King Edward VII class battleship
Encyclopedia
The King Edward VII class was a class
of pre-dreadnought
battleship
s launched by the Royal Navy
between 1903 and 1905.
By 1901, the 29 British battleships of the Majestic
, Canopus
, Formidable
, London
, Queen
, and Duncan
classes then in service or under construction, all following the same basic design by Sir William White
, had come under criticism as being undergunned for their displacement.
All the King Edwards had four 12 inch (305 mm) guns in two twin turrets and a secondary armament of twelve 6 inch (152 mm) guns on a displacement of 13,000 to 15,000 tons; questions were beginning to arise as to the usefulness of 6 inch (152 mm) guns in the face of improved armor in foreign battleships, and it was noted that foreign navies such as those of Italy
and the United States
had begun to arm their battleships with an intermediate battery of 8 inch (203 mm) guns. The King Edward VII class was built as a response, with the intention of halting the gap in firepower and maintaining the dominance of the Royal Navy.
Like the classes in between, the King Edward VII class was a direct descendant of the Majestic class, but it was also the first class to make a significant departure from the Majestic design, displacing about 1,000 tons more and mounting for the first time an intermediate battery of four 9.2 inch (234 mm) guns in addition to the standard outfit of 12 inch (305 mm) and 6 inch (152 mm) guns. The 9.2 inch gun was quick-firing like the 6 inch, and its heavier shell made it a formidable weapon by the standards of the day when the King Edward VII class was designed. The four 9.2 inch guns were mounted in single turrets abreast the foremast and mainmast, and the ships thus could bring two of them to bear on either broadside. Even then, the King Edwards were criticised for not having a uniform secondary battery of 9.2 inch guns, something considered but rejected because of the length of time it would have taken to design the ships with such a radical revision of the secondary armament layout; an all-9.2-inch secondary battery would have to await the Lord Nelson class
. In the end, it proved impossible to distinguish 12 inch and 9.2 inch shell splashes from one another, making fire control impractical for ships mounting both calibres, although the King Edwards had fire-control platforms on their fore- and mainmasts rather than the fighting tops of earlier classes.
The first five ships (Commonwealth
, Dominion
, Hindustan
, King Edward VII, and New Zealand/Zealandia
) mounted the Mark IX 12 inch (305 mm) gun, while the final three (Africa
, Britannia
, and Hibernia
) mounted the more advanced Mark X 12 inch (305 mm). Mounting of the 6 inch guns in casemate
s was abandoned in this class, the 6 inch instead being placed in a central battery amidships protected by 7 inch (178 mm) armoured walls. Otherwise, armour was much as in the London class, although there were various differences in detail from the Londons.
had oil sprayers installed during construction, the first time this had been done in British
battleships. These allowed steam pressure to be rapidly increased, improving the acceleration of the ships. The eight ships between them were given four different boiler installations for comparative purposes, but all exceeded their designed power, making between 18.1 and 19.3 knots (37.8 km/h) on trials.
battleships that commissioned in succeeding years, although Commonwealth
was reconstructed in 1917–1918 with all the trappings of modern battleships, so as to provide an adequate gunnery training platform. By 1914, the King Edward VII class was, like all pre-dreadnoughts, so outclassed that they spent much of their Grand Fleet service steaming at the heads of divisions of the far more valuable dreadnoughts, protecting the dreadnoughts from naval mines by being the first battleships to either sight or strike them.
The King Edward VIIs served together as a tactical unit during much of their careers, operating in the Atlantic Fleet
, Channel Fleet
, and Home Fleet before World War I
. They formed the 3rd Battle Squadron
in 1912, with individual ships leaving the squadron between 1916 and 1918. The squadron served in the Mediterranean
during the First Balkan War
in 1912–1913 and in the Grand Fleet for most of the first half of World War I
, although it was detached to the Channel Fleet for a time in 1914 and two ships served in the Dardanelles Campaign
(1915–1916). The ships were treated as expendable while with the Grand Fleet, which routinely placed them at the heads of divisions of the more valuable dreadnought
s to protect the dreadnoughts by watching for mines or being the first to strike mines. The 3rd Battle Squadron left the Grand Fleet in 1916; as it gradually broke up between 1916 and 1918, some ships served in the Adriatic Sea
and Atlantic
, while others performed subsidiary duties in home wates or went into reserve. Two were lost during World War I
and those that survived the war were sold for scrapping in 1920 and 1921.
