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Duncan Class (1903) Technical Details: Displacement: 14,900 tons Dimensions: Length 432 ft, Beam 75 ft 6 ins, Draught: 25 ft 9 ins Machinery: Triple expansion steam developing 18,000 shp, Two shafts Performance: Maximum Speed: 19 knots, Maximum Range 6,070 nautical miles Armour: 7 inch belt, 11 inch barbettes, 10 inch turrets, 1 – 2 inch decks Armament: 4 x 12 inch, 12 x 6 inch, 10 x 12 pounder, 6 x 3 pounder guns, 4 x 18 inch torpedo tubes Complement: 720 B A T T L E S H I P History: The Duncan class entered service in 1903 and were built to counter the threat posed by the Peresviet class battleships which were under construction in Russia. The class consisted of six ships which were superior in design to their Russian counterparts, being better armed, better protected, and faster. They were similar to the previous Formidable class, but armour protection was sacrificed to order increase their speed, while their size was reduced to cut costs. They were distinguishable from the Formidables by having a lower freeboard and the lack of any prominent ventilation cowls. The armour layout was generally similar, although it was increased in the bow to protect against flooding in this area. On entering service the ships served spells with the Mediterranean, Channel, Atlantic, and Home Fleets before being transferred to the Reserve Fleet where most were found on the outbreak of the First World War in August 1914. Of the six ships, Montague ran aground in thick fog on Lundy Island on the 30th May 1906 and was wrecked. Russell was mined and sunk off Malta on the 27th April 1916. Cornwallis was torpedoed and sunk off Malta on the 9th January 1917, while Duncan, Albemarle and Exmouth were sold for breaking up in 1920. W a r s h i p s o f t h e Royal Navy

King Edward VII Class (1905) Technical Details: Displacement: 17,500 tons Dimensions: Length 454 ft, Beam 78 ft, Draught: 26 ft 9 ins Machinery: Triple expansion developing 18,000 shp, Two shafts Performance: Maximum Speed: 19 knots, Maximum Range 6,000 nautical miles Armour: 8 - 9 inch belt, 12 inch barbettes, 12 inch turrets, 1 – 2 inch decks Armament: 4 x 12 inch, 4 x 9 inch, 12 x 6 inch, 14 x 12 pounder, 6 x 6 pounder guns, 4 x 18 inch torpedo tubes Complement: 777 History: The King Edward VII class are often seen as the culmination of the Victorian battleship. They were built in response to the emerging navies of Japan and the U.S.A., who’s battleships incorporated a superior secondary armament compared to the British. The King Edwards were given an intermediate battery of 9.2 inch guns mounted in turrets, as well as the usual secondary 6 inch gun armament that was located in a central box battery rather than casemates of the earlier classes. Three calibres of gun made life difficult for the personnel in the fire-control tops, as it was hard to distinguish between 9.2 and 12 inch shell splashes. The class consisted of eight ships, Africa, Britannia, Commonwealth, Dominion, Hibernia, Hindustan, King Edward VII and Zealandia (formerly New Zealand), and on the outbreak of World War One in August 1914 they formed the 3rd Battle Squadron of the Grand Fleet until May 1916 when the 3rd B.S. was reassigned to the Nore Command. One ship was lost during the war. On the 9th November 1918 Britannia was in the western entrance of the Straits of Gibraltar when she was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine UB-50 off Cape Trafalgar. The other members of the class were all sold for breaking up during 1920-21. W a r s h i p s o f t h e Royal Navy B A T T L E S H I P

Swiftsure Class (1904) Technical Details: Displacement: 11,800 tons Dimensions: Length 470 ft, Beam 71 ft, Draught: 24 ft 8 ins Machinery: Triple expansion engines developing 12,500 shp, Two shafts Performance: Maximum Speed: 20 knots, Maximum Range 7,100 nautical miles Armour: 16 - 10 inch belt, 10 inch barbettes, 10 inch turrets, 1 - 3 inch decks Armament: 4 x 10 inch, 14 x 7.5 inch, 14 x 14 pounder, 4 x 6 pounder guns, 2 x 18 inch torpedo tubes Complement: 700 B A T T L E S H I P History: Swiftsure and Triumph were designed by Sir Edward Reed and ordered by Chile as the Constitucion and Libertad during a period of high tension in South America to counter two armoured cruisers under construction in Italy for the Argentine government. They were armed with 10 inch and 7.5 inch guns with an intended speed of 19 knot, and were quite distinctive from normal British designs, having wide spaced funnels and prominent goose neck cranes. Financial problems in Chile led to both ships being put up for sale before completion, and when suspicions were raised that Russia was interested in them, they were promptly purchased by the British government to prevent this possible sale. With their main armament and light armoured protection the Royal Navy considered them as Second Class Battleships, but their speed and powerful secondary battery could prove useful against cruisers. In World War One Swiftsure served with the 9th Cruiser Squadron off the African east coast for patrol and convoy duties until April 1917 when she returned to the U.K. and was paid off into the reserve. Triumph was part of the Allied bombardment force during the Dardanelles campaign, and on the 25th May 1915 was torpedoed and sunk off the Gallipoli peninsula. W a r s h i p s o f t h e Royal Navy

