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ОглавлениеInvincible Class: 1905 ESTIMATES
Design
The Dreadnought Design Committee of 1905 had been asked also to examine designs for an advanced type of armoured cruiser that embodied Fisher’s ideas with regard to heavy armament and high speed. The vessel was intended primarily for independent cruiser operations, but had to be able to act as a fast wing of the battlefleet if required.
Early in 1902, when Fisher and Gard had collaborated on designs for an ‘all big gun’ battleship (HMS ‘Untakeable’), drawings had also been prepared for a cruiser version (HMS ‘Unapproachable’) which embraced all the features of the battleship except armour and speed. At that time, however, there were no plans for an ‘all big gun’ cruiser and the armament was intended to be a mix of 10in and 7.5in, as was planned for Constitucion and Libertad which were being built for Chile by the British firms Vickers and Armstrong Whitworth. Early requirements for the British cruiser were:
1. Main armament 10in, secondary armament 7.5in, all to be so arranged as to secure maximum arcs of fire.
2. Magazine and shell rooms were to be located below the guns so as to eliminate ammunition passages and personnel required to pass ammunition along these.
3. Protection to armament to be proof against 8in shell fire.
4. Possibility of turbine machinery.
5. Speeds far superior to that of any existing foreign armoured cruiser.
6. Oil fuel.
7. Bridgework to be reduced to a minimum.
8. Telescopic funnels.
9. Motor-operated gantries instead of derricks.
10. No wooden fittings.
MINOTAUR CLASS: PARTICULARS, FOR COMPARISON WITH INVINCIBLE CLASS
Construction
Displacement (tons)
14,600 (load), 17,410 (extra deep).
Dimensions
Length: 490ft pp, 519ft oa
Beam: 74ft 6in
Draught: 25–26ft (mean).
Armament
Four 9.2in 50cal Mk XI
Ten 7.5in 50cal Mk II
Sixteen 12pdr (20cwt)
Five 18in torpedo tubes.
Armour
Main belt: 6in–4in–3in
Barbettes: 7in
Decks: lower 2in–1in, slopes 2in, flat amidships 1½in, ends 2in flat
Conning tower: 10in
9.2in turrets: 8in
7.5in turrets: 7in.
Machinery
Two sets 4-cyl triple expansion engines, four propellers
Twenty-three watertube boilers
Designed SHP: 27,000 for 23 knots
Fuel: 950/1,000 tons coal min., 2,060 tons coal plus 750 tons oil max.
Radius of action: 8,150nm at 10 knots; 2,920nm at 20.6 knots.
The design can be considered as a cruiser version of the contemporary Lord Nelson-class battleships and marked the end of the cycle of pre-dreadnought era armoured cruisers specifically intended for operations with the battlefleet.
Later, Fisher and Gard also provided figures for a design having these particulars: length 500 feet, beam 70 feet; displacement 14,000 tons normal; SHP minimum 35,000 for 25 knots; four 9.2in, twelve 7.5in; armoured belt 6in; decks 1½in–2in–3in (middle). The 10in guns were rejected because their ballistic increase over the 9.2in was considered insufficient to justify the increase in weight.
The Committee considered seven basic designs: one by Fisher and Gard, the remainder provided by Philip Watts and J. H. Narbeth. The members were reminded that the role of the cruiser had not yet been clearly defined but that, theoretically, it was considered to include:
1. Reconnaissance in force.
2. Support of smaller scouting cruisers.
3. Independent commerce protection duties.
4. Rapid concentration, and to envelope any fleet actions.
5. Pursuit of an enemy battlefleet, picking up stragglers if possible.
At this juncture the most modern cruisers in the fleet were the Minotaurs and their predecessors, the Warrior and Duke of Edinburgh classes, none of which were adequately armed either for battlefleet work or for dealing decisively with contemporary foreign cruisers, nor were they fast enough to overhaul the large German armed liners, intended for use as commerce raiders in wartime. Another item for consideration was foreign construction: towards the end of 1904 it had become known to the Admiralty that a design for a powerful cruiser had been proposed and accepted by Japan. Tsukuba and Ikoma were to be armed with four 12in and twelve 6in guns on a displacement of 13,750 tons, and as both these ships had been laid down at the same time as Minotaur, it was obvious that the latter was completely outclassed.