(1906–1907), Channel Fleet
(1907–1908), and Home Fleet (1908–1914); in 1912 experiments with aircraft, she became the first large British warship ever to launch an aircraft (from a flying-off platform on her deck). She was part of the 3rd Battle Squadron
(1912–1916), which was detached from the Home Fleet for service in the Mediterranean
during the First Balkan War
in 1912–1913. The 3rd Battle Squadron's World War I
service was in the Grand Fleet (1914), the Channel Fleet (1914), and Grand Fleet again (1914–1916). Africa then served in the Atlantic 1917–1918, then was in reserve until sold for scrapping in 1920.
(1906–1907), Channel Fleet
(1907–1909), and Home Fleet (1909–1914). She was part of the 3rd Battle Squadron
(1912–1913), which was detached from the Home Fleet for service in the Mediterranean
during the First Balkan War
in 1912–1913. She returned to the 3rd Battle Squadron for its World War I
service in the Grand Fleet (1914), the Channel Fleet (1914), and Grand Fleet again (1914–1916). Britannia then served in the Adriatic Sea
(1916–1917) and Atlantic
(1917–1918). She was torpedoed and sunk just two days before the armistice, on 9 November 1918 by German
submarine
UB-50 off Cape Trafalgar
, with the loss of 50 dead and 80 injured. She was the last British warship lost in World War I.
(1905–1907), Channel Fleet
(1907–1909), and Home Fleet (1909–1914). She was part of the 3rd Battle Squadron
(1912–1917), which was detached from the Home Fleet for service in the Mediterranean
during the First Balkan War
in 1912–1913. The 3rd Battle Squadron's World War I
service was in the Grand Fleet (1914), the Channel Fleet (1914), and Grand Fleet again (1914–1916), then in the Nore Command (1916–1917). Commonwealth served on the Northern Patrol
(1918), then as a seagoing gunnery training ship (1918–1921). She was sold for scrapping in 1921.
(1905–1907), Channel Fleet
(1907–1909), and Home Fleet (1909–1914). She was part of the 3rd Battle Squadron
(1912–1918), which was detached from the Home Fleet for service in the Mediterranean
during the First Balkan War
in 1912–1913. The 3rd Battle Squadron's World War I
service was in the Grand Fleet (1914), the Channel Fleet (1914), and Grand Fleet again (1914–1916), then in the Nore Command (1916–1918). Dominion served in subsidiary duties (1918–1919) and was sold for scrapping in 1921.
(1906–1907), Channel Fleet
(1907–1909), and Home Fleet (1909–1914); in 1912 she conducted experiments with flying off aircraft, She was part of the 3rd Battle Squadron
(1912–1917), which was detached from the Home Fleet for service in the Mediterranean
during the First Balkan War
in 1912–1913. The 3rd Battle Squadron's World War I
service was in the Grand Fleet (1914), the Channel Fleet (1914), Grand Fleet again (1914–1916)—Hibernia was part of a division of the squadron detached to the Dardanelles Campaign
(1915–1916)—and Nore Command (1916–1917). Hibernia was in reserve 1917–1919 and was sold for scrapping in 1921.
(1905–1907), Channel Fleet
(1907–1909), and Home Fleet (1909–1914). She was part of the 3rd Battle Squadron
(1912–1918), which was detached from the Home Fleet for service in the Mediterranean
during the First Balkan War
in 1912–1913. The 3rd Battle Squadron's World War I
service was in the Grand Fleet (1914), the Channel Fleet (1914), and Grand Fleet again (1914–1916), then in the Nore Command (1916–1918). Hindustan then served in subsidiary duties (1918), went into reserve (1918–1919), and was sold for scrapping in 1921.
throughout her career. She served in the Atlantic Fleet
(1905–1907), Channel Fleet
(1907–1909), and Home Fleet (1908–1914). She was part of the 3rd Battle Squadron
(1912–1916), which was detached from the Home Fleet for service in the Mediterranean
during the First Balkan War
in 1912–1913. The 3rd Battle Squadron's World War I
service was in the Grand Fleet (1914), the Channel Fleet (1914), and Grand Fleet again (1914–1916). On 6 January 1916 she struck a mine off Cape Wrath
; her engine rooms flooded and she capsized nine hours later and sank without loss of life.