HMS Dreadnought (1906) Technical Details: Displacement: 18,120 tons Dimensions: Length 526 ft, Beam 82 ft 1 ins, Draught: 26 ft 6 ins Machinery: Steam turbines developing 23,500 shp, Four shafts Performance: Maximum Speed: 21 knots, Maximum Range 7,620 nautical miles Armour: 4 - 11 inch belt, 11 inch barbettes, 11 inch turrets, 1½ - 3 inch decks Armament: 10 x 12 inch, 24 x 12 pounder guns, 5 x 18 inch torpedo tubes Complement: 862 B A T T L E S H I P History: The ‘all big gun’ battleship was first suggested by the Italian naval architect Vittorio Cuniberti in 1903 in an article for ‘Jane’s Fighting Ships’ journal, while the defeat of a Russian fleet at Tsushima in 1904 by the Japanese showed that future naval actions would probably be conducted at ranges beyond those of secondary weapons. The United States, Japan, and Great Britain soon set about on preparing plans for an ‘all big gun’ battleship, the first being the Satsuma which was laid down by the Japanese in May 1905, five months before Dreadnought, but production of 12 inch guns only allowed four of the intended twelve to be installed, six twin 10 inch gun turrets being substituted. In the U.K. work on Dreadnought went on around the clock in comparative secrecy, and the diversion of the main twelve inch gun armament of the Lord Nelson class allowed the ship to be completed in the unheard of speed of a year and a day. Dreadnought entered service in 1907 and was the first major ship to have steam turbines installed which gave the ship a speed of 21 knots, faster than any battleship then in service, placing them all in the position of not being able to fight or run away. Dreadnought had a quiet war, and in March 1920 was paid off and sold for breaking up in 1923. W a r s h i p s o f t h e Royal Navy

Lord Nelson Class (1908) Technical Details: Displacement: 16,500 tons Dimensions: Length 445 ft, Beam 79 ft 6 ins, Draught: 30 ft Machinery: Triple expansion engines developing 16,750 shp, Two shafts Performance: Maximum Speed: 18½ knots, Maximum range 10,500 nautical miles Armour: 8 - 12 inch belt, 12 inch barbettes, 12 inch turrets, 12 inch conning tower, 8 inch bulkheads, 1 - 4 inch decks Armament: 4 x 12 inch, 10 x 9.2 inch guns, 24 x 12 pounder guns, 5 x 18 inch torpedo tubes Complement: 865 History: The Lord Nelson Class provided a considerable step forward in British battleship capabilities, and should really be classified as semi-dreadnoughts. Compared to the previous King Edward VII class, the mixture of 6 and 9.2 inch guns for the secondary armament was dropped and standardised with ten 9.2 inch guns arranged in two double and one single turret on each beam, however, spotting of such a heavy secondary armament was not easy. Both the 12 and 9.2 inch guns were of an improved design and a much heavier anti-torpedo boat armament of 24 12 pounder guns was carried. They were authorised in the Naval Budget of 1904, but their construction was delayed when their main armament and turrets were used on Dreadnought. At the start of the First World War both ships joined the Channel Fleet as part of the 5th Battle Squadron, and both ships would serve together throughout the conflict. In early 1915 they joined the fleet assembling in the Mediterranean for the attempt on the Dardanelles, and then supported the army after they landed on the Gallipoli peninsula. After the withdrawal of Allied forces both ships remained in the eastern Mediterranean until the end of the war. Both ships were paid off in 1920 and later sold for breaking up. W a r s h i p s o f t h e Royal Navy B A T T L E S H I P

Bellerophon Class (1909) Technical Details: Displacement: 18,596 tons Dimensions: Length 526 ft, Beam 82 ft, Draught: 27 ft Machinery: Parsons team turbines developing 23,000 shp, Four shafts Performance: Maximum Speed: 21 knots, Maximum range 6,580 nautical miles Armour: 8 - 10 inch belt, 5 - 9 inch barbettes, 11 inch turrets, ¾ - 4 inch decks Armament: 10 x 12 inch, 16 x 4 inch rguns, 3 x 18 inch torpedo tubes Complement: 862 History: The Bellerophon class was similar to HMS Dreadnought but incorporated improvements in armament and protection. The secondary battery was of 4 inch guns instead of the 12 pounders (3 inch) which improved their defensive capability. A second tripod mast was positioned behind the funnels where the personnel frequently suffered from smoke and heat interference. The St Vincent sub-class differed from the Bellerophons in having their tripod masts forward of the funnels in to attempt to reduce this problem, the Bellopherons soon being modified to this arrangement as well. The St Vincents also introduced a new 50 calibre 12 inch gun. There were sis ships in the class, Bellerophon, Superb, and Temeraire, while the sub class consisted of St Vincent, Vanguard, and Collingwood. On the outbreak of World War One all six ships were serving with the Grand Fleet, three with the 1st Battle Squadron and three with the 4th. All six ships were at the Battle of Jutland on the 31st May 1916 where they received no damage. The only class casualty of the war was Vanguard when an explosion ripped the ship apart on the night of 7th July 1917 while at anchor in Scapa Flow with the loss of 804 of her crew. The surviving ships were were sold for breaking up in 1921-22. W a r s h i p s o f t h e Royal Navy B A T T L E S H I P

Collossus Class (19011) Technical Details: Displacement: 19,680 tons Dimensions: Length 546 ft, Beam 85 ft, Draught: 28 ft 6 ins Machinery: Steam turbines developing 25,000 shp, Four shafts Performance: Maximum Speed: 21 knots, Maximum Range 7,280 nautical miles Armour: 8 - 10 inch belt, 5 - 10 inch barbettes, bulkheads 5 - 8 ins, 11 inch turrets, 11 inch conning tower, 1¼ - 3 inch decks Armament: 10 x 12 inch, 16 x 4 inch guns 3 x 18 inch torpedo tubes Complement: 812 History: Their design of the Collossus class was the result of the criticism made of the main armament layout of Dreadnought and the Bellerophon Class, where their use of wing turrets, although beneficial in a general chase, was inferior to the designs being produced abroad, as they could never bring all ten guns to bear on a single target. As a compromise the side turrets in Neptune were diagonally offset to allow the guns to fire on both beams, and as compensation for the extra length and weight required in the design the aft turrets were superimposed, the first such installation in a Royal Navy ship. The class consisted of three ships, Neptune, Collossus and Hercules which all entered service in 1911, and on the outbreak of World War One all three joined the Grand Fleet at Scapa Flow as members of the 1st Battle Squadron. All three ships were at the Battle of Jutland on the 31st May 1916, where Collossus claimed four hits on the German battlecruiser Derfflinger but was hit by two shells from Seydlitz that caused minor damage and wounded nine seaman, the only battleship of the main body of the Grand Fleet to sustain any shell damage. In 1920 the class was paid off, Neptune and Hercules being sold for breaking up, while Collossus became a training establishment until 1928. W a r s h i p s o f t h e Royal Navy B A T T L E S H I P