Philip Watts was an advocate of mixed calibre armament and particularly favoured the 9.2in gun. He had always opposed the ‘all big gun’ concept and was still of that mind at the time when the Committee was deliberating its efficacy. Not long after his appointment as DNC he had watched battleships of the fleet firing salvoes at an old Orion-class battleship in Polperro Bay, Cornwall. Strangely, all their 12in shells straddled the target without scoring a hit. Then a Drake-class cruiser fired while passing astern of the target. One of her 9.2in shells hit abaft the after turret and penetrated the armour deck. It then deflected horizontally, passed through all the machinery compartments and deflected upwards forward of the 13.5in barbette where it exploded against a heavy steel riding bitt, causing very considerable damage. Watts was tremendously impressed by the extraordinary and eccentric path of this single shell and its ‘smashing’ effect. The 9.2in gun and mounting were immensely popular in service; officers and men delighted in the working of it and regarded it as an excellent weapon from the point of view of aiming.
A further slight to the notion of an ‘all big gun’ ship came when Narbeth submitted sketch designs for such a vessel to Watts. The designs represented the logical expression of definite conclusions reached by serving officers of the fleet, but the step was too drastic and was repugnant to Watts. On impolite insistence by Narbeth, Watts submitted the scheme to the Controller, Sir William May. He was rather amused at the idea, but pleased that some enterprise was being exhibited. He discussed the matter with Narbeth very kindly and very courteously but, Narbeth was later to recall: ‘I remember well how he stood at his desk and, placing his right hand on my shoulder, with a very beneficient smile said he thought we could hardly go in for that at present, and I could almost hear the man at the back of his head saying, “Fancy poor old Narbeth come to that.”’ It can be seen that Sir William May and Philip Watts were in hearty agreement about a 9.2in armament.
The Committee tried to determine the best way to dispose guns in pairs if 12in guns were to be carried, and many rough sketches were made by the Members as they groped their way towards a satisfactory solution. In fact, no satisfaction could be found, either for the battleship or for the armoured cruiser, though it was generally held that the 12in should be adopted for both ships. Watts was rather disgruntled that his pet scheme for a mixed armament of 12in and 9.2in evoked little response.
All the time the Committee was sitting, Narbeth had been doing Watts’s work in the department, but at the same time he prepared a series of designs for ships carrying 12in guns, with speeds ranging from 21 to 25 knots. He made several attempts to persuade Watts to show these to the Committee, but Watts was firmly of the opinion that the Members should find their own way out of their difficulties. One morning, however, when Narbeth was more than usually persistent and Watts less than adamant, he agreed to take the bundle of sketches to the meeting, although assuring Narbeth that he was wasting his time. At the meeting the agenda was called for; the Secretary had to report that there was no agenda. The observations of Fisher on such a situation can well be imagined. At this point Watts produced Narbeth’s drawings and Fisher clutched the straw. The following details and notes led to one of Narbeth’s sketches being accepted as the basis for a battleship and another for the armoured cruiser. The main features of the accepted design as compared to the Minotaur class were:
DESIGNS FOR INVINCIBLE
All to be fitted with reciprocating machinery.
Inflexible fitting-out at John Brown’s shipyard, 1908.‘A’ turret, fore tripod and bridgework seen from forecastle. Blast shields are being built around the 4in secondary guns on top of 12in turret. Also, note detachable wings to bridge.
INVINCIBLE CLASS: FINAL ARMAMENT LAYOUTS
Fisher-Gard Design
Guns: Eight 12in in four twin turrets.
Disposition: Two forecastle; two upper deck aft, all centreline; second and third superimposed over first and fourth.
Provided: Eight-gun broadside, four ahead and astern.
Rejected: Lack of experience with superimposed mountings and anticipated blast effect.
Design ‘1’
Guns: Eight 12in in four twin turrets.
Disposition: Forecastle, two port, two starboard; two centreline aft; one on main deck; third turret superimposed over fourth. Provided: Six-gun broadside, four ahead and astern.
Rejected: Beam turrets too far ahead for good seagoing.
Design ‘2’
Guns: Eight 12in in four twin turrets.
Disposition: Forecastle, two port, two starboard; two port and starboard upper deck aft.
Provided: Four-gun broadside, four ahead and astern.
Rejected: Weak broadside and turrets too far ahead.
Design ‘3’
Guns: Six 12in in three twin turrets.