In August of 2001 a team of British divers led by Deep shipwreck explorer Leigh Bishop and Captain John Thornton discovered the wreck location of the King Edward VII. Along with the international diving Team Starfish Enterprise successfully explored the wreck in a depth of 115m using open circuit scuba. The expedition marked a milestone in diving history being the first expedition of its kind to explore a shipwreck in European waters deeper than 100m by amateur divers.
(1905–1907), Channel Fleet
(1907–1909), and Home Fleet (1909–1914); she was renamed Zealandia in 1911 to allow battlecruiser
HMS New Zealand
to use her original name. She was part of the 3rd Battle Squadron
(1912–1917), which was detached from the Home Fleet for service in the Mediterranean
during the First Balkan War
in 1912–1913. The 3rd Battle Squadron's World War I
service was in the Grand Fleet (1914), the Channel Fleet (1914), Grand Fleet again (1914–1916)—Zealandia was part of a division of the squadron detached to the Dardanelles Campaign
(1915–1916)—and Nore Command (1916–1917). Zealandia was in reserve 1917–1919 and was sold for scrapping in 1921.
Ship class
A ship class is a group of ships of a similar design. This is distinct from a ship-type, which might reflect a similarity of tonnage or intended use. For example, the is a nuclear aircraft carrier of the Nimitz class....
of pre-dreadnought
Pre-dreadnought
Pre-dreadnought battleship is the general term for all of the types of sea-going battleships built between the mid-1890s and 1905. Pre-dreadnoughts replaced the ironclad warships of the 1870s and 1880s...
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...
s launched by 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...
between 1903 and 1905.
Armament
Majestic class battleship
The Majestic class was a class of pre-dreadnought battleships, built under the Spencer Programme of 8 December 1893, that sought to counter the growing naval strength of France and the Russian Empire...
, Canopus
Canopus class battleship
The Canopus class was a group of six pre-dreadnought battleships of the Royal Navy which were designed by Sir William White for use in the Far East and entered service between 1899 and 1902. The lead ship was which was followed by , , , and...
, Formidable
Formidable class battleship
The Royal Navy's Formidable class battleships was an eight-ship class of pre-dreadnoughts designed by Sir William White and built in the late 1890s...
, London
Formidable class battleship
The Royal Navy's Formidable class battleships was an eight-ship class of pre-dreadnoughts designed by Sir William White and built in the late 1890s...
, Queen
Formidable class battleship
The Royal Navy's Formidable class battleships was an eight-ship class of pre-dreadnoughts designed by Sir William White and built in the late 1890s...
, and Duncan
Duncan class battleship
The Duncan class was a class of pre-dreadnought battleships built for the Royal Navy. From 1889, Britain's “rank as a first-class power was bound up with its Mediterranean position” and these lightly armoured fast ships were intended to help meet combined Russian and French threats. Their period of...
classes then in service or under construction, all following the same basic design by Sir William White
William Henry White
Sir William Henry White was a prolific British warship designer and Chief Constructor at the Admiralty....
, had come under criticism as being undergunned for their displacement.
All the King Edwards had four 12 inch (305 mm) guns in two twin turrets and a secondary armament of twelve 6 inch (152 mm) guns on a displacement of 13,000 to 15,000 tons; questions were beginning to arise as to the usefulness of 6 inch (152 mm) guns in the face of improved armor in foreign battleships, and it was noted that foreign navies such as those of Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
had begun to arm their battleships with an intermediate battery of 8 inch (203 mm) guns. The King Edward VII class was built as a response, with the intention of halting the gap in firepower and maintaining the dominance of the Royal Navy.