Orion Class (1912) Technical Details: Displacement: 22,200 tons Dimensions: Length 581 ft, Beam 88 ft 6 ins, Draught: 24 ft 11 ins Machinery: Geared turbines developing 27,000 shp, Four shafts Performance: Maximum Speed: 21 knots, Maximum Range 7,750 miles Armour: 8 - 12 inch belt, 3 - 10 inch barbettes, bulkheads 3 - 10 ins, 11 inch turrets, 1 - 4 inch decks Armament: 10 x 13.5 inch, 16 x 4 inch, 4 x 3 pounder and 4 x 3 inch AA guns, 3 x 21 inch torpedo tubes Complement: 752 B A T T L E S H I P History: The Orion class were authorised in the 1909 Naval Estimates and were much larger and more powerful than the preceding Colossus class. They were to be armed with the new 12 inch high velocity 50 calibre Mark XI gun, but trials with prototype were disappointing. Instead the they were armed with the Mk V 13.5 inch gun, and although they had a lower velocity, they fired a heavier shell, 1,250 lbs against 850 lbs. The shorter range of the 13.5 inch gun was rectified by modifying the turrets to increase the maximum elevation from 15˚ to 20˚. They were also the first Royal Navy battleships to adopt an all centreline armament with superfirng turrets. There were four ships in the class, HMS Conqueror, Monarch, Orion and Thunderer, and when they entered service in 1912 the tabloid press described them as ‘Super Dreadnoughts’. On the outbreak of World War One all four ships joined the 2nd Battle Squadron of the Grand Fleet at Scapa Flow. All four ships were at the Battle of Jutland in 1916 and received no hits. After World War One the ships were placed in reserve during 1919 and were decommissioned as part of the Washington Naval Treat in 1922, Conqueror and Orion being broken up that year, and Thunderer in 1926. Monarch was expended as a target ship in 1925. W a r s h i p s o f t h e Royal Navy

King George V Class (1912) Technical Details: Displacement: 25,420 tons Dimensions: Length 598 ft, Beam 89 ft, Draught: 28 ft 8 ins Machinery: Geared turbines developing 27,000 shp, Four shafts Performance: Maximum Speed: 21 knots, Maximum Range nautical 7,250 miles Armour: 8 - 12 inch belt, 3 - 10 inch barbettes, bulkheads 3 - 10 ins, 11 inch turrets, 1 - 4 inch decks Armament: 10 x 13.5 inch, 16 x 4 inch, 4 x 3 pounder and 4 x 3 inch AA guns, 3 x 21 inch torpedo tubes Complement: 900 B A T T L E S H I P History: The King George V class were part of the 1910 Naval Building Programme, and were to have been a repeat Orions, but it was decided to modify the design and have the mainmast forward of the funnel, which was a better arrangement for the gunnery direction team located in the spotting top. The secondary armament was concentrated forward, armour protection was enhanced and a better bridge layout improved efficiency. The first ship to be completed was King George V which was commissioned in November 1912, followed by Centurion, Audacious and Ajax. On the outbreak of World War One in 1914, the four ships formed the 1st Division of the 2nd Battle Squadron of the Grand Fleet at Scapa Flow. on the 27th October 1914 Audacious struck a German mine off Lough Swilly in Northern Ireland, and later sank, the news that the ship had been lost was kept secret from the general public until after the war. The rest of the ships were present at the Battle of Jutland in 1916 and remained in service until 1926 when they were withdrawn and placed on the disposal list to meet the tonnage allocation for the Royal Navy under the terms of the Washington Naval Treaty. Centurion did last longer as she was turned into a radio control target ship before finally being sunk as a blockship in 1944. W a r s h i p s o f t h e Royal Navy

Iron Duke Class (1914) Technical Details: Displacement: 26,100 tons Dimensions: Length 620 ft 3 ins, Beam 89 ft 6 ins, Draught: 32 ft 9 ins Machinery: Geared turbines developing 29,000 shp, Four shafts Performance: Maximum Speed: 21 knots, Maximum Range 8,950 nautical miles Armour: 4 - 12 inch belt, 3 - 10 inch barbettes, 3 - 10 ins bulkheads, 11 inch turrets, 1 - 2½ inch decks Armament: 10 x 13.5 inch, 12 x 6 inch, 4 x 3 pounder and 2 x 3 inch AA guns, 4 x 21 inch torpedo tubes Complement: 925 History: The Iron Duke class were a development of the King George Vs, and had an increase in length and beam to accommodate a secondary armament of 6 inch guns, which was then seen necessary to tackle the larger destroyers and torpedo boats being built. A heavy tripod mast for the fire direction equipment had now become standard, while tall thin funnels made them easy to distinguish from their near sisters. The armour scheme was kept the same, but the internal protection was improved. The Parsons steam turbines were also of an improved design which delivered 29,000 shp in order to maintain a speed of 21 knots with their increased tonnage. There were four ships in the class, Benbow, Empress of India, Iron Duke and Marlborough which were commissioned between March and November 1914 and immediately joined the Grand Fleet at Scapa FLow, Iron Duke becoming the fleet flagship of Admiral Sir John Jellicoe. All were at the Battle of Jutland in 1916 excep for Empress of India which was under refit, with all four ships remaining in service with the Royal Navy until 1929 when they were decommissioned and placed on the disposal list for breaking up, except for Iron Duke which was partially disarmed and became a training ship at Scapa Flow until 1946 when she was scrapped. W a r s h i p s o f t h e Royal Navy B A T T L E S H I P

