Majestic class battleships (1894)

The Majestic class were barbette pre-dreadnough battleships, the largest of their time, with the most numerous class of their day. The idea was still to be ahead of the next two major navies combined at the time when planned in 1888, Russia and France. Nine were built from 1893 and 1898 bringing some design innovations, and they were the oldest still in service when WWI broke out, posted at different regional fleets, but hald were part of the Home Fleet in 1914. They took part in the Dardanelles Campaign, and in general, in Mediterranean Operations. HMS Casear was last active, still taking part in the RN operations to support the White Russians in the Black sea in 1920. The only lost was Majestic, the lead ship, torpedoed and sunk by the U-21 off Cape Helles. Rewrite update of the 2023 post.

HMS Magnificient, the well named.

The oldest RN battleships in WW1

The Majestic class were built between 1894 and 1898 as part of a programme that continued the naval re-armament of the Naval Defence Act 1889. Before that, the RN invested as “second-class” barbette ships armed with 12-inches guns as a counter-balance to the eight Royal Sovereign class pre-dreadnoughts to which the Majestic were often compared. They were indeed armed with the previous classes 32-calibre BL 13.5-inch (343 mm) 67-long-ton (68 t) guns instead of the new 12-inch (305 mm) gun was preferred by the Board, still under development. The problem was these 13.5 inches guns were too heavy and unwieldy with a slow rate of fire. The ships were also criticized by their lack of secondary armament to properly deal with torpedo boats. For WWI standard their ASW protection was nonexistent making them easy preys, and they were no longer active, most already decommissioned at the time. That made the next Majestic class the very next oldest still around when WWI broke out.

HMS renown Brasseys 1898 to compare

When they entered service back in 1895, HMS Majestic and Magnificent were the largest battleships ever built. From the program developed by Mr. John Spencer in 1893, they combined the base of the Royal Sovereign with the technical and mechanical progress recorded on HMS Renown, a standalone ship following the Royal Sovereign and Centurion classes. The new 12-inches (305 mm) Mk.VIII guns were faster to load and had a greater range than the previous 13.5 inches (343 mm) guns, while still allowing for weight saving, and that was useful to increase the ship’s light artillery and deal with the very present danger of French or Russian torpedo boats. More so, they were the first large-calibre weapon in the Royal Navy to use smokeless propellant, something widelly adopted afterwards.

These guns were adopted for all the following British battleships for nearly 30 years, in fact until the Orion class, the first “super dreadnoughts”. The footbridge had been fixed around a pushed-back forward mast, a configuration that increased the vision from the front command tower and protected it against a possible fall of the mast. The barbettes of the first 2 ships had a fixed loading system requiring them to be put back in position for loading, which was not the case for the following vessels.

They were also the first to incorporate Harvey armour a new process producting thinner, yet combining flexible and harder steel allowed them to carry a much more comprehensive level of protection for the same, or inferior weight. The main armour belt had the same thickness everywhere. The barrels were protected by integral turrets or rather armoured gun shields for the barbette. The footbridge, which had been fixed around the front military mast, had also been pushed back, a configuration which increased the vision of the front command tower and its protection against a possible fall of the mast. The barbettes of the first two had a fixed loading system requiring them to be put back in position for loading, which was not the case of the following vessels. Overall, they proved to be among the most successful designs, widely copied abroad, like for the Japanese Shikishima class and Mikasa, both modified versions.

Design Development

HMS Caesar fitting out before launching
In 1891, Rear Admiral Jackie Fisher as Controller of the Royal Navy requested a new battleship design based on the Royal Sovereign class, but this time fitted with the new 12 inches (305 mm) gun initially planned for the previous battleships, as well as the newly adopted and Harvey armour, significantly stronger than traditional compound armour. The Director of Naval Construction (DNC), the famous William Henry White, prepared a preliminary design. It was a 12,500-long-ton (12,700 t) ship with four 12 in guns in the same way as previous barbette ships, but integrally protected with a 9 inches (229 mm) belt. This design was reviewed on 27 January 1892 by the Admiralty Board. The Harvey process provided the same level of protection as before but for significant weight reduction, so it was made stronger and more comprehensive on the same overall displacement. Another important protection point was to protect the barbettes by fully enclosed shields, at least from shrapnels, a requirement seen obvious as other navies were going into the same direction. Let’s recall there that a barbette, unlike a turret, is a fixed armoured structure in which the main guns traverse on a platform, but they still need to return to their original position to reload. This made the rate of fire at the time agonizingly slow.

HMS Majaestic illustration in the Brasseys Naval annual 1896

The Board approved the design and provided three stacks under the 1892 programme. Work on the 12 in gun however was still ongoung at the time, taking longer than predicted. Construction was thus postponed to the 1893 programme. By then design was revised on the third ship, by the officially named the Majestic class (the first three names were voted for) and one of these became the second-class battleship Renown instead. Two ships remained to be laid down under the 1893 estimates. By August 1893 the public relayed by the press pressured the government to do something against the preceived threat of rivals, France and Russia so John Spencer, First Lord of the Admiralty, proposed a large naval expansion plan (Spencer Programme) including seven more Majestic-class making for nine total. This was unprecedented and calmed the opinion down.

Design of the class

HMS Majestic Brassey’s diagram 1902

Hull and general design

The Majestics measured 390 feet (120 m) long between perpendiculars, 421 feet (128 m) long overall, a record. The beam remained moderate at 75 ft (23 m) for a draught of 27 ft (8.2 m). So in short, they were almost 5+ meters longer than the previous class (380 ft/115.8 m pp), beamier compared to 75 ft (22.9 m) for the previous clas but with less draught. They displaced more at 16,060 long tons (16,320 t) at full combat load but on standard, “only” 14,600-14,800 tonnes compared to 14,150 long tons (14,380 t) at normal load on the R. Sovereigns.