Like the classes in between, the King Edward VII class was a direct descendant of the Majestic class, but it was also the first class to make a significant departure from the Majestic design, displacing about 1,000 tons more and mounting for the first time an intermediate battery of four 9.2 inch (234 mm) guns in addition to the standard outfit of 12 inch (305 mm) and 6 inch (152 mm) guns. The 9.2 inch gun was quick-firing like the 6 inch, and its heavier shell made it a formidable weapon by the standards of the day when the King Edward VII class was designed. The four 9.2 inch guns were mounted in single turrets abreast the foremast and mainmast, and the ships thus could bring two of them to bear on either broadside. Even then, the King Edwards were criticised for not having a uniform secondary battery of 9.2 inch guns, something considered but rejected because of the length of time it would have taken to design the ships with such a radical revision of the secondary armament layout; an all-9.2-inch secondary battery would have to await the Lord Nelson class
Lord Nelson class battleship
The Lord Nelson class was a two-ship class of pre-dreadnought battleships built by the Royal Navy between 1905 and 1908. Although they were the last British pre-dreadnoughts, both were completed and commissioned after HMS Dreadnought had entered service. and were serving in the Channel Fleet when...
. In the end, it proved impossible to distinguish 12 inch and 9.2 inch shell splashes from one another, making fire control impractical for ships mounting both calibres, although the King Edwards had fire-control platforms on their fore- and mainmasts rather than the fighting tops of earlier classes.
The first five ships (Commonwealth
HMS Commonwealth (1903)
HMS Commonwealth, was a of the British Royal Navy. Like all ships of the class she was named after an important part of the British Empire, namely the Commonwealth of Australia.-Technical characteristics:...
, Dominion
HMS Dominion (1903)
HMS Dominion was a of the Royal Navy. Like all ships of the class she was named after an important part of the British Empire, namely the Dominion of Canada. She has been the only ship of the Royal Navy to bear the name Dominion.-Technical characteristics:HMS Dominion was ordered under the 1902...
, Hindustan
HMS Hindustan (1903)
HMS Hindustan was a King Edward VII class pre-dreadnought battleship of the Royal Navy . Like all ships of the class she was named after an important part of the British Empire, namely the Indian Empire.-Technical characteristics:...
, King Edward VII, and New Zealand/Zealandia
HMS New Zealand (1904)
HMS New Zealand was a King Edward VII class battleship of the Royal Navy. Like all ships of the class she was named after an important part of the British Empire, namely New Zealand...
) mounted the Mark IX 12 inch (305 mm) gun, while the final three (Africa
HMS Africa (1905)
HMS Africa was a pre-dreadnought battleship of the Royal Navy. She was the penultimate ship of the King Edward VII class. Like all ships of the class , she was named after an important part of the British Empire, namely Africa....
, Britannia
HMS Britannia (1904)
The sixth HMS Britannia of the British Royal Navy was a pre-dreadnought battleship of the King Edward VII class. She was named after Britannia, the Latin name of Great Britain under Roman rule.-Technical characteristics:...
, and Hibernia
HMS Hibernia (1905)
HMS Hibernia was a King Edward VII-class predreadnought battleship of Britain's Royal Navy. Like all ships of the class she was named after an important part of the British Empire, namely Ireland....
) mounted the more advanced Mark X 12 inch (305 mm). Mounting of the 6 inch guns in casemate
Casemate
A casemate, sometimes rendered casement, is a fortified gun emplacement or armored structure from which guns are fired. originally a vaulted chamber in a fortress.-Origin of the term:...
s was abandoned in this class, the 6 inch instead being placed in a central battery amidships protected by 7 inch (178 mm) armoured walls. Otherwise, armour was much as in the London class, although there were various differences in detail from the Londons.
Seaworthiness
The King Edward VIIs were the first British battleships with balanced rudders since the 1870s and were very manoeuvrable, with a tactical diameter of 340 yards (311 m) at 15 knots (27.75 km/h). However, they were difficult to keep on a straight course, and this characteristic led to them being nicknamed "the Wobbly Eight" during their 1914–1916 service in the Grand Fleet. They had a slightly faster roll than previous British battleship classes, but were good gun platforms, although very wet in bad weather.Propulsion
Primarily powered by coal, all of the class except New ZealandHMS New Zealand (1904)
HMS New Zealand was a King Edward VII class battleship of the Royal Navy. Like all ships of the class she was named after an important part of the British Empire, namely New Zealand...
had oil sprayers installed during construction, the first time this had been done in British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
battleships. These allowed steam pressure to be rapidly increased, improving the acceleration of the ships. The eight ships between them were given four different boiler installations for comparative purposes, but all exceeded their designed power, making between 18.1 and 19.3 knots (37.8 km/h) on trials.
