruiser and took part in the Battle of Jutland.

The Rivers Tyne and Wear were responsible for building many vessels, which served Britain during the First World War. This set remembers some of those warships that took part in the Battle of Jutland from 31 May to 1 June 1916. During the battle over 6,000 British sailors lost their lives and 14 Royal Naval vessels were sunk. The losses included the battlecruisers HMS Queen Mary and HMS Invincible, as well as the destroyers HMS Shark, HMS Sparrowhawk and HMS Turbulent, all built on Tyneside. Their memory lives on.