HMS Barfleur was a predreadnought second-class battleship

Battleship

A battleship is a large armored warship with a main battery consisting of heavy caliber guns. Battleships were larger, better armed and armored than cruisers and destroyers. As the largest armed ships in a fleet, battleships were used to attain command of the sea and represented the apex of a...

 of the Royal Navy

Royal Navy

The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...

. She was part of the three-ship Centurion class

Centurion class battleship

The Centurion class battleships were second-class pre-dreadnought battleships of the Royal Navy designed for service on distant stations.-Description:...

, designed for long-range patrolling of the United Kingdom's far-flung empire. She mainly saw service in the Mediterranean and Home Fleet, along with Service at China Station

China Station

The China Station was a historical formation of the British Royal Navy. It was formally the units and establishments responsible to the Commander-in-Chief, China....

, where she participated in ending the Boxer Rebellion

Boxer Rebellion

The Boxer Rebellion, also called the Boxer Uprising by some historians or the Righteous Harmony Society Movement in northern China, was a proto-nationalist movement by the "Righteous Harmony Society" , or "Righteous Fists of Harmony" or "Society of Righteous and Harmonious Fists" , in China between...

. She was flagship of the Home Fleet from 1906 to 1907, and was scrapped in 1910. However, on her way to the scrapyard, she got jammed underneath the pylons of a drawbridge, forcing it to remain open and blocking traffic while she had to be freed.

She was armed with four 10-inch (254-mm) guns in two barbettes, had ten 4.7-inch (120-mm) secondary armament and seven torpedo tubes. She was protected by a 12-inch (305-mm) belt of compound armour, closed with 8-inch (203-mm) bulkheads. She stored 1,125 tons of coal, giving her a range of 6000 nautical miles (11,112 km) at 10 knots (19.6 km/h). Her white painted hull had a curiously blue hue, leading to her nickname of the "Farbluer".

Technical Description

HMS Barfleur was laid down at Chatham Dockyard

Chatham Dockyard

Chatham Dockyard, located on the River Medway and of which two-thirds is in Gillingham and one third in Chatham, Kent, England, came into existence at the time when, following the Reformation, relations with the Catholic countries of Europe had worsened, leading to a requirement for additional...

 on 12 October 1890 and launched on 10 August 1892. She completed trials in June 1894.

She was armed with four 10-inch (254-mm) guns in two barbettes, had ten 4.7-inch (120-mm) secondary armament and seven torpedo tubes. She was protected by a 12-inch (305-mm) belt of compound armour, closed with 8-inch (203-mm) bulkheads. She stored 1,125 tons of coal, giving her a range of 6000 nautical miles (11,112 km) at 10 knots (19.6 km/h). Her white painted hull had a curiously blue hue, leading to her nickname of the "Farbluer."

Barfleur underwent a reconstruction between 1902 and 1904 in which her 4.7-inch (120-mm) guns were replaced by 6-inch (152-mm) guns in armored casemates, the additional weight being compensated for by reductions in her masts and the removal of all five of her above-water torpedo tube

Torpedo tube

A torpedo tube is a device for launching torpedoes. There are two main types of torpedo tube: underwater tubes fitted to submarines and some surface ships, and deck-mounted units installed aboard surface vessels...

s. She was slightly slower, capable of about 16.75 knots (31.02 km/h), after this refit.

Operational history

HMS Barfleur commissioned at Chatham

Chatham Dockyard

Chatham Dockyard, located on the River Medway and of which two-thirds is in Gillingham and one third in Chatham, Kent, England, came into existence at the time when, following the Reformation, relations with the Catholic countries of Europe had worsened, leading to a requirement for additional...

 on 22 June 1894 for Fleet Reserve service. She fully commissioned at Chatham temporarily in July 1894, and participated in annual fleet maneuvers in July and August 1894. On 1 September 1894, she paid off into reserve.

Barfleur commissioned at Chatham on 26 February 1895 for a tour of duty with the Mediterranean Fleet

Mediterranean Fleet

Several countries have or have had a Mediterranean Fleet in their navy. See:* Mediterranean Fleet * French Mediterranean Fleet* Mediterranean Squadron * United States Sixth Fleet...

