HMS Devonshire was a 10,850 ton Devonshire-class

Devonshire class cruiser (1903)

The Devonshire class was a class of six armoured cruisers of the British Royal Navy, launched in 1903–1904 at a cost of around £850,000 each....

 armoured cruiser 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...

 built at Chatham Dockyard and launched on 30 April 1904. She was the lead ship of her class, and like her sisters, served in the First World War.

Following completion in 1905 she began active service with the Channel Fleet

Channel Fleet

The Channel Fleet was the Royal Navy formation of warships that defended the waters of the English Channel from 1690 to 1909.-History:The Channel Fleet dates back at least to 1690 when its role was to defend England against the French threat under the leadership of Edward Russell, 1st Earl of...

, and between 1907 and 1914 operated as a unit of the Atlantic and Home Fleets. During the first two years of the First World War, Devonshire served with the Grand Fleet, primarily performing patrol duties in the northern North Sea

North Sea

In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...

. Between 1916 and 1918 she was assigned to Western waters. She survived to be sold on 9 May 1921 to Ward of Barrow for breaking up, which was carried out in October 1923.