HMS Erin (1914) Technical Details: Displacement: 22,780 tons Dimensions: Length 559 ft 6 ins, Beam 91 ft 7 ins, Draught: 28 ft 5 ins Machinery: Parsons steam turbines developing 26,500 shp, Two shafts Performance: Maximum Speed: 21 knots, Range 5,300 nautical miles Armour: 12 inch belt, 9 - 10 inch barbettes, 11 inch turrets, 1 – 3 inch decks Armament: 4 x 13.5 inch, 16 x 6 inch, 6 x 6 pounder, 6 x 3 pounder guns, 4 x 21 inch torpedo tubes Complement: 976 History: The naval arms race that became endemic in the early 20th century prompted the Ottoman government to embark upon a programme to modernise their Navy after years of neglect. They placed substantial orders in the U.K. for modern warships, and in December 1911 the keel for a battleship was laid down at Vickers shipyard which was named Reshadieh, and was based on the King George V class, but was shorter in length with a wider beam. In late July 1914 the ship was nearing completion when representatives of the Ottoman government came to the United Kingdom to arrange the transfer of Reshadieh, but war clouds were looming over Europe, and on the 3rd August the First Lord of the Admiralty, Winston Churchill, placed an embargo on the ship and she was taken over by the British government. The following day Britain declared war on Germany, and Turkey, which had close ties with Germany, received no compensation for the ship which caused deep resentment, and certainly helped in pushing the Turks to enter the war on Germany's side. The ship was renamed Erin and joined the 2nd Battle Squadron of the Grand Fleet at Scapa Flow, and was present at Jutland but did not fire her guns. In 1922 the ship was placed on the disposal list and sold for breaking up. W a r s h i p s o f t h e Royal Navy B A T T L E S H I P

HMS Canada (1915) Technical Details: Displacement: 25,000 tons Dimensions: Length 654 ft 10 ins, Beam 92 ft 6 ins, Draught: 33 ft 5 ins Machinery: Geared steam turbines developing 37,000 shp, Four shafts Performance: Maximum Speed: 22½ knots, Range 5,100 nautical miles Armour: 4 - 9 inch belt, 1 - 3 inch decks, 10 inch turrets, 6 - 10 inch barbettes Armament: 10 x 14 inch, 12 x 6 inch guns, 2 x 3 inch high ange AA guns, 4 x 21 inch torpedo tubes Complement: 1,167 B A T T L E S H I P History: Chile ordered two modern battleships from British yards when rivalry with Argentina increased over territorial disputes in South America. They would be similar to the Iron Duke class but armed with 14 inch rather than the 13.5 inch guns. The two ships were named Almirante Latorre and the Almirante Cochrane, with the first ship being laid down in late 1911. On the outbreak of World War One both ships were purchased from Chile while still on the slips. The Almirante Latorre was nearest completion and renamed Canada, while work on the Almirante Cochrane was halted. The ship was modified to suite British practice and joined the 4th Battle Squadron of the Grand Fleet in October 1915 on completion. At the Battle of Jutland Canada fired 42 main calibre shells and received no damage, and in late 1916 became part of the 1st Battle Squadron. After World War One the ship was refitted and offered back to Chile, who re-purchased her for £1,000,000, less than half her original cost, the ship reverting back to her original name of Almirante Latorre. She remained in service with the Chilean Navy until she suffered a major engine fire in 1951 and was decommissioned and later put up for sale for breaking up. She was one of the last World War One battleships afloat when sold in 1958. W a r s h i p s o f t h e Royal Navy