They had a superior freeboard of 25 ft (7.6 m) forward, 17 ft 3 in (5.26 m) amidships, and 18 ft 6 in (5.64 m) aft however for an excellent seaworthiness. Their hulls were internally divided into more watertight compartments, 72 compartments inside the armoured citadel alone, 78 outside. The double bottom was longer and extended for almost the entire hull. The hull lines were traditional, with a constant curve, a more generous stern and a narrower bow section, and a reinforced ram extended a few meters below the waterline. The flanks amidship had an inverted slope, in short a moderate tumblehome.

The silhouette was still largely symmetrical with two pole masts, with two fighting tops each, 24-inch (610 mm) searchlight and spotting platform above for the composite masts, and bridges fore and aft. The forward bridge was of course more extensive, comprising a full enclosed platform atop the conning tower, and an open bridgen not above but behind, around the base of the foremast to avoid it blocking the CT if fallen in battle, another innovation. The enclosed bridge was cut at the middle and still open with the maps and flags located in the rear part. The aft bridge had a small cab for observation and flags aft, at the foot the mast and just below the fighting top. Both bridges had two long walkway wings either side with a morse projector at each end. In all they had six projectors, with four more on the bridge. For communication they also received Type I wireless transmitters in 1909–10.

They used electric lighting with smaller steam engines provided. Rigging was intensive and the masts had two yards each for potential sails that were never fitted. It remained an option at the time machinery was far more reliable anyway. For their crew of 672 as completed (672–794 and this varied a lot in thirr career), they carried 14 rowing pinnaces, yawls and whalers, but also had three steam pinnaces, armed, located on deck at the foot of the aft mast boom, and a smaller admiral cutter. In detail, there was one 42-foot (13 m) steam launch, two 34 ft (10 m) cutters, two 27 ft (8.2 m) whalers, three gigs of between 24 and 32 ft (7.3 and 9.8 m), one 16 ft (4.9 m) skiff dinghy, and one 13 ft 6 in (4.11 m) raft. They had a steam capstan forward and three anchors, two starboard, one port, resting on hull recesses and secondary anchors at the stern below the gallery where the officer’s quarter were located. They had wooden decks interrupted by metal anti-slip decks around the barbettes.

Powerplant

HMS Casear (postcard)

They had two 4-bladed bronze screw propellers driven by two triple-expansion steam engines, themselves fed by eight single-ended coal-burning Scotch marine boilers for a total output of 10,000 ihp (7,500 kW). This made for a top speed of 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph). The boilers exhausts were truncated, like in the previous class, into two funnels side by side. However it was later realized draft interference and later design had funnels in line and further apart. On trials of the previous battleships, engineers learned that the engines might fail in excessive forced draught so a margin od safety was applied for the Majestic class, and the design included a more powerful machinery for the same speed to compensate and give an extra power margin in case that extra speed (12,000 ihp (8,900 kW) for 17 knots (31 km/h; 20 mph and beyond 18 knots) was really needed.

Good steamers but with high consumption, good seaboats but with a slight but easy roll, these battleships quickly formed the basis of a long line of “capital ships” imitated around the world. With the appearance of fuel oil in 1905, the Mars was provided with a reserve of 400 tons, taking the place of 200 tons of coal, but with a certain profit for the autonomy, followed in 1908 by the other units. Additional spaces allowed for up to 1,900 tonnes (1,900 long tons; 2,100 short tons). With their coal-only system, all exceeded their expected speeds, even reaching 17.6 to 18.7 knots with whips. But the speed in operation oscillated between 16 and 17 knots. They spent their entire career in Home Fleet before the war, except Victorious and Caesar who made two trips to the Mediterranean and China.

Protection

Aside the adoption of Harvey armour, this enabled less thicknes and weight for superior performances, giving margins to place protection in a more comprehensive way around the ship’s vitals.

Belt

9 inches (229 mm) of Harvey steel, same protection as before with less weight penalty, deeper and lighter. It extended for 220 feet (67 m) and vertically over 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m) above the waterline and 9 ft 6 in (2.90 m) below.

Bulkheads

The was connected to transverse Bulkheads via the barbettes that were 14 in (356 mm) thick forward, 12-in aft.

Armoured deck

3-in (76 mm) on the central flat portion, 4-in (102 mm) on the sloped sides of the turtle shaped protection connecting the bottom edge of the belt armour. It was tarepered down to 2.5 in (64 mm) toward the bow and stern.

Gun barbettes

They were made of 14 in armour on the exposed sides, just above the armoured deck. Below the deck it was down to 7 in (178 mm).

Gunhouses

They were not multi-faceted but adopted a rounded profile cut at the back, not just to stop shrapnel as they were 10 in (254 mm) thick for their faces, 5.5 in (140 mm) thick for their sides, and 4 in (100 mm) for the back and with a 2 in (51 mm) thick roofs. The slope was designed to biunce off shells and stopped others in flat trajectory due toi the artificial increased thickness, where 10-inches equated 12-inches facing the shell.

Casemates

The secondary guns had casemates 6-inches thick, with 2 in thick sides and back as anti-splinter protection.

Torpedo Tube

The stern torpedo tube was protected by a mantlet 6-in thick covered the stern torpedo tube.

Conning Towers

The forward conning tower had 14-inches vertical walls steel tapered at the rear to 12 inches. The aft conning tower only had walls 3-in all around.