Disposition: Forecastle, two port, two starboard, but well aft; one centreline upper deck aft.
Provided: Four-gun broadside, four ahead, two astern.
Rejected: Weak broadside and astern.
Design ‘4’
Guns: Eight 12in in four turrets.
Disposition: One forecastle centreline; one upper deck aft centreline; two upper deck amidships, port and starboard.
Provided: Six-gun broadside, ahead and astern.
Design ‘5’
Guns: Eight 12in in four twin turrets. Identical with Design ‘4’, but midships turrets echeloned, allowing offside turret to bear on a limited arc on opposite beam.
Design ‘6’
Guns: Eight 12in in four twin turrets.
Disposition: As in Design ‘5’, but forecastle deck extended aft to give midships turrets higher command.
Accepted.
INVINCIBLE CLASS: FINAL LEGEND, SUMMARY OF WEIGHTS, 10 AUGUST 1905
| Load condition | tons |
| Hull: | 6,200 |
| Armour: | 3,460 |
| Machinery: | 3,300 |
| Armament: | 2,440 |
| Coal: | 1,000 |
| General equipment: | 660 |
| Engineers’ stores: | 90 |
| Board margin: | 100 |
| Total: | 17,250 |
| Deep condition | |
| Hull: | 6,200 |
| Armour: | 3,460 |
| Machinery: | 3,300 |
| Coal: | 3,000 |
| Armament: | 2,480 |
| General equipment: | 740 |
| Oil: | 700 |
| Reserve feedwater: | 350 |
| Engineers’ stores: | 90 |
| Board margin: | 100 |
| Total: | 20,420 |
1. A nominal displacement increase of 2,650 tons. Length increase was 48ft, with beam and draught increases of 4ft and 6in respectively.
2. Eight 12in and sixteen 4in against four 9.2in and ten 7.5in.
3. Turbine machinery of 41,000shp against 27,000shp with reciprocating machinery.
Construction of the vessels was carried out in great secrecy and, at Fisher’s instigation, erroneous reports were circulated implying that the design was merely a development of the Minotaur class. This misled the German Admiralty into starting their own construction of Blücher, a distinctly inferior type in respect of speed and armament. True particulars of the British ships were not made public until the summer of 1906 when it was too late for the Germans to revise their designs.
Invincible, mid 1909, showing painted funnel bands for identification: one white third funnel Indomitable; one white first funnel Inflexible; one white on each Invincible.
Armament
One of the very early alternative layouts showed ten 9.2in in five twin turrets, arranged as in Dreadnought, but as the Committee had discarded the 9.2in gun, only the designs with 12in armament were considered. The 12in guns were finally adopted on the grounds that the ships were required to run down and destroy any other cruiser then extant. This was the primary role, but they should also be capable of forming a fast division to supplement the battlefleet, and perhaps attack the van of an enemy fleet.
The uniform heavy-calibre armament adopted for these new ships provided maximum destructive effect, together with the greatest possible accuracy and efficiency in long-range fire control. On the basis of the Admiralty requirements, the main armament of eight 12in guns was the maximum commensurate with a speed of 25 knots, protection similar to that of Minotaur and dimensions conforming to existing docks. A primary requirement was the capability for maximum fire ahead unhindered by blast interference from individual turrets. The value of powerful ahead fire for engaging a retreating enemy had been particularly stressed by Lord Fisher and was in contrast to the requirements for Dreadnought where a heavy weight in broadside was the primary objective.
The plans of the cruiser type were very distinctive and the final arrangement was not, in any way, a discarded design for the battleship. The final plan, with the midships turret arrangement in close echelon, and allowing a nominal all-round fire of six guns with a good command for three of the four turrets, was considered the best that could be produced on the available length and beam, these in turn being dependent on the internal capacity of the hull form with proper arrangement of magazines, machinery and boilers. Because of anticipated blast effect, there was never any intention of providing an eight-gun broadside by placing the midships guns en echelon, and the most that was expected was to maintain a six-gun broadside over a limited arc of fire if the other turret became inoperable.
During the spring of 1905 consideration was given to fitting electrically-operated turrets in one of the new cruisers of the following year’s Estimates; this would be on an experimental basis, but it had long been accepted that electrical machinery might have advantages over the hydraulic equipment in use. Invincible was selected for the experiment; her centreline turrets were to be manufactured by Vickers, those on the beam by Armstrong-Whitworth; all were to be electrically-operated. The centreline mountings were Mk B1X, the beam mountings Mk BX.