Evaluation
The King Edward VIIs were powerful ships when they were designed, and completely fulfilled the goals set for them at that time. However, they were unlucky in that the years of their design and construction were ones of revolutionary advancement in naval guns, fire control, armour, and propulsion. The ships joined the fleet between early 1905 and the very beginning of 1907, but were made quickly obsolete by the commissioning of the revolutionary battleship at the end of 1906 and the large numbers of the new dreadnoughtDreadnought
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...
battleships that commissioned in succeeding years, although Commonwealth
HMS Commonwealth (1903)
HMS Commonwealth, was a of the British Royal Navy. Like all ships of the class she was named after an important part of the British Empire, namely the Commonwealth of Australia.-Technical characteristics:...
was reconstructed in 1917–1918 with all the trappings of modern battleships, so as to provide an adequate gunnery training platform. By 1914, the King Edward VII class was, like all pre-dreadnoughts, so outclassed that they spent much of their Grand Fleet service steaming at the heads of divisions of the far more valuable dreadnoughts, protecting the dreadnoughts from naval mines by being the first battleships to either sight or strike them.
Operational history
British Atlantic Fleet
The Atlantic Fleet was a major fleet formation of the Royal Navy.There have been two main formations in the Royal Navy officially called the Atlantic Fleet. The first was created in 1909 and lasted until 1914...
, 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 Home Fleet before World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. They formed the 3rd Battle Squadron
3rd Battle Squadron (United Kingdom)
The British Royal Navy 3rd Battle Squadron was a naval squadron consisting of battleships and other vessels, active from at least 1914 to 1945. The 3rd Battle Squadron was initially part of the Royal Navy's Home Fleet. During the First World War, the Home Fleet was renamed the Grand Fleet...
in 1912, with individual ships leaving the squadron between 1916 and 1918. The squadron served in the 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...
during the First Balkan War
First Balkan War
The First Balkan War, which lasted from October 1912 to May 1913, pitted the Balkan League against the Ottoman Empire. The combined armies of the Balkan states overcame the numerically inferior and strategically disadvantaged Ottoman armies and achieved rapid success...
in 1912–1913 and in the Grand Fleet for most of the first half of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, although it was detached to the Channel Fleet for a time in 1914 and two ships served in the Dardanelles Campaign
Naval operations in the Dardanelles Campaign
The naval operations in the Dardanelles Campaign of the First World War were mainly carried out by the Royal Navy with substantial support from the French and minor contributions from Russia and Australia. The Dardanelles Campaign began as a purely naval operation...
(1915–1916). The ships were treated as expendable while with the Grand Fleet, which routinely placed them at the heads of divisions of the more valuable 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 to protect the dreadnoughts by watching for mines or being the first to strike mines. The 3rd Battle Squadron left the Grand Fleet in 1916; as it gradually broke up between 1916 and 1918, some ships served in the Adriatic Sea
Adriatic Sea
The Adriatic Sea is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan peninsula, and the system of the Apennine Mountains from that of the Dinaric Alps and adjacent ranges...
and Atlantic
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
, while others performed subsidiary duties in home wates or went into reserve. Two were lost during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and those that survived the war were sold for scrapping in 1920 and 1921.
HMS Africa
served in the Atlantic FleetBritish Atlantic Fleet
The Atlantic Fleet was a major fleet formation of the Royal Navy.There have been two main formations in the Royal Navy officially called the Atlantic Fleet. The first was created in 1909 and lasted until 1914...
(1906–1907), 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...
(1907–1908), and Home Fleet (1908–1914); in 1912 experiments with aircraft, she became the first large British warship ever to launch an aircraft (from a flying-off platform on her deck). She was part of the 3rd Battle Squadron
3rd Battle Squadron (United Kingdom)
The British Royal Navy 3rd Battle Squadron was a naval squadron consisting of battleships and other vessels, active from at least 1914 to 1945. The 3rd Battle Squadron was initially part of the Royal Navy's Home Fleet. During the First World War, the Home Fleet was renamed the Grand Fleet...