Armament

BL 12-inch Mk VIII 35-calibre

Twin-gun turrets each forward and aft with the new standard calibre for fifteen years. First time 12-inch were back since the 1880s. Compared to the heavier 13.5-inch (343 mm), ballistics and strength were much greater and they were significantly lighter. Muzzle velocity was much better at 2,500 feet per second (760 m/s), sending a 850-pound (390 kg) HE or AP shell at 13,900 yards (12,700 m) at maximal elevation. They had pear-shaped barbettes for first six ships but Caesar and Illustrious, had circular ones. The BII mountings (first six) allowed all-around loading with ready ammunition kept in the turret. However each time they were spent after an engagement, a long process started to bring more from below, so the guns had to return to the centerline due to the barbette’s fixed ammunition hoists. Caesar and Illustrious, the last two, also had in addition of their circular barbettes, BIII mountings with rotating hoists and thus became the first true “turrets” albeit still hybrid. Elevation went from −5 degrees to 13.5 degrees.

6-in/40 QF

These battleships thanks to the weight gained in, armour and for the main guns, had extra free tonnage that traduced into a a secondary battery of twelve QF (quick-firing) 6-inch 40-calibre guns. This was a larger secondary armament than in previous classes (Ten of these). All were mounted in casemates, in two gun decks amidships, the lower ones sponsoned. These guns fired a 100-pound (45 kg) shell at a 2,205 ft/s (672 m/s) muzzle velocity. They elevated at 15 degrees, in order to hit targets out to 10,000 yards (9,100 m).

Light Guns: 12-pdr and 2-pdr

These battleships carried sixteen QF 12-pounder Mk I guns, twelve QF 2-pounder Mk I guns, all to defend against torpedo boats. They were placed in casemates mounts in part, notably in the hull bow and stern, as well on on the main battery turret roofs, deck battery and fighting tops.

Torpedoes

For close quatter enqgagement these battleships also came up with five 18 in (450 mm) torpedo tubes: Four were submerged and a single one was in a deck-mounted launcher in the stern with limited traverse. These Mark IV torpedoes were from Woolwich Arsenal after a Whitehead patent, fitted with a 200-pound (91 kg) warhead for a range of 750 yards (690 m) at 27.5 knots (50.9 km/h; 31.6 mph), unique setting.

Majestic specifications
Dimensions	124.3 x 22.8 x 8.2 m (ft)
Displacement	14,600-14,800t up to 15,730-16000 tons FL
Propulsion	2 shafts, 2 TE engines 3 cyl., 8 boilers, 10-12,000 ihp.
Speed	16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph)
Armament (mm)	4x 305, 12 x 152, 16 x 76, 12 x 47, 5 x 457 mm TTs.
Armor (mm)	CT 343, belt 220, Bulkheads 343, turrets 254, barbettes 343, decks 102 mm.
Crew	672 Peacetime

The Majestic class in WW1

HMS Casear

The Majestics for their time were a benchmark defining all pre-dreadnoughts until 1906. The Royal Sovereign-class stabilised British battleship design, setting the general pattern of high-freeboard battleship with four main-battery guns in twin mountings fore and aft. But the Majestics adopted two new standards, 12 in main guns in protected barbettes, and Harvey protection. These gunhouses were no of the traditional heavy, and circular gun turrets but made of flat-sided sloped panels that were lighter and created more room inside. despite resting on the platform inside the barbettes they were called “turrets” because of their apperance, this became a standard worldwide. They were also the largest battleship class ever built, both in size and quality, a design that was influential, setting a clear pattern.

Despite their age, and unlike the Royal Sovereign class, the Majestic were all still active or semi-active in WW1. They were used for a variety of roles before the war but most were with the Channel Fleet, and rotated with the Mediterranean Fleet. Victorious was at the China Station in 1900–02. In WWI they protected the crossing of the British Expeditionary Force in France and were stationed alone the British coast. In 1915 some were already disarmed (their crews sent to newly commissioned dreadnoughts like the Revenge class), and their guns ended in the Lord Clive-class monitors and two coastal guns on the Tyne. These disarmed battleships found use as troop ships during the Dardanelles Campaign. Prince George and Majestic, still armed, even bombarded enemy positions before Majestic was torpedoed and all battleships retired. Surviving ships were were kept in secondary roles wth reduced crews from 1915, in reserve by 1918 and after 1920 all sold for scrapping.

In 1914, HMS Caesar was a member of the Home Fleet (Channel, 7th Flotilla) before going to the North American Station to conduct patrols in the Atlantic until 1918. She then went to the Mediterranean, passing the Dardanelles after the armistice, and coming to support the “whites” in the Black Sea during the Russian Civil War. Hannibal was the sixth ship bearing the name HMS Hannibal. She was laid down at the Pembroke Dock in May 1894, launched in April 1896, and commissioned in April 1898. She served with the Channel Fleet (and later in the Atlantic Fleet) in 1898 and was refitted in 1906, with a converting from coal to oil. Placed in reserve in 1907, she was mobilized in July 1914 and from August 1914 to February 1915 was used as a guard ship at Scapa Flow. Her main armament was later removed and she was converted to a troopship and sent to the Dardanelles. From November 1915 to 1918 she served as a depot ship at Alexandria, Egypt. She was scrapped in 1921.

Jupiter at Malta in 1915

HMS Jupiter was commissioned in 1897 and was assigned to the Channel Fleet until 1905. She was refitted only to be placed in reserve but returned to serve with the Channel Fleet at the end of 1905. By 1908 she returned to reserve for the Home Fleet. After a second refit, she was converted as a gunnery training ship in 1912 and after the war broke out she served with the Channel Fleet and as a guard ship on the River Tyne. By February 1915 she was sent to Russia via the North Sea to serve as an icebreaker to Arkhangelsk to replace the usual ship used for this purpose. She was refitted for the third time in 1915 and transferred to the Suez Canal to patrol the area. Back home in late 1916, she served as guardship at Devonport and was eventually scrapped in 1920.
HMS Illustrious served as the coast guard ship in 1914, based on Loch Ewe, Lough Swilly, the Tyne, and Humber rivers, and in 1915 she was disarmed and converted to an ammunition refueller, based in Portsmouth.