Queen Elizabeth Class (1914) Technical Details: Displacement: 24,470 tons Dimensions: Length 634 ft 6 ins, Beam 90 ft 6 ins, Draught: 33 ft Machinery: Geared steam turbines developing 75,000 shp, Four shafts Performance: Maximum Speed: 24 knots, Range 5,750 nautical miles Armour: 6 - 13 inch belt, 2 - 3 inch decks, 4 - 10 inch barbettes, 11 inch conning tower, 4½ - 13 inch turrets Armament: 8 x 15 inch, 12 x 6 inch, 2 x 3 inch AA, 4 x 2 pounder guns, 4 x 21 inch torpedo tubes Complement: 923 B A T T L E S H I P History: In 1912 the Queen Elizabeth class was laid down with a main armament of eight 15 inch guns, which would prove to be one of the best and most reliable naval weapon ever designed. The 15 inch Mk I gun could hurl a 1,920 lb shell out to a range of nearly 10 miles with accuracy and little barrel wear, and would continue to be improved and remain in service until the end of the battleship in the Royal Navy. The Queen Elizabeths were also the first major warships designed to use only fuel oil, doing away with the time consuming and back breaking procedure of re-coaling. They were fitted with steam turbines that produced 75,000 shp which gave them a speed of 24 knots, which allowed these ships to act as a link between the battlecruisers and the battle fleet during the World War One. Four members of the class were initially planned as a fast battleship division, these were Barham, Queen Elizabeth, Valiant and Warspite, however a fifth unit, Malaya, was built as a gift from the Federated Malay States. They entered service between December 1914 and January 1916, and were all present at the Battle of Jutland in late May 1916 except for Queen Elizabeth which was under refit, where they played a vital role during the action. All five ships would again see action during World War Two. W a r s h i p s o f t h e Royal Navy HMS Agincourt (1914) Technical Details: Displacement: 30,250 tons Dimensions: Length 671 ft 10 ins, Beam 89 ft, Draught: 29 ft 8 ins Machinery: Steam turbines developing 34,000 shp, Four shafts Performance: Maximum Speed: 22 knots, Maximum range 8,100 nautical miles Armour: 4 - 9 inch belt, 2 - 9 inch barbettes, 8 - 12 inch turrets, 1 - 2½ inch decks Armament: 14 x 12 inch, 20 x 6 inch, 10 x 12 pounder guns, 2 x 21 inch torpedo tubes Complement: 1,115 B A T T L E S H I P History: The rivalry in South America between Brazil, Argentina and Chile resulted in a naval race between the nations, and after Argentina and Chile signed a naval pact the Brazilians ordered a dreadnought battleship who's offensive power would be greater than any built to date. She was designed with twelve 14 inch guns, but this was altered to fourteen 12 inch guns to simplify ammunition supply, Brazil already having ships with this size of gun, and as such she was the only battleship to ever have fourteen main guns. The ship was launch in January 1913 and named Rio de Janeiro, but by then the collapse of the rubber industry resulted in the Brazilian Government being forced to put the ship up for sale while still incomplete and was purchased by Turkey and renamed Sultan Osman I. Shortly before the outbreak of World War One the ship was requisitioned by the British government 24 hours before she was due to be handed over and renamed Agincourt. The ship joined the Grand Fleet at Scapa Flow on the 25th August and joined the 4th battle squadron, transferring to the 1st Battle Squadron in 1915. Agincourt was present at the Battle of Jutland in May 1916 where she fired 144 12 inch shells and received no hits. Agincourt was scrapped in 1922 as part of the Washington Naval Treaty. W a r s h i p s o f t h e Royal Navy

Queen Elizabeth Class (HMS Warspite 1943) Technical Details: Displacement: 30,600 tons Dimensions: Length 635 ft 9 ins, Beam 90 ft 60 ins, Draught: 30 ft 6 ins Machinery: Geared turbines developing 80,000 shp, Four shafts Performance: Maximum speed: 24 knots, Range 5,750 nautical miles Armour: 4 - 11 inch belt, 1-4 inch decks 4 - 10 inch barbettes, 4½-13 inch turrets, 11 inch conning tower, Armament: 8 x 15 inch, 8 x 6 inch, 8 x 4 inch AA guns, 4 x octuple 2 pounders, 14 x 20 mm AA guns Aircraft: 4 x Supermarine Walrus Complement: 1,150 B A T T L E S H I P History: As these were the most powerful battleships in the Royal Navy at the end of World War One, the ships were retained in service and modernised between the wars. In the mid 1930s Warspite underwent a major modernisation programme and was returned to service in 1937. At the start of World War Two she joined the Home Fleet and went on the have glittering career throughout the conflict with battle honours from the Norwegian, Atlantic, Mediterranean, and Normandy campaigns. The ship was laid up at the end of 1944, and after the war efforts were made to save her as a museum ship, but these all failed and she was sold for breaking up in 1947. Queen Elizabeth and Valiant also received a major refit after Warspite and returned to service in 1939/40. Their refit was different to Warspite’s with a heavier emphasis on air defence. Both ships served with the Home Fleet and saw action in the Atlantic, Norway, Mediterranean and Far East before being laid up after World War two and sold for breaking up. Barham and Malaya were due to be modernised but the outbreak of war prevented this. On the 25th November 1941 Barham was torpedoed and sunk by U-331 in the Mediterranean and sank with the loss of 862 of her crew., while Malaya was sold for breaking up in 1948. W a r s h i p s o f t h e Royal Navy

Royal Sovereign Class (1916) Technical Details: (HMS Revenge 1944) Displacement: 33,500 tons Dimensions: Length 624 ft 3 ins, Beam 88 ft 6 ins, Draught: 28 ft 7 ins Machinery: Parsons turbines, + cruising turbines developing 42,650 shp, Four shafts Performance: Maximum Speed: 22 knots, Range nautical 5,750 miles Armour: 4 - 13 inch belt, 4 - 10 inch barbettes, 11 inch conning tower, 4½ - 13 inch turrets, 1 - 4 inch decks Armament: 8 x 15 inch, 10 x 6 inch guns, 2 x Octuple 2 pounder pom poms, 40 x 20 mm AA guns Complement: 1,115 B A T T L E S H I P History: The Royal Sovereigns were a cheaper version of the Queen Elizabeths, being smaller and having less powerful machinery, and designed to burn both oil and coal. There was to be eight ships in the class, but after the start of the World War One there was a halt on new construction. One ship was cancelled and two others were later redesigned as battlecruisers which entered service as Renown and Repulse. On commissioning the five ships of the class, Ramilles, Resolution, Revenge, Royal Oak and Royal Sovereign joined 1st Battle Squadron of the Grand Fleet, and after World War One they served in the Atlantic and Mediterranean, but unlike the Queen Elizabeths, they did not receive any major reconstructions. prior to World War Two as they were scheduled to be replaced by the Lion class, but the war intervened and the Royal Sovereigns had to soldier on despite their limited fighting value with the fleet. When the King George V class began to enter service the Royal Sovereigns were soon reduced to secondary roles. The only ship to be lost in World War Two was Royal Oak when she was torpedo by U-47 on the night of 14th October 1939 while at anchor in Scapa Flow with heavy loss of life. The rest of the class were all sold for breaking up in 1948/49. W a r s h i p s o f t h e Royal Navy