(1912–1916), which was detached from the Home Fleet for service in the 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...
during the First Balkan War
First Balkan War
The First Balkan War, which lasted from October 1912 to May 1913, pitted the Balkan League against the Ottoman Empire. The combined armies of the Balkan states overcame the numerically inferior and strategically disadvantaged Ottoman armies and achieved rapid success...
in 1912–1913. The 3rd Battle Squadron's World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
service was in the Grand Fleet (1914), the Channel Fleet (1914), and Grand Fleet again (1914–1916). Africa then served in the Atlantic 1917–1918, then was in reserve until sold for scrapping in 1920.
HMS Britannia
served in the Atlantic FleetBritish Atlantic Fleet
The Atlantic Fleet was a major fleet formation of the Royal Navy.There have been two main formations in the Royal Navy officially called the Atlantic Fleet. The first was created in 1909 and lasted until 1914...
(1906–1907), 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...
(1907–1909), and Home Fleet (1909–1914). She was part of the 3rd Battle Squadron
3rd Battle Squadron (United Kingdom)
The British Royal Navy 3rd Battle Squadron was a naval squadron consisting of battleships and other vessels, active from at least 1914 to 1945. The 3rd Battle Squadron was initially part of the Royal Navy's Home Fleet. During the First World War, the Home Fleet was renamed the Grand Fleet...
(1912–1913), which was detached from the Home Fleet for service in the 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...
during the First Balkan War
First Balkan War
The First Balkan War, which lasted from October 1912 to May 1913, pitted the Balkan League against the Ottoman Empire. The combined armies of the Balkan states overcame the numerically inferior and strategically disadvantaged Ottoman armies and achieved rapid success...
in 1912–1913. She returned to the 3rd Battle Squadron for its World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
service in the Grand Fleet (1914), the Channel Fleet (1914), and Grand Fleet again (1914–1916). Britannia then served in the Adriatic Sea
Adriatic Sea
The Adriatic Sea is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan peninsula, and the system of the Apennine Mountains from that of the Dinaric Alps and adjacent ranges...
(1916–1917) and Atlantic
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
(1917–1918). She was torpedoed and sunk just two days before the armistice, on 9 November 1918 by German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
submarine
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
UB-50 off Cape Trafalgar
Cape Trafalgar
Cape Trafalgar is a headland in the Province of Cádiz in the south-west of Spain. It lies on the shore of the Atlantic Ocean, northwest of the Strait of Gibraltar...
, with the loss of 50 dead and 80 injured. She was the last British warship lost in World War I.
HMS Commonwealth
served in the Atlantic FleetBritish Atlantic Fleet
The Atlantic Fleet was a major fleet formation of the Royal Navy.There have been two main formations in the Royal Navy officially called the Atlantic Fleet. The first was created in 1909 and lasted until 1914...
(1905–1907), 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...
(1907–1909), and Home Fleet (1909–1914). She was part of the 3rd Battle Squadron
3rd Battle Squadron (United Kingdom)
The British Royal Navy 3rd Battle Squadron was a naval squadron consisting of battleships and other vessels, active from at least 1914 to 1945. The 3rd Battle Squadron was initially part of the Royal Navy's Home Fleet. During the First World War, the Home Fleet was renamed the Grand Fleet...
(1912–1917), which was detached from the Home Fleet for service in the 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...
during the First Balkan War
First Balkan War
The First Balkan War, which lasted from October 1912 to May 1913, pitted the Balkan League against the Ottoman Empire. The combined armies of the Balkan states overcame the numerically inferior and strategically disadvantaged Ottoman armies and achieved rapid success...
in 1912–1913. The 3rd Battle Squadron's World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
service was in the Grand Fleet (1914), the Channel Fleet (1914), and Grand Fleet again (1914–1916), then in the Nore Command (1916–1917). Commonwealth served on the Northern Patrol
Northern Patrol
The Northern Patrol was a Royal Navy operation of the First World War operating around Scotland and the North Sea.The Patrol existed to form part of the British "distant" blockade of Germany...
(1918), then as a seagoing gunnery training ship (1918–1921). She was sold for scrapping in 1921.
HMS Dominion
served in the Atlantic FleetBritish Atlantic Fleet
The Atlantic Fleet was a major fleet formation of the Royal Navy.There have been two main formations in the Royal Navy officially called the Atlantic Fleet. The first was created in 1909 and lasted until 1914...
(1905–1907), 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...