HMS Majestic was stationed in the 7nd Squadron in 1914. She also served in the North Atlantic (escort in 1915), joining the “Dover Patrol” and shelling the Belgian coast in 1915. She then served the Dardanelles, hammering the sea with her guns to blow up mines. While shelling the Turkish trenches to support the then landing ANZAC troops, SMS U21 torpedoed her off Gaba Tepe and she capsized on May 27, 1915, bringing with her down 40 men.
HMS Magnificient was serving with the 9th Humber-based Line Wing in 1914. He was then assigned to Scapa Flow as a Coast Guard and sent to Belfast in 1915 to be disarmed for the benefit of General Crawfurd and Prince Eugene. It was then sent to the Dardanelles as a troop carrier, particularly to Suvla Bay. He then returned to mainland France as a utility pontoon. In 1918 he was stationed in Rosyth as a floating ammunition depot.

HMS Mars served as coastguard on the Humber in 1914. She then joined the Harland & Wolff shipyard (in Belfast, and the builders of the Titanic) to be disarmed for the benefit of the monitors HMS Earl of Petersborough and Sir Thomas Picton. She then served as a troop transport in the Mediterranean, participating in the operations of landing the ANZAC Dardanelles and evacuation to Cape Helles in 1916. She was then converted into a supply ship to Invergordon.
HMS Prince Georges suffered a maneuvering collision with the armoured cruiser Shannon in 1909. In 1914 she then served with the 7th Line Squadron in the English Channel. She was then sent to the Dardanelles to clear the minefields with her artillery before bombarding the Turkish forts. Hit several times quite seriously, she rallied Malta for long repairs. She then participated in the evacuation of the troops in January 1916 at Cape Helles. By the end of 1916 she was based in Chatham as a utility pontoon, and in June 1918 was renamed Victorious II. Stricken from lists in 1921, she sank during her transfer for demolition in Germany.

HMS Victorious served as coastguard on the Humber in 1914. In February 1915 she was sent to Elwick yards to be disarmed for the benefit of monitors Prince Rupert and General Wolfe. From May 1916 she served as a workshop ship and was based at Scapa Flow until 1919.

HMS Caesar before 1914, IWM

HMS Casear was laid down at Portsmouth Dockyard on 25 March 1895, launched on 2 September 1896 and commissioned on January 1898. She was planned for the Mediterranean Fleet but before leaving she was assigned to the Channel Fleet and departed only by May 1898 under Captain Edward Harpur Gamble. She stopped at Taormina, Sicily by February 1900 and was refitted at Malta in 1900–1901. Captain George Callaghan took command on 21 December 1901, then Captain John Ferris. By February 1903 she headed for Platanias with HMS Illustrious, London, Myrmidon but lef for home in October 1903, paid off for refit at Portsmouth on 6 October, recommissioned on 2 February 1904 and replacing HMS Majestic as flagship, Channel Fleet (later the Atlantic Fleet) until relieved herself in March 1905 to become 2nd Flagship of the new Channel Fleet (previous Home Fleet). On 3 June 1905, she collided with (and sank) the barque Afghanistan off Dungeness. Bridge wings needed repairs, as her port side boats, davits, net booms badly damaged or missing. She was repaired at Devonport.

She was Flagship, Rear Admiral, Home Fleet from December until relieved by February 1907, and back to the Atlantic Fleet as temporary flagship until May but on the 27th she was assigned to the Devonport Division, interrupted by a refit at Devonport in 1907–1908. In May 1909 she was at the Nore (flagship VZDL 3rd-4th Divisions) and by April 1911 retutned to Devonport, 3rd Division. On 16 January 1911 she had been rammed by the barque Excelsior in fog at Sheerness. By March 1912 she was recommissioned in reserve, 4th Division. By August 1914 se was placed into full commission; assogned to the 7th Battle Squadron, Channel Fleet. She carried part of the Plymouth Marine Division to Ostend (Belgium), covered BEF passage to France in September. By December she was transferred to Gibraltar as guard ship/gunnery training ship. In July 1915 she was reassigned to the North America and West Indies Station in the same roles. She was detached to patrol the Atlantic. In 1918 she was flagship, Rear-Admiral Sir Morgan Singer of the station until September 1918.

She then relieved HMS Andromache as flagship of the Senior Naval Officer (British Adriatic Squadron) based on Corfu. She was the last pre-dreadnought acting as flagship. In September she was refitted at Malta, equipped with repair shops and leisure facilities and returned to service by October 1918 at Mudros, British Aegean Squadron. In January 1919 she was sent to Port Said. In June she was transferred to the Black Sea, still as depot ship for british forces here supporting white Russians. This made her the last British pre-dreadnought overseas. Back home in March 1920, the was paid off at Devonport on 23 April 1920, on the disposal until sold on 8 November 1921, resold to a German firm in July 1922, towed to Germany and scrapped.