Nelson Class (1927) Technical Details: (HMS Nelson 1945) Displacement: 33,950 tons Dimensions: Length 710 ft, Beam 106 ft, Draught: 33 ft Machinery: Geared turbines developing 45,000 shp, 2 shafts Performance: Maximum speed: 23½ knots, Range nautical 8,000 miles Armour: 13 - 14 inch belt, 3 - 6¾ inch decks, 12 - 14 inch bulkheads, 7 - 16 inch turrets, 14 - 15 inch barbettes Armament: 9 x 16 inch, 12 x 6 inch, 6 x 4.7 inch, 16 x 40 mm, 61 x 20 mm AA guns, 2 x quadruple pounder pom poms, 2 x 24 inch torpedo tubes Complement: 1,361 B A T T L E S H I P History: The Washington Naval Treaty in 1922 fixed the maximum displacement for a battleship at 35,000 tons and the maximum gun calibre at 16 inches, along with the number of ships each signatory nation was allowed to possess. The Royal Navy was permitted to build a pair of battleships to balance the Japanese Nagato and U.S. Maryland classes which were both armed with 16 inch guns. The Admiralty design was based on the proposed 1921 ‘G3’ design, and had the same armament and level of protection. To meet the weight limitations there had to be a reduction in the area covered by armour. This led to the arrangement of the three triple 16 inch gun turrets being sited forward, reducing the amount of armour they required. Armour for the rest of the ship was on the all-or-nothing principle, with only the vital areas being protected. Both ships entered service in 1927 and served with the Atlantic and Home fleets until the outbreak of World War Two. Both ships had an active war, serving in the Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea where they supported operations in Norway, North Africa, Sicily, Italy and the D-Day landings in northern France. In 1948 both ships were decommissioned and sold for breaking up, Nelson being used as a bombing target before being scrapped. W a r s h i p s o f t h e Royal Navy

King George V Class (1940) Technical Details: Displacement: 38,000 tons Dimensions: Length 745 ft 1 ins, Beam 103 ft 6 ins, Draught: 32 ft 6 ins Machinery: Geared turbines developing 128,000 shp, Four shafts Performance: Maximum Speed: 28 knots, Range 6,200 nautical miles Armour: 5 - 14½ inch belt, 12¾ inch turrets and barbettes, 11 inch conning tower, 5 - 6 inch decks Armament: 10 x 14 inch, 16 x 5.25 inch dual purpose guns, 4 x octuple 2 pounder pom poms, up to 48 x 20 mm AA guns Complement: 923 B A T T L E S H I P History: In the mid 1930s,it became clear that countries like Japan, America, and Germany were unlikely to adhere to the Washington Naval Treaty when it expired in 1936. In response the Admiralty prepared a design that ignored the restrictions of the treaty, but the British government felt compelled to stay within the limits of the Second London Naval Treaty that had been signed in 1936, even though other signatory nations were already violating the limits and Japan had not signed. The new battleship was designed to carry twelve fourteen inch guns in three quadruple turrets, but to keep within the limits of 35,000 ton displacement, the only solution was to change the super-firing forward turret to a smaller two gun turret which would keep the design within the displacement limit. There were five ships in the class Anson, Duke of York, Howe, King George V and the Prince of Wales which began to enter service in December 1940. They all had an active career, the King George V being involved in the action with the Bismarck in May 1941, while the Prince of Wales was sunk by Japanese aircraft on the 10th December 1941 in the South China Sea. The other members of the class eventually found themselves in the Far East during World War Two and were finally sold for breaking up in 1957/58. W a r s h i p s o f t h e Royal Navy

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HMS Vanguard (1946) History: The design of Vanguard originated in 1939 proposal for a battleship that would be the core of a Far Eastern Fleet. Of 40,000 tons displacement, the ship would utilise the 15 inch gun turrets originally used for Courageous and Glorious before they were converted into aircraft carriers in the 1920’s. Since then these had been placed in store, and although an old design they were reliable and could be easily modernised. The guns themselves were excellent weapons, being only marginally down in muzzle velocity compared to the latest British designs, and with a speed of 30 knots the ship would be a match for any Japanese warship. On the outbreak of World War Two Vanguard, and the proposed Lion class were cancelled, but it was later suggested to construct a single battleship in which the building time would be cut by using the four spare twin 15 inch mountings. A modified Lion class design was approved and the order for the ship placed with John Browns shipyard in March 1941. As the war progressed the ship no longer became a priority, and work was slowed, Vanguard finally being commissioned in August 1946, a year after hostilities had ended. Vanguard remained in service with the Royal Navy until 1959 when the ship was decommissioned and placed on the disposal list. Technical Details: Displacement: 48,500 tons • Dimensions: Length 814 ft 6 ins, Beam 107 ft 7 ins, Draught: 30 ft 8 ins • Machinery: Geared turbines developing 130,000 shp, Four shafts • Performance: Maximum Speed: 30 knots, Range 9,500 miles • Armour: 4¼ - 14 inch belt, 5 - 6 inch decks, 11 - 13 inch barbettes and turrets, 3 inch conning tower • Armament: 8 x 15 inch, 16 x 5.25 inch dual purpose, 73 x 40 mm AA guns • Complement: 1,893 B A T T L E S H I P W a r s h i p s o f t h e Royal Navy

