H.M.S. Bulwark (1899)

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H.M.S. Bulwark (1899)
Pendant Number: 95 (1914)[1]
Builder: Devonport Royal Dockyard[2]
Ordered: 1898-99 Programme[3]
Laid down: 20 Mar, 1899[4]
Launched: 18 Oct, 1899[5]
Completed: Mar, 1902[6]
Commissioned: 11 Mar, 1902[7]
Exploded: 26 Nov, 1914[8]
Fate: in Medway

H.M.S. Bulwark was a pre-dreadnought battleship of the Royal Navy completed in 1902.

Service

Bulwark commissioned at Devonport on 18 March, 1902, under Captain Frederick T. Hamilton, to relieve Royal Oak in the Mediterranean, where she would become flagship of the Commander-in-Chief.[9] On 1 May Admiral Sir Compton E. Domvile hoisted his flag in her, before going on leave.[10] She recommissioned at Devonport under Commander Edward M. Phillpotts, acting Flag Captain to Admiral Lord Charles Beresford.

In May, 1905, Captain Osmond de B. Brock was appointed in command. Paid off in March, 1907, Bulwark was recommissioned as flagship of Rear-Admiral Frank Finnis, Rear-Admiral in the Nore Division, Home Fleet. Captain Bertram M. Chambers took command, with the crew from the paid-off battleship Resolution.

On 4 June, 1912, Captain Herbert Chatterton commissioned Bulwark at Chatham, for service in the Fifth Battle Squadron.[11]

Loss

A Court of Enquiry was ordered by the Commander-in-Chief at the Nore, Admiral Sir Richard Poore, Bart., on the same day of the disaster. Rear-Admiral Ernest F. A. Gaunt, commanding the Naval Barracks, served as President. Captains Charles E. Le Mesurier of Cornwallis and John G. Armstrong of London were the other members. They reported on 28 November, opening with:

We desire to point out that this enquiry is not exhaustive but has been hastened to report as soon as possible the cause of the explosion on board; more information might be gained if time were given for the survivors to be sufficiently recovered to sustain a searching examination. Also an exhaustive technical enquiry is required into the cordite supplied to H.M.S. "BULWARK" and the probable result of this cordite some of which was 13 years old having been probably exposed for hours at a time to a temperature considerably over 70° Fahrenheit.[12]

After surveying the available evidence, however, they believed that the immediate cause of the loss of the ship was not the stability or otherwise of the cordite:

The Court regretfully comes to the conclusion that blame is attributable to the dead Officers responsible for the Gunnery Department of the ship for allowing cordite charges not in cases and uncovered to be left in the ammunition cross passages when the men went to their breakfast.[13]

Radio

At the end of 1909, she was to receive one of eleven Short Distance Radio Sets, to be installed at her next refit behind armour near the fore bridge, intended to supplant flag signaling.[14] She apparently did not have this equipment in December, 1912, though such gear may have become standard equipment for battleships sometime afterward.[15] In mid-1913, this gear was redesignated as Type 3.[16]

Torpedoes

In 1904, in a competition to investigate how rapidly submerged tubes could be fired four times sequentially, starting with the tube loaded and the bar out, the ship's crew was able to do this in 2 minute, 2 seconds, later improved to 1 minute 35 seconds. The best time was achieved by Cressy at 50.75 seconds, though 2:30 was more typical.[17]

Alterations

In 1913 it was approved that Bulwark receive a Mark III Dumaresq, Pattern 760. Having been supplied with the Mark III variant, she was to surrender a Mark I instrument.[18]

Captains

Dates of appointment are provided when known.

See Also

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Dittmar; Colledge. British Warships 1914–1919. p. 30.
  2. ↑ Dittmar; Colledge. British Warships 1914–1919. p. 30.
  3. ↑ Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905. p. 37.
  4. ↑ Burt. British Battleships: 1889-1904. p. 215.
  5. ↑ Dittmar; Colledge. British Warships 1914–1919. p. 30.
  6. ↑ Burt. British Battleships: 1889-1904. p. 215.
  7. ↑ "Naval & Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Wednesday, 19 March, 1902. Issue 36719, col D, p. 8.
  8. ↑ Dittmar; Colledge. British Warships 1914–1919. p. 30.
  9. ↑ "Naval & Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Wednesday, 19 March, 1902. Issue 36719, col D, p. 8.
  10. ↑ "Naval & Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Friday, 2 May, 1902. Issue 36757, col C, p. 8.
  11. ↑ "Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Tuesday, 4 June, 1912. Issue 39916, col C, p. 6.
  12. ↑ Gaunt et al. to Poore. 2170/050 of 28 November, 1914. The National Archives. ADM 116/1370.
  13. ↑ Ibid.
  14. ↑ Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1909. Wireless Appendix, p. 25.
  15. ↑ Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1912. W/T Appendix, p. 8.
  16. ↑ Admiralty Weekly Order No. 306 of 20 June, 1913.
  17. ↑ Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1904. pp. 45-7.
  18. ↑ Admiralty Weekly Orders. "283.—Instruments, Rate of Change, Dumaresq, Mark III, Pattern 760—Supply of, to certain Ships." N.S. 2066/13.—6.6.1913. The National Archives. ADM 182/4.
  19. ↑ "Naval & Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Wednesday, 5 March, 1902. Issue 36707, col E, p. 5.
  20. ↑ Hamilton Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/19. f. 335.
  21. ↑ Phillpotts Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 170.
  22. ↑ Phillpotts Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 170.
  23. ↑ The Navy List. (November, 1905). p. 288.
  24. ↑ "Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Monday, 24 April, 1905. Issue 37689, col C, p. 8.
  25. ↑ Brock Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 49.
  26. ↑ "Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Monday, 11 February, 1907. Issue 38253, col E, p. 6.
  27. ↑ Chambers Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 407.
  28. ↑ The Navy List. (January, 1908). p. 288.
  29. ↑ Leveson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 472.
  30. ↑ Leveson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 472.
  31. ↑ Scott Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 501.
  32. ↑ Scott Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 501.
  33. ↑ The Navy List. (January, 1910). p. 288.
  34. ↑ Yelverton Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 135.
  35. ↑ Yelverton Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 135.
  36. ↑ Foot Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/88. f. 129.
  37. ↑ "Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Monday, 14 February, 1910. Issue 39195, col C, p. 7.
  38. ↑ Hope Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 44.
  39. ↑ Hope Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 23/44.
  40. ↑ Smith Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 295.
  41. ↑ The Navy List. (April, 1911). p. 289. Date is 24th in here.
  42. ↑ Smith Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 295.
  43. ↑ "Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Tuesday, 4 June, 1912. Issue 39916, col C, p. 6.
  44. ↑ The Navy List. (August, 1912). p. 289.
  45. ↑ Chatterton Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 170.
  46. ↑ The Navy List. (December, 1914). p. 287.
  47. ↑ Sclater Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/20. f. 21.
  48. ↑ Kindell. Royal Navy Roll of Honour Part 2. p. 50.
  49. ↑ Sclater Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/20. f. 21.

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
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