(1907–1909), and Home Fleet (1909–1914). She was part of the 3rd Battle Squadron
3rd Battle Squadron (United Kingdom)
The British Royal Navy 3rd Battle Squadron was a naval squadron consisting of battleships and other vessels, active from at least 1914 to 1945. The 3rd Battle Squadron was initially part of the Royal Navy's Home Fleet. During the First World War, the Home Fleet was renamed the Grand Fleet...
(1912–1918), which was detached from the Home Fleet for service in the 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...
during the First Balkan War
First Balkan War
The First Balkan War, which lasted from October 1912 to May 1913, pitted the Balkan League against the Ottoman Empire. The combined armies of the Balkan states overcame the numerically inferior and strategically disadvantaged Ottoman armies and achieved rapid success...
in 1912–1913. The 3rd Battle Squadron's World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
service was in the Grand Fleet (1914), the Channel Fleet (1914), and Grand Fleet again (1914–1916), then in the Nore Command (1916–1918). Dominion served in subsidiary duties (1918–1919) and was sold for scrapping in 1921.
HMS Hibernia
served in the Atlantic FleetBritish Atlantic Fleet
The Atlantic Fleet was a major fleet formation of the Royal Navy.There have been two main formations in the Royal Navy officially called the Atlantic Fleet. The first was created in 1909 and lasted until 1914...
(1906–1907), 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...
(1907–1909), and Home Fleet (1909–1914); in 1912 she conducted experiments with flying off aircraft, She was part of the 3rd Battle Squadron
3rd Battle Squadron (United Kingdom)
The British Royal Navy 3rd Battle Squadron was a naval squadron consisting of battleships and other vessels, active from at least 1914 to 1945. The 3rd Battle Squadron was initially part of the Royal Navy's Home Fleet. During the First World War, the Home Fleet was renamed the Grand Fleet...
(1912–1917), which was detached from the Home Fleet for service in the 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...
during the First Balkan War
First Balkan War
The First Balkan War, which lasted from October 1912 to May 1913, pitted the Balkan League against the Ottoman Empire. The combined armies of the Balkan states overcame the numerically inferior and strategically disadvantaged Ottoman armies and achieved rapid success...
in 1912–1913. The 3rd Battle Squadron's World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
service was in the Grand Fleet (1914), the Channel Fleet (1914), Grand Fleet again (1914–1916)—Hibernia was part of a division of the squadron detached to the Dardanelles Campaign
Naval operations in the Dardanelles Campaign
The naval operations in the Dardanelles Campaign of the First World War were mainly carried out by the Royal Navy with substantial support from the French and minor contributions from Russia and Australia. The Dardanelles Campaign began as a purely naval operation...
(1915–1916)—and Nore Command (1916–1917). Hibernia was in reserve 1917–1919 and was sold for scrapping in 1921.
HMS Hindustan
served in the Atlantic FleetBritish Atlantic Fleet
The Atlantic Fleet was a major fleet formation of the Royal Navy.There have been two main formations in the Royal Navy officially called the Atlantic Fleet. The first was created in 1909 and lasted until 1914...
(1905–1907), 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...
(1907–1909), and Home Fleet (1909–1914). She was part of the 3rd Battle Squadron
3rd Battle Squadron (United Kingdom)
The British Royal Navy 3rd Battle Squadron was a naval squadron consisting of battleships and other vessels, active from at least 1914 to 1945. The 3rd Battle Squadron was initially part of the Royal Navy's Home Fleet. During the First World War, the Home Fleet was renamed the Grand Fleet...
(1912–1918), which was detached from the Home Fleet for service in the 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...
during the First Balkan War
First Balkan War
The First Balkan War, which lasted from October 1912 to May 1913, pitted the Balkan League against the Ottoman Empire. The combined armies of the Balkan states overcame the numerically inferior and strategically disadvantaged Ottoman armies and achieved rapid success...
in 1912–1913. The 3rd Battle Squadron's World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
service was in the Grand Fleet (1914), the Channel Fleet (1914), and Grand Fleet again (1914–1916), then in the Nore Command (1916–1918). Hindustan then served in subsidiary duties (1918), went into reserve (1918–1919), and was sold for scrapping in 1921.