Indefatigable Class (1911) Technical Details: Displacement: 18,750 tons Dimensions: Length 590 ft, Beam 79 ft 10 ins, Draught: 30 ft Machinery: Parsons steam turbines developing 44,000 shp, Four shafts Performance: Maximum speed: 27 knots, Range 7,250 nautical miles Armour: 4 - 6 inch belt, 7 inch barbettes, 7 inch turrets, 1 - 2½ inch decks Armament: 8 x 12 inch , 16 x 4 inch guns, 4 x 18 inch torpedo tubes Complement: 790 History: The Indefatigable class were a near repeat of the preceding Invincibles, but featured an increase in endurance and improved cross-deck arcs of fire for their midships wing turrets which was achieved by lengthening the hull, although cross-deck firing still caused damaged to the ships decking. Like their predecessors they sacrificed armour protection and one turret from the main battery for a 4 knot speed advantage over contemporary battleships. By the time the final design was approved the Admiralty was looking for a better design, and only Indefatigable was laid down for the Royal Navy. Shortly after this the British government proposed a scheme for the defence of the Dominions and both Australia and New Zealand purchased a battlecruiser each based on Indefatigable. HMAS Australia formed the backbone of the new Australian navy, while New Zealand was British manned and served in the royal Navy. At the Battle of Jutland in May 1916 only New Zealand and Indefatigable were present, Australia having a refit at the time, and during the engagement with the German battlecruisers Indefatigable blew up after being hit by several shells from SMS Von der Tann. After a world tour New Zealand was sold for breaking up in 1922, while Australia was scuttled off Sydney in 1924. W a r s h i p s o f t h e Royal Navy Invincible Class (1908) Technical Details: Displacement: 17,420 tons Dimensions: Length 567 ft, Beam 79 ft, Draught: 26 ft 8 ins Machinery: Parsons steam turbines developing 41,000 shp, Four shafts Performance: Maximum speed: 26 knots, Range 6,000 nautical miles Armour: 4 - 6 inch belt, 7 inch barbettes, 7 inch turrets, 1 - 2½ inch decks Armament: 8 x 12 inch, 16 x 4 inch guns, 4 x 18 inch torpedo tubes Complement: 779 History: The Invincible class was the brainchild of Admiral Sir John Fisher, and were the next step in armoured cruiser design, adopting the all big gun armament and turbine power of the Dreadnought. They needed to be faster than any current battleship which was achieved by installing turbine machinery that delivered nearly twice the power Dreadnought, this being achieved by lengthening the hull by over forty feet. Armour protection was kept to the levels of the latest armoured cruisers as they were only designed to support the main battle fleet, although the Admiralty realised that it would only be a matter of time before foreign navies would build similar ships. Three ships made up the class, Indomitable, Inflexible and Invincible and were officially designated as armoured cruisers, but as they had the same 12 inch guns as Dreadnought, they were classified as battlecruisers in 1912. By 1914 they were expected to form the fast wing of the battlefleet and form part of the battle line. Invincible and Inflexible were at the Battle of the Falkland Islands in 1914 where they were instrumental in overwhelming Von Spee’s Asiatic squadron. At the Battle of Jutland in late May 1916 Invincible blew up and sank with the loss of all but six of her crew. Indomitable and Inflexible were both scrapped in 1921. W a r s h i p s o f t h e Royal Navy B A T T L E C R U I S E R B A T T L E C R U I S E R Lion Class (1912) W a r s h i p s o f t h e Royal Navy B A T T L E C R U I S E R History: The Lion class were the equivalents of the Orion Class battleships, and like the Orions were armed with 13.5 inch guns to counter the new 12 inch guns of the German Moltke class. They were 2 knots faster than the Invincibles and armed with eight 13.5 inch guns in four twin turrets, but instead of eliminating the midships turret, the aft superimposed turret was deleted, creating an awkward arrangement of magazines and boilers below deck. The Armoured belt was also increased from 6 to 9 inches. Three ships were authorised which entered service in 1912. These were Lion, Princess Royal, and Queen Mary, the Queen Mary being slightly larger so to have more powerful machinery for a speed of 29 knots. Tiger was authorised in the 1911–12 Naval Programme and intended to be the fourth member of the Lion class, but was modified while under construction to include many improvements being made with the Iron Duke class battleships. All four ships were part of the 1st Battlecruiser Squadron of the Grand Fleet, Lion being the flagship of Rear Admiral Beatty. All four ships were at the Battle of the Dogger Bank in January 1915 and Jutland in May 1916 where Queen Mary blew up after a catastrophic magazine explosion. Lion and Princess Royal were scrapped in 1924 and Tiger in 1932. Technical Details: Displacement: 29,200 tons • Dimensions: Length 700 ft, Beam 88 ft 6 ins, Draught 32 ft 5 ins • Machinery: Geared turbines developing 70,000 shp, Four shafts • Performance: Maximum Speed: 28 knots, Range 6,400 nautical miles • Armour: 4 - 9 inch belt, 9 inch barbettes, 9 inch turrets, 1 - 2½ inch decks • Armament: 8 x 13.5 inch, 16 x 4 inch, 4 x 3 pounder guns, 2 x 21 inch torpedo tubes • Complement: 1,060 Renown Class (1916) W a r s h i p s o f t h e Royal Navy B A T T L E C R U I S E R History: Renown and Repulse were originally going to be the last two ships of the Royal Sovereign class battleships, but work on these two ships was suspended shortly after the outbreak of World War One in August 1914. In October Admiral Sir John Fisher was recalled as First Sea Lord and pursueded the government to restart their construction, but this time redesigned as battlecruisers. The design was lengthened to accommodate machinery that would produce 112,000 shp, which was nearly three times the power of the Royal Sovereigns, while the number of main turrets was reduced from four to three and the armour scheme reduced. During trials Renown reached 32.58 knots, making her the largest and fastest capital ship in existence when she entered service in September 1916. Both ships were retained by the Royal Navy