. She departed England on 19 March 1895 and arrived at Gibraltar

Gibraltar

Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...

 on 23 March 1895, where she relieved battleship HMS Sans Pareil

HMS Sans Pareil (1887)

HMS Sans Pareil was a Victoria Class battleship of the British Royal Navy of the Victorian era, her only sister-ship being .In deciding upon her design configuration the Board of Admiralty took what history shows was a retrograde step by requesting the reversion from barbettes to turrets for her...

 in the Mediterranean Fleet. She was temporarily based at Gibraltar to undergo work-ups, then proceeded to Malta

Malta

Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...

 where she arrived on 27 July 1895 to begin her Mediterranean

Mediterranean Sea

The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...

 service. On 15 February 1897 she assisted in the Allied occupation of Candia

Heraklion

Heraklion, or Heraclion is the largest city and the administrative capital of the island of Crete, Greece. It is the 4th largest city in Greece....

, Crete

Crete

Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...

, and thereafter was part of the International Squadron

International Squadron

The International Squadron can refer to:*International Squadron, a fighter unit led by Claire Chennault in China*120 Squadron of the Israeli Air Force*International Squadron a 1941 film starring Ronald Reagan...

 blockading Crete during the Greco-Turkish uprising there.

In 1898, Barfleur was loaned to the China Station

China Station

The China Station was a historical formation of the British Royal Navy. It was formally the units and establishments responsible to the Commander-in-Chief, China....

, departing Malta for those duties on 6 February 1898; the loan later became a permanent transfer. She arrived at Singapore

Singapore

Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...

 on 4 March 1898. From Singapore, she escorted destroyer

Destroyer

In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...

s HMS Fame and HMS Whiting

HMS Whiting (1896)

HMS Whiting was a Star-class destroyer of the three-funneled "C" type in the Royal Navy. She was launched by Palmers in 1896, served during World War I and was broken up after the end of hostilities in 1919....

 to Hong Kong

Hong Kong

Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...

, where she took up her China Station duties.

On 1 October 1898, Barfleur recommissioned at Hong Kong for China Station service and to become the flagship

Flagship

A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships, reflecting the custom of its commander, characteristically a flag officer, flying a distinguishing flag...

 of the station's second-in-command. She took part in Allied operations in north China during the Boxer Rebellion

Boxer Rebellion

The Boxer Rebellion, also called the Boxer Uprising by some historians or the Righteous Harmony Society Movement in northern China, was a proto-nationalist movement by the "Righteous Harmony Society" , or "Righteous Fists of Harmony" or "Society of Righteous and Harmonious Fists" , in China between...

 in 1899 and 1900, and between 31 May 1900 and September 1900 supported the storming of the Peking forts and the relief of the foreign legations at Tientsin. Admiral of the Fleet Earl Beatty

Earl Beatty

Earl Beatty is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1919 for the prominent naval commander Admiral of the Fleet David Beatty. He was created Baron Beatty, of the North Sea and of Brooksby in the County of Leicester, and Viscount Borodale, of Wexford in the County of...

 was serving as a commander aboard Barfleur when he was wounded at Tientsin during operations onshore.

In September 1900, battleship HMS Albion

HMS Albion (1898)

HMS Albion was a British Canopus-class predreadnought battleship.-Technical Description:HMS Albion was laid down by Thames Iron Works at Leamouth, London on 3 December 1896...

 relieved Barfleur as flagship of the second-in-command of the China Station. Barfleur ended her China Station service in November 1901, departing Hong Kong on 11 November 1901 and arriving at Plymouth on 31 December 1901. On 22 January 1902, she paid off at Devonport

Devonport, Devon

Devonport, formerly named Plymouth Dock or just Dock, is a district of Plymouth in the English county of Devon, although it was, at one time, the more important settlement. It became a county borough in 1889...

 for the extensive refit of 1902-1904 described above, including the installation of new guns. In May 1904, she was placed in reserve.

Barfleur temporarily commissioned during her refit on 18 July 1904 to participate in that year's annual maneuvers. During them, she suffered slight damage when she collided with battleship HMS Canopus

HMS Canopus

Two ships of the British Royal Navy have been named HMS Canopus :* The first Canopus was an 80-gun third rate French ship of the line launched in 1797, captured at the Battle of the Nile, and commissioned into the Royal Navy. She was scrapped in 1887...

 in Mount's Bay

Mount's Bay

Mount's Bay is a large, sweeping bay on the English Channel coast of Cornwall in the United Kingdom, stretching from the Lizard Point to Gwennap Head on the eastern side of the Land's End peninsula. Towards the middle of the bay is St Michael's Mount...