After completion of the ship, a lengthy series of gun trials revealed that the fittings were something of a failure; training was a little slower than usual and the system was unpopular with turret crews. The machinery showed no marked superiority over the hydraulic equipment, and it was decided to reinstate the standard hydraulic gear during her next refit (it was not refitted until 1914).
Originally it had been intended that these vessels carry 12pdrs as in Dreadnought, but this was abandoned in favour of a new 4in gun introduced early in 1907.
Armour
In accordance with the Admiralty’s instructions to the Committee, protection, which was largely subordinated to armament and speed, was only to the same scale as the immediately preceding Minotaur-class armoured cruisers. Although adequate against attack by medium-calibre, long-range shellfire, such as might be anticipated in the cruiser role for which the ships were primarily intended, it was quite incapable of withstanding the heavy-calibre projectiles to which they would be exposed in their alternative role as part of the battlefleet.
Inflexible at Chatham in October 1908. Note boat stowage arrangements, and 12pdrs located below flying deck level.
Inflexible, as completed and commissioned, Chatham DY in October 1908.
INVINCIBLE
Outboard profile and plan, 1909
The horizontal armouring was especially meagre, in which connection Philip Watts recorded that ‘Admiralty requirements called for protection only against “flat trajectory” fire at about 9,000 yards and that, with a displacement limit of approximately 17,000 tons, no weight was available to increase the thickness of deck armour, although realizing the danger of plunging shellfire from heavy-calibre shells at 15,000 yards and over.’ The probability of future fleet actions being fought at ranges greater than 15,000 yards, with heavy shells falling at steep angles, was not fully appreciated in official circles at that date, although it had been pointed out by, among others, Captain Mark Kerr, when he was in command of Invincible during her first commission in 1909.
The main armoured belt of the class was 6in thick amidships and extended from just outside ‘A’ barbette to abreast of the centre of ‘Y’. The upper edge was at main deck level, some 7ft 5in above the load waterline. The lower edge was 3ft 10in below the waterline in the same load. The belt forward was 4in thick and ran unbroken to the stem over the same height as that for the 6in plates. The forward bulkhead was 7in thick and closed the forward extremities of the 6in armour between the main and lower deck levels. A 6in after bulkhead closed the main belt to the outer face of ‘Y’ in an oblique strake between the main and lower deck levels.
The barbettes for the 12in turrets were 7in thick in ‘A’ ‘P’ and ‘Q’ mountings, and ran down to the protective deck at this thickness. Below deck they were enclosed by 2in rectangular bulkheads extending out to the vessel’s side below ‘P’ and ‘Q’. The outer face of ‘Y’ was 7in to the lower deck and then, as before, reduced to 2in once below.
Indomitable. Extreme port bow and starboard quarter views, showing the high freeboard afforded to the ships. Note height of after superstructure which housed most of the ship’s boats, all easily handled by the main and two stump derricks, (P+S) between the first and second funnels.
The quarterdeck of Indomitable c. 1911, shortly after a coaling session and a welcome rest for the stokers no doubt.
Indomitable at sea 15 July 1908, bound for Quebec, taking HRH the Prince of Wales to Canada for tercentenary celebrations. The Royal Standard flies from the topgallant mast.
Turrets were given 2½in–3in on the roofs and sides, faces and backs were 7in. The main deck was ¾in from the stem to the forward belt bulkhead after which it increased to 1in. Lower deck thickness ranged from 1½in to 2½in, the crown being at waterline level and the lower edge being at the lower edge of the armoured belt, 3ft 10in below water. The 2½in ran on the slopes with 1½in on the flat between the belt bulkheads. Outside these bulkheads it was 1½in forward and 2½in aft.
The forward conning tower had a 10in face and a 7in rear which was located below the bridge level. The spotting and signal tower at the rear of the conning tower was 3in on the sides with a 2in roof and floor. The communications tube had 4in plates. The torpedo conning tower on the after superstructure was 6in on the sides with a 2in roof and floor; the tube was 3in. There was a lower conning tower aft, below the main deck, which was given 2in protection. The magazine screens for limited torpedo protection were 2½in thick, and were fitted longitudinally port and starboard abreast the forward, amidships and after magazines.