HMS Hannibal in WW1

She was part of the Portsmouth division, Channel Fleet, under command of Captain Sir Baldwin Wake Walker. She was present in the Solent for the passage of the body of Queen Victoria from Cowes to Portsmouth on 2 February 1901. Captain George Augustus Giffard took command on 10 May 1902 and she was at the Coronation Fleet Review for King Edward VII on 16 August. She lost three men later in a fishing excursion outside Berehaven. In September 1902 she visted Nauplia, Souda Bay with a squadron. On 17 October 1903 she collided with HMS Prince George off Ferrol. She was repaired at Malta and back home, transferred to the new Channel Fleet on 28 February until 3 August 1905, paid off into reserve, Devonport. She had a refit in 1906, converted to burn oil fuel ahd having a new fire control, recom. in reserve on 20 October 1906. In January 1907 in full commission she revleived HMS Ocean in the Channel Fleet (refit) and then same with HMS Dominion. In May 1907 she was back in reserve, Portsmouth Division until July 1907, then to Portsmouth. On 19 August 1909 she struck a reef in Babbacombe Bay (bottom repairs). On 29 October she collided with torpedo boat HMS TB 105 and the latter was written off. She had a refit at Devonport from November 1911 to March 1912.

Partially reactivated by July 1914 she was reassigned with sisters HMS Mars, HMS Magnificent, HMS Victorious in the 9th Battle Squadron on 27 July, Humber fleet. She was a guard ship in August and her unit dissolved on 7 August. She was transferred to Scapa Flow, as guard ship and replaced by HMS Royal Arthur on 20 February 1915, paid off at Dalmuir. She was disarmed between March and April 1915 only keeping four 6-inch (152 mm) guns and lighter, laid up at Scapa Flow, Loch Goil until September, then recommissioned at Greenock, 9 September and refitted to act as troopship in the Dardanelles. She entered Mudros on 7 October and by November remained as a depot ship, for auxiliary patrol craft, based in Alexandria… until June 1919. She headed for Malta on 9 September and was paid off for disposal her on 25 October, sold for scrapping on 28 January 1920, done in Italy.

HMS Jupiter in 1897

Jupiter was laid down at J & G Thomson, Clydebank on 24 April 1894, launched), then Coronation Fleet Review for King Edward VII on 16 August 1902. Captain John Durnford took command on October 1899, then Sir Archibald Berkeley Milne from December 1900. In March 1901 she visited Cork and in 1902 was part a squadron in the med, visiting Nauplia and Souda Bay for combined manoeuvres in September-October. When back, Captain Sir Richard Poore took command by December. By 1 January 1905 she was found in the Atlantic Fleet unit, then paid off at Chatham, 27 February 1905 for a refit recommissioned at Chatham and entering the Portsmouth Reserve on 15 August, recommissioned with the Channel Fleet, 20 September to 3 February 1908, paid off until 4 February 1908 but for reserve service in Portsmouth with a nucleus crew. Then flagship of the division by February-June 1909, second flagship, 3rd Division with refits at Portsmouth. From June 1912 to January 1913 she became a seagoing gunnery training ship, at the Nore. By January 1913 she was transferred to the 3rd Fleet, Pembroke Dock and Devonport.

In August 1914 she was transferred to the 7th Battle Squadron, Channel Fleet. She escorted the BEF to France in September and in October joined HMS Majestic as guard ship at the Nore. On 3 November both relieved Hannibal and Magnificent on the Humber. In December, same for her on the Tyne. On 5 February 1915 she was sent to act as icebreaker at Arkhangelsk as the latter was in refit for supply convoys to Russia, a first for a British battleship. Still her bow needed repairs. She left in May 1915 back to the Channel Fleet, then paid off at Birkenhead, 19 May 1915. She had a new refit at Cammell Laird until August and recommissioned at Birkenhead, 12 August for Mediterranean service, Alexandria, Suez Canal Patrol. On 21 October she was sent to the Red Sea, guard ship at Aden, flagship Red Sea Patrol until relieved by RIM Northbrook (Royal Indian Marine) on 9 December and back to the Suez Canal Patrol from April to November 1916 in Port Said. She left on 22 November 1916 for home, paid off at Devonport until April 1919, in commission, “special service vessel”, auxiliary patrol ship until February 1918, then paid off as an accommodation ship and from April 1919, on the disposal, sold for scrapping on 15 January 1920, towed on 11 March to Blyth and scrapped.

HMS Illustrious in WW1

HMS Illustrious was laid down at the Chatham Dockyard on 11 March 1895, launched on 17 September 1896, commissioned in the Reserve on 15 April 1898, under Captain Sir Richard Poore, then full commission on 10 May and sent to the Mediterranean Fleet. In September and December she operated off Crete with the International Squadron. Some ships were already present since February 1897. This was due to the 1897-1898 Greek Christian uprising against the Ottoman Empire. Senior admirals formed an “Admirals Council” governing Crete. In September 1898 the British took control of the customs house at Candia to exact an export duty to fund administration but it’s ended in a violent riot by Cretan Turks on 6 September with the International Squadron sending massive parties, inc. one of Illustrious in the harbour by mid-September to help maintain order. She was under Captain Frank Finnis by February 1900. By 1901 she was refitted at Malta. Captain Francis John Foley succeeded him on 24 March 1902. In June she was the lead ship at the coronation celebrations at Gibraltar. In February 1903 she left Malta for Platanias with HMS Caesar, HMS London and HMS Myrmidon and in July 1904 recalled to the Channel Fleet (later Atlantic Fleet), enterting it on September 1905, followed by a refit at Chatham.

