H.M.S. Queen (1902)

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H.M.S. Queen (1902)
Pendant Number: 82 (1914)
96 (Jan 1918)[1]
Builder: Devonport Royal Dockyard
Ordered: 1900-01 Programme[2]
Laid down: 12 Mar, 1901[3]
Launched: 8 Mar, 1902[4]
Completed: Mar, 1904[5]
Commissioned: 7 Apr, 1904[6]
Sold: 4 Nov, 1920[7]
Fate: Scrapped

Completed in 1904, H.M.S. Queen was one of five London class pre-dreadnought battleships. She is sometimes considered the lead ship in a two-ship class, along with H.M.S. Prince of Wales.[8]

Service

The Queen was commissioned at Devonport on 7 April, 1904, by Captain Alfred L. Winsloe, to relieve Russell on the Mediterranean Station.[9]

She recommissioned at Devonport 15 May, 1912.[10]

Gallipoli

Operating with the Fifth Battle Squadron in 1915, she bombarded shore positions. On 5 October, Captain Herbert A. Adam forwarded a detailed report the methods employed.[11] The ship preferred to aim at a conspicuous object near the target in train and in elevation by "Waterline", "Skyline" or "Crest" (the last being the peak of the first hill). Thereafter, offsets in range and deflection were applied to find the target. When no object was so distinct as to be easily used in this way (as was usually the case), a bearing would be passed, e.g., "Bearing, Green 85. Waterline."

A single ranging gun would be used and spotted onto the target. If more fire were then required, all guns would train on the last burst and the previous elevation employed. Sometimes it proved necessary to choose aim points far from the target to avoid smoke interference with successive shots. In some cases, other methods were used to allow a quicker firing, and this resulted in spreads in direction of about 100 yards at a range of 8,000 yards. Allowance for target elevations being above sea level were accomplished by use of tables for the target altitude versus range or, as was found to be quickest and most accurate, by computing corrections based on angular difference between point of aim and target.

The ship used Fore Top for control and added a crows nest high up on the mast for observation. Desired spreads for deflection could be effected by voicepipe from the T.S. to different guns.

The ship had also used special attachments to divert sighting scopes downward by 8.5 degrees and to tweak their range dials to permit ranges in excess of the sight's graduations. This permitted ranges of 19,000 yards on 12-in guns and 13,500 yards for the 6-in guns by listing the ship 8 degrees away from the target. Ordinarily, her 12-in guns would have been limited to 15,000 yards range.[12] However, this super-elevation innovation was never actually employed.

Captains

Dates of appointment are provided when known.

See Also

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Dittmar; Colledge. British Warships 1914–1919. p. 30.
  2. ↑ Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905. p. 37.
  3. ↑ Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905. p. 37.
  4. ↑ Dittmar; Colledge. British Warships 1914–1919. p. 30.
  5. ↑ Burt. British Battleships: 1889-1904. p. 253.
  6. ↑ "Naval & Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Friday, 8 April, 1904. Issue 37363, col C, p. 5.
  7. ↑ Dittmar; Colledge. British Warships 1914–1919. p. 30.
  8. ↑ Burt. British Battleships: 1889-1904. pp. 248-263.
  9. ↑ "Naval & Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Friday, 8 April, 1904. Issue 37363, col C, p. 5.
  10. ↑ The Navy List. (April, 1914). p. 363.
  11. ↑ The National Archives. ADM 1/8440/335, Enclosure 1.
  12. ↑ The Sight Manual. 1916. p. 108.
  13. ↑ "Naval & Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Friday, 8 April, 1904. Issue 37363, col C, p. 5.
  14. ↑ Winsloe Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/18. f. 541.
  15. ↑ Bayly Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/39. f. 84.
  16. ↑ Bayly Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/19. f. 444.
  17. ↑ The Navy List. (October, 1908). p. 363.
  18. ↑ Troubridge Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 78.
  19. ↑ Troubridge Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 78.
  20. ↑ The Navy List. (January, 1910). p. 363.
  21. ↑ Beatty Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 156.
  22. ↑ Beatty Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 156.
  23. ↑ Gaunt Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 276.
  24. ↑ The Navy List. (April, 1911). p. 363.
  25. ↑ Gaunt Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/20. f. 575.
  26. ↑ Sheppard Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 393.
  27. ↑ Sheppard Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 393.
  28. ↑ Williamson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 22.
  29. ↑ The Navy List. (August, 1912). p. 364.
  30. ↑ Williamson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 22.
  31. ↑ The Navy List. (April, 1914). p. 363.
  32. ↑ McClintock Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 459.
  33. ↑ The Navy List. (October, 1915). p. 397f.
  34. ↑ Adam Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 232.
  35. ↑ Adam Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 232.
  36. ↑ The Navy List. (December, 1916). p. 397e.
  37. ↑ Eardley-Wilmot Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49/159. f. ?.
  38. ↑ Eardley-Wilmot Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/49/159. f. ?.

Bibliography

  • Dittmar, F.J.; Colledge, J.J. (1972). British Warships 1914–1919. London: Ian Allan.
  • Parkes, O.B.E., Ass.I.N.A., Dr. Oscar (1990). British Battleships 1860–1950. London: Pen & Sword Ltd. ISBN 0850526043. (on Bookfinder.com).
  • Preston, Antony (1972). Battleships of World War I. New York, NY: Galahad Books. ISBN 0883653001.


London Class Pre-dreadnought
Bulwark London Venerable Prince of Wales Queen
<– Formidable Class Battleships (UK) Duncan Class –>


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