HMS King Edward VII
, at the request of King Edward VII, was a flagshipFlagship
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...
throughout her career. She served in the Atlantic Fleet
British Atlantic Fleet
The Atlantic Fleet was a major fleet formation of the Royal Navy.There have been two main formations in the Royal Navy officially called the Atlantic Fleet. The first was created in 1909 and lasted until 1914...
(1905–1907), 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...
(1907–1909), and Home Fleet (1908–1914). She was part of the 3rd Battle Squadron
3rd Battle Squadron (United Kingdom)
The British Royal Navy 3rd Battle Squadron was a naval squadron consisting of battleships and other vessels, active from at least 1914 to 1945. The 3rd Battle Squadron was initially part of the Royal Navy's Home Fleet. During the First World War, the Home Fleet was renamed the Grand Fleet...
(1912–1916), which was detached from the Home Fleet for service in the 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...
during the First Balkan War
First Balkan War
The First Balkan War, which lasted from October 1912 to May 1913, pitted the Balkan League against the Ottoman Empire. The combined armies of the Balkan states overcame the numerically inferior and strategically disadvantaged Ottoman armies and achieved rapid success...
in 1912–1913. The 3rd Battle Squadron's World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
service was in the Grand Fleet (1914), the Channel Fleet (1914), and Grand Fleet again (1914–1916). On 6 January 1916 she struck a mine off Cape Wrath
Cape Wrath
Cape Wrath is a cape in Sutherland, Highland, in northern Scotland. It is the most northwesterly point on the island of Great Britain. The land between the Kyle of Durness and the lighthouse that is situated right at the tip, is known as the Parph, two hundred and seven square kilometers of...
; her engine rooms flooded and she capsized nine hours later and sank without loss of life.
In August of 2001 a team of British divers led by Deep shipwreck explorer Leigh Bishop and Captain John Thornton discovered the wreck location of the King Edward VII. Along with the international diving Team Starfish Enterprise successfully explored the wreck in a depth of 115m using open circuit scuba. The expedition marked a milestone in diving history being the first expedition of its kind to explore a shipwreck in European waters deeper than 100m by amateur divers.
HMS New Zealand
served in the Atlantic FleetBritish Atlantic Fleet
The Atlantic Fleet was a major fleet formation of the Royal Navy.There have been two main formations in the Royal Navy officially called the Atlantic Fleet. The first was created in 1909 and lasted until 1914...
(1905–1907), 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...
(1907–1909), and Home Fleet (1909–1914); she was renamed Zealandia in 1911 to allow battlecruiser
Battlecruiser
Battlecruisers were large capital ships built in the first half of the 20th century. They were developed in the first decade of the century as the successor to the armoured cruiser, but their evolution was more closely linked to that of the dreadnought battleship...
HMS New Zealand
HMS New Zealand (1911)
HMS New Zealand was one of three s built for the defence of the British Empire. Launched in 1911, the ship's construction was funded by the government of New Zealand as a gift to Britain, and she was commissioned into the Royal Navy in 1912...
to use her original name. She was part of the 3rd Battle Squadron
3rd Battle Squadron (United Kingdom)
The British Royal Navy 3rd Battle Squadron was a naval squadron consisting of battleships and other vessels, active from at least 1914 to 1945. The 3rd Battle Squadron was initially part of the Royal Navy's Home Fleet. During the First World War, the Home Fleet was renamed the Grand Fleet...
(1912–1917), which was detached from the Home Fleet for service in the 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...
during the First Balkan War
First Balkan War
The First Balkan War, which lasted from October 1912 to May 1913, pitted the Balkan League against the Ottoman Empire. The combined armies of the Balkan states overcame the numerically inferior and strategically disadvantaged Ottoman armies and achieved rapid success...
in 1912–1913. The 3rd Battle Squadron's World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
service was in the Grand Fleet (1914), the Channel Fleet (1914), Grand Fleet again (1914–1916)—Zealandia was part of a division of the squadron detached to the Dardanelles Campaign
Naval operations in the Dardanelles Campaign
The naval operations in the Dardanelles Campaign of the First World War were mainly carried out by the Royal Navy with substantial support from the French and minor contributions from Russia and Australia. The Dardanelles Campaign began as a purely naval operation...
(1915–1916)—and Nore Command (1916–1917). Zealandia was in reserve 1917–1919 and was sold for scrapping in 1921.