She remained in the Reserve at Chatham from 14 March 1906, full commission on 3 April 1906 as Flagship Rear Admiral. She collided with the schooner Christa in the Channel on 13 June 1906. She was relieved as flagship on 1 June 1908, paid off at Chatham, recommissioned on 2 June 1908 for the Portsmouth Division, Home Fleet. On 22 March 1909 she collided with HMS Amethyst in Portsmouth (no damage) and on 21 August 1909 she struck a reef in Babbacombe Bay (light damage). She had a refit in 1912, was transferred to the 3rd Fleet as Flagship, VADM 7th Battle Squadron. By late July 1914, it was planned to pay her off to dispatch her crew to HMS Erin, but instead she ended in full commission a guard ship, Grand Fleet by August at Loch Ewe, then Loch Na Keal on 17 October, Tyne in November, Grimsby (Humber) in December and likely until until November 1915. She was eventually paid off at Grimsby on 26 November and disarmed until March 1916. She remained at Grimsby until August 1916, transferred to Chatham and from 20 November 1916 used as an munitions storeship. On 24 November she was transferred to the Tyne. From November 1917, she was transferred to Portsmouth and eventually paid off for good on 21 April 1919, on sale on 24 March 1920, sold for BU on 18 June 1920, at Barrow.

Charles Edward Dixon: HMS Majestic in 1895 as flagship, Channel Squadron

Majestic was laid down at Portsmouth in February 1894, launched on 31 January 1895, fitted-out until completed and commissioned in December 1895, assigned to the Channel Squadron, Portsmouth division. She took part in the 1897 Fleet Review at Spithead (Diamond Jubilee) and became flagship, VADM Sir Harry Rawson, CiC Channel Fleet. Captain George Egerton took command on 28 June 1899. She was paid off in April 1901 and Captain Edward Eden Bradford took command when she became flagship RADM Arthur Wilson, CiC Channel Squadron. She was at the Coronation Review for King Edward VII on 16 August 1902. In Sept. her squadron visited Nauplia and Souda Bay in combined exercises. She was refitted at Portsmouth February-July 1904. On 1 October 1906 she was paid off into reserve at Portsmouth, but recommissioned on 26 February 1907 as flagship, Nore Division, Home Fleet. In a refit she received radio and a new fire control systems. By January 1908 she lost her flag the in the Nore Division. In June 1908 she wa sin the Devonport Division and had another refit completed in 1909. By March 1909 she was in the 3rd Division, Devonport. In August 1910, 4th Division Devonport. New refit in 1911. May 1912, 7th Battle Squadron, 3rd Fleet, Devonport. On 14 July 1912 she collided with Victorious in manoeuvres (no major damage).

Upon the start of the First World War the 7th Battle Squadron was in the Channel Fleet. Majestic was refitted by August-September 1914 and the covered the BEF passeg to France in September 1914. She was detached 3-14 October to escort the first Canadian troop convoy. By late October 1914 she returned to the Nore as guard ship. On 3 November, in the Humber and by December 1914, protected the Dover Patrol and with Revenge shelled the German coastal artillery at Nieuwpoort (Belgium) on 15 December. In January 1915 she was guardship at Portland. By February 1915, she was assigned to the Dardanelles Campaign, under Captain H. F. G. Talbot. In Malta, she was fitted with with a “mine-catching” gear to act as “mine-bumper” in the straits. She joined the force 24 February and on the 26th departed Tenedos to shell Ottoman Turkish inner forts with Majestic, Albion and Triumph. They became the first Allied heavy in the Turkish Straits with the shelling starting at 0914 until 1740 hours. Majestic was hit below the waterline, but went on and on 27 February covered the early landings, shelling forts from 11:25 until 16:45 on 1 March and on 3 March 1915.

She was back at Mudros on 8 March 1915 to resupply. On 9 March she was back bombarding Ottoman positions from 10:07 until 12:1 and back to Tenedos on 10 March, same on 15 March 1915 and back, and in the final attempt to force the straits on 18 March. She concentrated on Fort 9 at 14:20 and engaged field guns, then back to Fort 9 until 18:35, which previous hit and badly damaged HMS Ocean. Majestic was hit four times (lower tops and forecastle, 1 dead, 4-5 wounded). She returned from Mudros on 22 March and shelled positions on the 28th 09:50 to 10:15; 12:50 to 13:40 and on 14 April from 14:58. Then on 18 April, she finished off the E15 aground near Fort Dardanos with two picket boats with torpedoes, loosing one by Turkish shore batteries while retiring. On 25 April she covered the Allied landings at Gallipoli, bombarding positions until 19:15 and repatriating 99 wounded troops at 21:10, recovering all boats in the night. On 26 April she started fire at 06:17. On the 27th she exchanged fire with Turkish guns until 11:30 hours. On the 29th she was anchored off Gallipoli and relieved Triumph as flagship, Admiral Nicholson for the Cape Helles landings on 25 May.

HMS Majestic sank on 27 May 1915

However on the 27th while stationed off West Beach, Cape Helles she became the third battleship torpedoed in the area in two weeks. At 06:45 hours U21 (Otto Hersing) fired a single torpedo through the defensive screen of destroyers and anti-torpedo nets. It apparently detonated magazines as there was a massive explosion, gushing the hull, after which she flooded and started to list to port. 9 minutes later she capsized in 54 feet (16 m) of water, 49 men drown. Her masts hit the mud. He belly remained there for months until submerged when her foremast collapsed in a storm. By October 2021, the Gallipoli Historic Underwater Park and museum off Çanakkale were opened to world wide scuba divers. Majestic’s wreck is still there under 24 m (79 ft), largely intact. Her overturned hull acts as a gigantic grotto for marine life but its extremely dangerous to explore.