after World War One and received major refits in the mid 1920s. From the outbreak of World War Two Repulse served with the Home Fleet, but in late 1941 she was sent to the Far East, along with the battleship Prince of Wales, to deter any Japanese aggression. They arrived at Singapore on the 4th December, and on the 8th sailed to intercept a rumoured Japanese invasion convoy, but on the 10th they were spotted and later sunk by a large formation of Japanese aircraft. Technical Details: Displacement: 32,700 tons • Dimensions: Length 794 ft, Beam 90 ft, Draught: 30 ft 2 ins • Machinery: Steam turbines developing 120,000 shp, Four shafts • Performance: Maximum Speed: 33 knots, Maximum range 4,500 nautical miles • Armour: 3 - 6 inch belt, 2 - 7 inch barbettes, 9 inch turrets, 1 - 3 inch decks • Armament: 6 x 15 inch, 17 x 4 inch, 2 x 3 inch, 14 x 3 pounder guns, 2 x 21 inch torpedo tubes • Complement: 953 HMS Renown (1939 Refit) History: Renown and Repulse were originally going to be the last two ships of the Royal Sovereign class battleships, but work on these two ships was suspended shortly after the outbreak of World War One in August 1914. In October Admiral Sir John Fisher was recalled as First Sea Lord and pursueded the government to restart their construction, but this time redesigned as battlecruisers. The design was lengthened to accommodate machinery that would produce 112,000 shp, which was nearly three times the power of the Royal Sovereigns, while the number of main turrets was reduced from four to three and the armour scheme reduced. During trials Renown reached 32.58 knots, making her the largest and fastest capital ship in existence when she entered service in September 1916. Renown received a major refit during 1936-39 which brought her up to date and considerably changed her appearance, receiving a modern anti-aircraft gun armament along with enhanced gunfire control and aircraft handling facilities. Renown joined the Home Fleet in August 1939 and was mainly deployed in the Mediterranean and Atlantic during World War Two until being placed in reserve from May 1945. In 1948 Renown was placed on the disposal list and sold for breaking up. Technical Details: Displacement: 32,000 tons • Dimensions: Length 794 ft, Beam 90 ft, Draught: 31 ft 9 ins • Machinery: Steam turbines developing 120,000 shp, Four shafts • Performance: Maximum Speed: 31 knots, Range 6,500 nautical miles • Armour: 3 - 9 inch belt, 7 inch barbettes, 7 - 11 inch turrets, 4½ - 6½ inch decks • Armament: 6 x 15 inch, 20 x 4.5 inch dual purpose guns, 3 x octuple pom poms, 4 quad machine guns • Complement: 1,181 B A T T L E C R U I S E R W a r s h i p s o f t h e Royal Navy Courageous Class (1916) History: The Courageous class was designed in early 1915 to meet the requirements of the First Sea Lord, Admiral ‘Jackie’ Fisher, for his proposed Baltic Project. The Baltic Project was a plan to land a substantial land force onto the beaches of Pomerania on the North German coast, less than 100 miles from Berlin. To support this project a large specialist fleet would be required. One requirement was for a ship with a powerful armament, large enough to maintain speed in heavy weather, a speed of at least 32 knots, and a shallow draught so they could operate close inshore. In February 1915 plans were put forward for a smaller version of the Renown class but with only two gun turrets, and to achieve the shallow draught armour protection was only the equivalent of a light cruiser, although further protection was provided by anti-torpedo bulges. The secondary armament would consist of eighteen 4 inch guns fitted in six triple mounts, the same used for Renown and Repulse. The proposed landing of troops on the German Baltic coast was soon shelved after Fisher resigned his post, but three ships were built. Courageous and Glorious entered service in the autumn of 1916, but Furious was redesigned to carry two 18 inch guns, but as she neared completion in 1917 she was modified again to conduct trials as an aircraft carriers. Courageous and Glorious were also converted into aircraft carriers in the 1920s. Technical Details: Displacement: 19,200 tons • Dimensions: Length 735 ft, Beam 81 ins, Draught: 24 ft 3 ins Machinery: Geared turbines developing 90,000 shp • Performance: Maximum Speed 32 knots Range 4,500 miles • Armour: 2 - 3 inch belt, 7 inch barbettes, 13 inch turrets, ½ - 1½ inch decks • Armament: 4 x 15 inch, 18 x 4 inch • Complement: 830 W a r s h i p s o f t h e Royal Navy B A T T L E C R U I S E R HMS Hood (1920) History: The design of the Admiral Class battlecruisers had been prepared during the first half of World War One, but in mid 1916 was reworked to incorporate an additional 5,000 tons of armour after the loss of three such ships at the Battle of Jutland in late May. Four ships were laid down, but work was suspended on three in March 1917 and work on the fourth, Hood, was given low priority. In February 1919 the decision was taken to cancel the ships except for Hood, which entered service in May 1920, and at the time was the largest capital ship in the Royal Navy. Hood became a familiar sight to the public between the wars, spending a great deal of time on cruises and flying the flag around the world, in particular a world cruise between November 1923 and September 1924. By 1939 the shipwas in poor shape and in need of a major refit, but the outbreak of war made this impossible. In May 1941 Hood sailed from Scapa Flow with the battleship Prince of Wales to the Denmark Straits to intercept the German battleship Bismarck. On the 23rd Hood made contact at 05.37 hours. Shortly after both sides opened fire, and just after 06.00 hrs Hood erupted in a devastating explosion and sank. Technical Details: Displacement: 48,360 tons • Dimensions: Length 860 ft 7 ins, Beam 104 ft 2 ins • Draught: 33 ft 1 ins • Machinery: Geared turbines developing 150,000 shp, Four shafts • Performance: Maximum Speed: 29 knots • Range: 6,100 nautical miles • Armour: 5 - 12 inch belt, 2 - 3 inch decks, 5 - 15 inch turrets, 12 inch barbettes • Armament: 8 x 15 inch, 14 x 4 inch dual purpose guns, 3 x octuple 2 pounder pom poms, 5 x 20 barrel UP mounts • Complement: 1,418 W a r s h i p s o f t h e Royal Navy B A T T L E C R U I S E R