. After the maneuvers, she paid off at Devonport on 8 September 1904, and her refit resumed. It was completed in February 1905.

On 21 February 1905, Barfleur recommissioned to take a new crew out to battleship HMS Vengeance

HMS Vengeance (1899)

HMS Vengeance was a Royal Navy predreadnought battleship of the Canopus class.-Technical Characteristics:HMS Vengeance was laid down by Vickers at Barrow-in-Furness on 23 August 1898 and launched on 25 July 1899. Her completion was delayed by damage to the fitting-out dock, and she was not...

, then serving on the China Station. Barfleur and Vengeance rendezvoused at Colombo

Colombo

Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo...

, Ceylon, on 30 March 1905. Vengeance's old crew then steamed Barfleur back to the United Kingdom. Barfleur arrived at Portsmouth on 7 May 1905 and paid off there on 9 May 1905.

On 10 May 1905, Barfleur recommissioned with a nucleus crew at Portsmouth to serve as Flagship, Rear Admiral, Portsmouth Division of the Reserve Fleet. In June 1905, she took six officers and 105 enlisted men of the London Division of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve on a training cruise.

On 28 November 1905, she transferred her crew to battleship HMS Duncan

HMS Duncan (1901)

HMS Duncan was the lead ship of the six-ship Duncan class of Royal Navy predreadnought battleships.-Technical Description:HMS Duncan was laid down by Thames Ironworks and Shipbuilding Company, Leamouth, on 10 July 1899, launched on 21 March 1901, and completed in October 1903.Duncan and her five...

 and recommissioned for further service as Flagship, Rear Admiral, Portsmouth Division of the Reserve Fleet, with a new nucleus crew. She underwent a refit in 1905-1906 and took part in annual maneuvers in June 1906.

Barfleur recommissioned for the same service on 20 September 1906. When the Reserve Fleet was abolished at the end of 1906 and replaced by a new Home Fleet, Barfleur became Flagship, Rear Admiral, Portsmouth Division of the Home Fleet. Battleship HMS Prince George

HMS Prince George

Four ships of the Royal Navy have been named HMS Prince George:*HMS Prince George was a 90-gun second-rate ship of the line. She was launched in 1682 as HMS Duke but was rebuilt and renamed in 1701 after the future George II of Great Britain...

 relieved her as flagship in 1907, and Barfleur paid off on 4 March 1907.

Barfleur recommissioned on 5 March 1907 with a new nucleus crew to serve as parent ship of special service vessels in the Portsmouth Division, Home Fleet. The special service vessels were transferred to the 4th Division, Home Fleet, in March 1909; in April 1909, Barfleur ceased her service as their parent ship.

Impressive as they were upon their completion, ships such as Barfleur were entirely outclassed by the new dreadnought

Dreadnought

The dreadnought was the predominant type of 20th-century battleship. The first of the kind, the Royal Navy's had such an impact when launched in 1906 that similar battleships built after her were referred to as "dreadnoughts", and earlier battleships became known as pre-dreadnoughts...

s that began to appear in 1906. In June 1909, Barfleur paid off at Portsmouth, was removed from the active last, and was towed to the Motherbank

Motherbank

The Motherbank is a shallow sandbar off the northeast coast of the county Isle of Wight in the United Kingdom. It lies in The Solent between Cowes and Ryde....

, where was moored awaiting disposal. On 12 July 1910 she was sold for scrapping.

Barfleur had an eventful trip to the scrapyard, becoming jammed between the piers of a swing bridge at Newcastle upon Tyne

Newcastle upon Tyne

Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...

 on 5 August 1910 while under tow up the River Tyne

River Tyne

The River Tyne is a river in North East England in Great Britain. It is formed by the confluence of two rivers: the North Tyne and the South Tyne. These two rivers converge at Warden Rock near Hexham in Northumberland at a place dubbed 'The Meeting of the Waters'.The North Tyne rises on the...

, forcing the bridge to remain open, blocking all road traffic until she could be freed. She resumed her trip after some of her fittings were cut away to allow her to clear the bridge. She was scrapped at Blyth

Blyth, Northumberland

Blyth is a town and civil parish in southeast Northumberland, England. It lies on the coast, to the south of the River Blyth and is approximately 21 kilometres  northeast of Newcastle upon Tyne...

.