HMS Magnificient in 1899 – IMW

HMS Magnificent was laid down at Chatham on 18 December 1893, launched on 19 December 1894, and commissioned by December 1895, relieving the old HMS Empress of India as second flagship, Channel Fleet. On 26 June 1897, she took part in the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Fleet Review at Spithead. Cap. John Ferris was appointed in January 1899. In February she was in the Eastern division, Channel Fleet, flag RADM Arthur Dalrymple Fanshawe. On 21 January 1901 while stationed in Portsmouth she flew the Royal Standard half mast when leaning after Queen Victoria’s passed out. Captain Arthur John Horsley took command on October 1900. In June she was flagship, RADM Sir William Acland, Channel Squadron. On 5 June 1902 was flagship again for RADM Assheton Curzon-Howe and wa spart of the fleet review at Spithead on 16 August 1902 for King Edward VII. She was part of the Aegean Sea combined manoeuvres and back home, Captain Sackville Carden was appointed on 16 October while she visited Gibraltar and Tetuan.

By January 1904, she became flagship, Channel Fleet (January 1905 Atlantic Fleet). She suffered a gun explosion on 14 June 1905 (18 casualties) caused by a faulty shell ine one casemate gun by contact with fresh air. On 15 November 1906 she was paid off at Devonport, in reserve on 16 November 1906 at Chatham and attached to the Gunnery School at Sheerness from December 1906. By March 1907 she left for the Nore Division as flagship CiC from November 1907. She had in 1908 a refit at Chatham with a new fire control system installed and conversion to fuel oil. 2nd flagship Home Fleet from August 1908 to January 1909 she had a reduced crew in February 1909, commissioned reserve. On 24 March 1909 she was flag, VADM 3rd/4th Divisions Home Fleet, Nore. Relieved on 1 March 1910 by Bulwark. On 27 September 1910 she became a turret drill ship, stokers training ship, at Devonport. She was damaged by a collision in December 1910. Later she was a tender for the turret drill ship Vivid in February 1911 and gunnery TS at Devonport, 14 May 1912. On 16 June 1913 she ran aground near Cawsand Bay. She joined the 3rd Fleet service on 1 July 1913 in full commission.

Magnificent, Hannibal, Mars, and Victorious on 27 July 1914 were formed into the 9th Battle Squadron, Admiral of Patrols, Humber. She served as a guard ship at the Humber and on 7 August 1914 her Squadron was dissolved and with Hannibal she was sent to Scapa Flow, guard ship for the anchorage until relieved by the cruiser Crescent on 16 February 1915. She was paid off but by February 1915, she was sent to Belfast to be disarmed and by March-April 1915 she only kept four 6-inch guns, laid up at Loch Goil from April. By 9 September she was recommissioned with Hannibal and Mars as troopships for the Dardanelles, leaving on 22 September and arriving at Mudros on 7 October. On 18-19 December she took part in the allied evacuation from Suvla Bay and sailed home by February 1916, then paid off at Devonport on 3 March. She remained unril until August 1917 as an overflow ship. She had a refit at Harland & Wolff as an ammunition ship and by October 1918, transferred to Rosyth until placed on the disposal list on 4 February 1920, but active until April 1921 then sold on 9 May 1921 to Thos. W. Ward at Inverkeithing.

HMS Mars was laid down at Laird Bros. Birkenhead, on 2 June 1894. She was launched on 30 March 1896, commissioned on 8 June 189, Channel Fleet, Portsmouth division. She took part in the Diamond Jubilee Parade on 26 June 1897 and had Captain Henry John May appinted CO on 5 January 1899, then Captain Henry Deacon Barry by September 1900. She was present at the Coronation Fleet Review for King Edward VII (16 August 1902) and wa sin the Med. squadron visiting Nauplia and Souda Bay. She was in refit from 16 August 1904 until March 1905. On 31 March 1906 she was commissioned into Reserve at Portsmouth but joined the Channel Fleet on 31 October 1906 until paid off at Portsmouth and joining the Devonport Division in March. She had 1908–1909 and 1911–1912. By July 1914 she was in the 4th Division, Home Fleet. She entered the 9th Battle Squadron based in the Humber but became a guard ship from August 1914, until the 9th BS was dissolved on 7 August. Next she joined the Dover Patrol on 9 December 1914, Dover, then Portland by 11 December, and until February 1915. By February 1915 she was sent to Belfast, paid off on 15 February to be disarmed in March-April with four 6-inch (152-mm) guns remaining. She was laid up in Loch Goil in April 1915.

From September 1915, she was recommissioned as troopship, Dardanelles campaign. Mars, Hannibal and Magnificent were sent as troopships at Mudros on 5 October and they took part in the evacuation of Allied troops from Anzac Cove (8-9 December) as well as from West Beach, Cape Helles (8-9 January 1916). She was then covered by her former main gun now mounted on Sir Thomas Picton. Back to Devonport in February 1916, she was paid off at Chatham, and refitted as harbor depot ship, recommissioned on 1 September 1916, and present at Invergordon until July 1920. She was sold on 7 July, sold on 9 May 1921 and scrapped at Briton Ferry from November.

HMS Prince George was laid down at Portsmouth on 10 September 1894, launched on 22 August 1895 and commissioned in a ceremony in which the Duchess of York (later Queen Mary and Prince George, Duke of York (later King George V) were present (she ship was his namesake) on 26 November 1896. She joined the Channel Fleet and was present at the 1897 Spithead review (Diamond Jubilee). Captain Arthur Barrow was appointed CO on 28 June 1899, then Captain Arthur Calvert Clarke from November 1901. She took part in the Coronation Fleet Review on 16 August 1902 and was present in the Aegean Sea for Channel/Mediterranean fleets manoeuvers. By late October she visited Gibraltar and Tetuan. On 17 October 1903 she was rammed by night in fog by her sister HMS Hannibal. There were heavy seas so both were below 9 knots. Still this left her a large hole below the waterline on her starboard quarter, was flooded but damage was controlled by her teams and she was able to limp to Ferrol, steering with her engines with her sternwalk already awash. She had temporary repairs at Ferrol and sailed for Portsmouth on 24 October 1903 for full repairs.