Machinery
The early designs all provided reciprocating machinery, although some Members of the Board were optimistic about the fitting of turbine machinery in the cruiser type. Fisher had stressed that the importance of maintaining superiority over enemy cruisers in speed as well as armament was paramount, and as it was anticipated that new foreign cruisers might be designed with speeds of up to 24 knots, it was considered necessary to exceed this figure. The completed vessels were all fitted with Parsons direct drive turbines and four screws. The high pressure turbines were fitted on the wing shafts and the low pressure on the inner shafts. There was one HP ahead and astern turbine on each shaft, also, one LP ahead and astern turbine fitted to each inner shaft. The cruising turbines were also fitted to the inner shafts. On completion these ships had the most powerful turbine installation of any warship afloat, and were easily the fastest heavy cruisers in the world.
INVINCIBLE CLASS: PARTICULARS, AS COMPLETED
Construction
Displacement (tons), 1909 figures
Inflexible: 17,290 (load), 19,975 (full load)
Indomitable: 17,410 (load), 20,125 (full load)
Invincible: 17,420 (load), 20,135 (full load).
Dimensions
Length: 530ft pp, 560ft wI, 567ft oa
Beam: 78ft 8½in
Draught: 25ft 1in (load), 26ft 8in (full load)
Freeboard: 30ft forward, 21ft amidships, 17ft aft.
Armament
Eight 12in 45cal Mk X; Mk VIII mounting (Indomitable and Inflexible only, see Gunnery Notes)
Sixteen 4in 45cal Mk lll (one 3in AA added in Invincible 1914)
Seven MG
Five 18in torpedo tubes (four beam, one stern); twenty-three torpedoes plus six 14in for the boats.
Director control
None fitted as completed.
Armour
Main belt: 6in amidships; extending 7ft 5in above water-line, 3ft 10in below (at normal condition)
Bulkheads: 7in forward, 6in aft
Forward belt: 4in
Turrets: 7in face and sides, 3in roof
Barbettes: 7in through to armoured deck where they reduced to 2in
Decks: main 1in–¾in, lower 2½in–2in–1½in
Conning tower: 10in face, 7in rear, 2in roof and floor
Communications tube: 4in
Spotting and signal tower: 3in sides, 2in roof and floor
Torpedo conning tower: 6in sides, 2in roof and floor
Communications tube: 3in
Magazine screens: 2½in.
Machinery
Four sets Parsons direct-drive turbines, four propellers
Thirty-one Yarrow large-tube boilers, 250psi (normal), each fitted with five (Indomitable four, Inflexible three) single-orifice oil sprayers (180psi per hour per burner, Invincible; 300psi per hour per burner, Inflexible)
Total heating surface: 103,880sq ft
Grate area: 1,750sq ft
Length of boiler rooms: (1) 51ft 11in, (2) 34ft 1in, (3) 33ft 11¾in, (4) 33ft 10¾in
Length of engine rooms: 76ft
Fuel: 1,000 tons coal min., 3,084 tons max. (Inflexible); approx. 725 tons oil (each ship varied)
Coal consumption: 660 tons per day at full power
Radius of action: 6,210nm at 10 knots (oil added); 3,050nm at seagoing speed of 22.3 knots.
| Ship’s boats | Capacity |
| Pinnaces (steam): two 50ft | 140 |
| Pinnaces (sail): one 36ft | 86 |
| Launches (sail): one 42ft | 140 |
| Life cutters: two 32ft | 118 |
| Cutters: one 32ft | 59 |
| Gigs: one 30ft | 26 |
| Whalers: three 27ft | 72 |
| Dinghies: one 16ft | 10 |
| Balsa rafts: one 13ft 6in | 8 |
| Total | 659 |
Searchlights
Eight 36in, two forward superstructure abeam conning tower, two on platforms abeam fore funnel, one high on platform abeam second funnel (port), one high on platform abeam third funnel (starboard), two low down on platform on main tripod legs, one 24in signalling lamp on platform below foretop.
Anchors
Three 125cwt Wasteney Smith stockless
Two 42cwt stream and kedge (close stowing)
Two 5cwt Admiralty type.
Wireless
Mk II W/T set on completion; later changed to Types 1 and 9.