HMS Prince George left the Channel Fleet in July 1904 for a refit at Portsmouth and entered the reserve on 3 January 1905. On 14 February 1905, she was commissioned with the Atlantic Fleet. On 3 March 1905 she collided with the German armoured cruiser SMS Friedrich Carla at Gibraltar while maneoeuvering. No serious damage. On 17 July 1905 she was sent to the new Channel Fleet until 4 March 1907, then paid off at Portsmouth, but recommissioned the next day as flagship CiC Portsmouth Division. On 5 December 1907 she collided with HMS Shannon at Portsmouth, having significant damage to her deck plating and davits. From March to December she was in refit at Portsmouth and had a radio installed. She was in commissioned reserve in December 1910 with reduced crew, then to Devonport in 1911. By June 1912, she joined the 7th Battle Squadron, 3rd Fleet. By August 1914, she was in full commission and became first flagship, until relieved by HMS Vengeance on 15 August.

On 25 August, HMS Prince George escorted to Ostende the Plymouth Marine Division. In September she covered the BEF to France. She left the Channel Fleet in February 1915 for the Dardanelles, modified as a “mine-bumper”, sent to Tenedos on 1 March 1915 and remained as such until February 1916. Sge also shelled the forts on 5 and 18 March. On 3 May, during one such missions she was hit in return by a 6-inch (152-mm) below the waterline. She was patched up and returned to Malta for repairs, then back on 12-13 July to cover French troops off Krithia and Achi Baba. On 18-19 December she covered the evacuation from Suvla Bay, then West Beach on 8-9 January 1916, and hit by a U-Boat torpedo off Cape Helles on 9 January (a dud). She was stationed at Salonika in January and February and by late February sailed for home, paid off at Chatham in March, stating with a small care and maintenance team until February 1918, then as auxiliary sickbay and others, then accommodation ship from March 1916 to May 1918. In May she was refitted at Chatham as the destroyer depot ship “Victorious II” as renamed by September. She departed in October and attached to repair ship Victorious at Scapa Flow. Renamed “Prince George” in February 1919 she was transferred to Sheerness in March as depot ship to destroyers in the Medway. She was listed for disposal at Sheerness on 21 February 1920, sold on 22 September 1921, resold to a German firm in December and towed here for scrapping when she broke loose and was wrecked on 30 December off Camperduin, the Netherlands on a large sandbank. She was stripped off and left here as breakwater, rusting away up to this day. In 2014 she was buried for the need of a beach expansion program, still with a marker standing above.

HMS Victorious was laid down at Chatham on 28 May 1894, launched on 19 October 1895 and fitted out until completed and commissioned on 4 November 1896, assigned to the Fleet Reserve at Chatham. On 8 June 1897 she was fully commissioned and sent to the Mediterranean Fleet after taking part in the Fleet Review at Spithead. In Gibraltar, she relieved HMS Anson. In February 1898 she was sent to the China Station but underway to Port Said on 16 February she ran hard aground while entering the harbor. Several tugs failed, pump dredgers were needed as she was sucked down by the sediment, but she was refloated on 18 February. In 1900, she was recalled to the Mediterranean and had a refit at Malta. Captain Charles Henry Cross ook command and she had combined manoeuvres off Cephalonia and Morea in September-October 1902. Back home, she was paid off at Chatham on 8 August 1903.

Her refit lasted until February 1904. She was recommissioned at Devonport on 2 February 1904 as second flagship, Channel Fleet. On 14 July 1904 she was rammed by TB 113 at Hamoaze. Captain Robert Falcon Scott (Antarctic explorer) was appointed CO and Flag Captain for RADM George Egerton in 1906. She paid off at Devonport, 31 December 1906 until 1 January 1907 and sent at the Nore, Home Fleet. She had a refit at Chatham in 1908, converted to burn fuel oil and with a new fire control and radio but she had a nucleus crew, still in reserve by March 1909, until transferred to the Devonport Division from January 1911. She joined the 3rd Fleet in May 1912 but had her sternwalk damaged in a collision with Majestic on 14 July 1912. She was repaired in Chatham in December 1913.

In July 1914, she was remobilized like Hannibal, Mars, and Magnificent in the 9th BS from 27 July 1914, in the Humber, all as guard ship until the unit was dissolved on 7 August. In December she was sent to the Tyne. On 4 January 1915 she was paid off at Elswick, then laid up on the Tyne until September 1915 and disarmed and converted as repair ship at Jarrow. She started this new service on 22 February 1916 at Scapa Flow, relieving the merchant ship Caribbean lost in September 1915. Victorious performed as such until March 1920, renamed Indus II, transferred to Devonport and repared to join the Indus Establishment. A Devonport on 28 March 1920 she paid off into care/maintenance status but her refit was cancelled so she was back as a harbor depot ship until cancelled as well and she ended on the disposal list, sold on 19 December 1922, cancelled on 1 March 1923, then resold on 9 April 1923, towed to Dover for scrapping.

Sources/Read More

Books

Friedman, Norman (2011). Naval Weapons of World War One. Barnsley: Seaforth
Burt, R. A. (2013) [1988]. British Battleships 1889–1904. Barnsley: Seaforth Publishing
Gardiner, Robert, ed. (1979). Conway’s All the World’s Fighting Ships: 1860–1905. London: Conway Maritime Press

Links

www.worldwar1.co.uk/
navygeneralboard.com
dreadnoughtproject.org/
historyofwar.org
Majestic-class on Wikipedia
commons.wikimedia.org CC images
worldnavalships.com/

Model Kits

on scalemates.com/