Complement
Inflexible: 779 (1910); 808 as flagship (1912)
Indomitable: 781 (1914)
Invincible: 755 (1906 Estimate); 729 (11 Feb 1909); 799 (1914); 1,032 as flagship (1916).
Cost
Estimate: £1,621,015
Revised Navy estimate: £1,634,316
Final estimate: £1,625,120
Actual cost: Inflexible £1,630,739; Indomitable £1,662,337; Invincible £1,677,515, guns £90,000.
INVINCIBLE
Body plan, inboard profile and sections, as fitted, 1908-9
INVINCIBLE
Outboard profile, as fitted February 1915
Indomitable at Weymouth 1911/12.
Funnel arrangements had varied greatly throughout the designs, and although no record is available of the Fisher-Gard layout, the second, third and fourth designs provided for four tall, thin, evenly spaced and slightly raked funnels. The fifth and sixth were much the same except that the after funnel was placed well back so as to clear the echeloned turret amidships. This spacing was retained in the final layout, but the first three funnels were combined into two larger funnels, and were not raked.
General Notes
As in Dreadnought, the traditional accommodation plan of officers aft and ratings forward was reversed. Although proving unsatisfactory and very unpopular, it was not rectified until the building of the battlecruiser Queen Mary and the battleships of the King George V class.
INDOMITABLE: LAUNCH FIGURES, 16 MARCH 1907
| tons | |
| Displacement: | 7,461 |
| Armour: | 1,097½ |
| Men and ballast: | 460 |
| Machinery: | 170 |
| Recorded weight of hull: | 5,744 |
Length: 530ft 1¾in pp
Beam: 78ft 7¾in
Beam as moulded: 78ft 4¼in
Depth of keel from flying deck: 48ft 2¾in
Length of boiler rooms: 153ft 10½in
Length of engine rooms: 75ft 11⅝in
Draught at launch: 11ft 5in forward, 15ft 8in aft
Breakage at launch:
longitudinal in a distance of 406ft = 1½in hog
transverse in a distance of 73ft 8in = nil
Invincible launch weight: 7,889 tons (hull: 6,022 tons)
Inflexible launch weight: 7,592 tons (hull: 5,810 tons).
Invincible. Port bow view showing her general layout in 1909. Seen here shortly after her trials period when her funnels bands were painted up.
Appearance Changes
General appearance of the class was unlike that of any preceding class of armoured cruisers. Outstanding features were:
1. Long forecastle.
2. Three short, flat-sided funnels of equal height, unevenly spaced and without rake. Third funnel placed well abaft second and close to mainmast.
3. Navigating platform raised high over bridge and extended prominently forward.
4. High superstructure aft.
5. Full tripod masts main legs raked forward.
As completed, they were rated the best-looking warships in the navy. They were very hard to tell apart being practically identical except for the following.
Invincible: Second yard on foremast well above control top. Solid siren brackets abaft fore funnel.
Inflexible: Straight slope to edges of starfish on mainmast. Open brackets for sirens.
Indomitable: Angled slope to lower edge of starfish on mainmast. Solid brackets for sirens.
1909 Range indicators fitted to faces of control tops in Indomitable and Inflexible, but only to forward control top in Invincible. Standard funnel bands painted: Invincible 1 white on each funnel; Indomitable 1 white on 3rd funnel; Inflexible 1 white on fore funnel.
1911 Range indicator fitted to face of after control top in Invincible. 24in signalling searchlights removed from foremast in all. Remounted on superstructure abaft forward funnel in Inflexible and Invincible. Extra yard fitted to head of foretopmast in all.
1912–13 Forward control top in Indomitable and Inflexible modified with narrow faces. Range indicators removed in all. Blast screens fitted abaft 4in guns on ‘A’ and ‘Y’ turrets. Extra 36in searchlight added at end corner of forward superstructure in Invincible.
1913–14 Blast screens removed from 4in guns as vessels were refitted. Forward superstructure searchlight remounted on bridge in Indomitable, 24in SL removed in Inflexible. Torpedo nets removed in all.
1914 Indomitable: 4in guns removed from ‘A’ and ‘Y’ turrets. Two remounted (P+S) over forward pair in forward superstructure and two on same level abaft (see 1915 drawing).
Forward guns plated in, affording some protection for crews. Invincible: As refitted in 1914. Director control top fitted for main armament, this being placed on new platform just below foretop. The 24in SL and its platform were removed. Fore control top modified with narrow face. Turret electrical gear replaced by hydraulic (see notes). 4in guns removed from ‘A’ and ‘Y’ turrets and fitted as in Indomitable. New SL platform added to forward superstructure, 36in lamps placed in position.
On outbreak of war anti-torpedo nets replaced while in home waters, although not carried in Mediterranean, and removed from Inflexible and Invincible before they left for South Atlantic in December 1914 shortly before the Battle of Falkland Islands. Topgallants removed in Inflexible, Invincible and Indomitable with anti-rangefinder spirals fitted to Invincible’s masts during the Falkland battle period. Funnel bands painted out. Indomitable painted in experimental two-tone camouflage while serving in the eastern Mediterranean in late 1914; painted out after her return in December 1914.
1915–16 Director control for main armament fitted in Inflexible and Indomitable (1915). 4in guns removed from turrets of Inflexible during her refit in Malta, March 1915. Remounted in forward superstructure as in other two. No 4in guns remaining on any of the turrets from this date. 3in AA gun added on platform on aft superstructure during mid-1915. AA armament later altered to 2 × 3in AA on platforms abeam second funnel. Uncertain if this modification was ever made to Invincible. Torpedo nets no longer carried.
Fore funnel of Invincible raised while under refit at Gibraltar in February 1915. (Inflexible 1911, Indomitable 1910). Extra upper wing added to bridge in Indomitable. Both topgallants and yards removed from foremast in Inflexible. Short signal struts fitted to starfish below fore control top in Inflexible.
Various types of camouflage used throughout this period: in the Dardanelles Inflexible had irregular white patches on hull sides with dark patches on funnels except for the second which was painted a very light colour. All three ships sported a dark rectangular panel along the hull while serving in North Sea during 1915, as did all the battlecruisers patrolling those waters. Panel was painted out during the early months of 1916.
1916–17 3in AA gun fitted abeam third funnel on small platform was removed and a 4in AA was substituted in its place, although not on old platform, a new platform being erected abeam the fore funnel on the centreline. After Jutland extra armour plating was worked into the surviving pair in the areas of the magazines and turret roofs, ammunition hoists also received some sort of addition, although not to a very grand scale and it is doubtful whether more than 100 tons were added.
Inflexible at Weymouth, c. 1911. The fore funnel has been heightened to clear the bridge in an endeavour to alleviate smoke and fumes.
INDOMITABLE: SPEED TRIALS, 1908
Polperro and Skelmorlie courses
26 April, th-power
Draught: 25ft forward, 26ft 10in aft
Displacement: 17,620 tons
Port outer: 260rpm; 7,035shp; inner: 229rpm; 5,427shp
Starboard outer: 271 rpm; 8,501shp; inner: 232rpm; 5,771shp
Speed: 22.488 knots (mean figures of six runs).
27 April, 30-hour th-power
Draught: 25ft 1in forward, 26ft 3in aft
Displacement: 17,120 tons
Port outer: 185rpm; 3,323shp; inner: 173rpm; 2,339shp
Starboard outer: 187rpm; 2,734shp; inner: 167rpm; 1,908shp
Speed: 16.05 knots (mean figures of four runs).
28 April, th-power
Draught: 25ft 1in forward, 26ft 3in aft
Displacement: 17,120 tons
Port outer: 272rpm; 7,954shp; inner: 243rpm; 6,791shp
Starboard outer: 277rpm; 8,680shp; inner: 250rpm; 7,553shp
Speed: 23.665 knots (mean figures of six runs).
29 April, full power
Draught: 25ft forward, 27ft aft
Displacement: 17,435 tons
Port outer: 316rpm; 12,967shp; inner: 285rpm; 11,705shp
Starboard outer: 307rpm; 12,429shp; inner: 277rpm; 10,681shp
Speed: 26,106 knots (mean figures of four runs).
INVINCIBLE: SPEED TRIALS, 1908
Invincible began her preliminary sea trials off Chesil Beach on Thursday, 22 October
Type of trial: 30-hour, power
Sea condition: smooth
Draught (before leaving the Tyne): 26ft 11in forward, 27ft 2in aft
Revolutions: 174.3rpm
SHP: 9,695
Speed: 16.24 knots (mean figures of six runs)
Polperro course, 3 November
Type of trial: 13-hour th power
Revolutions: 269.5rpm
SHP: 34,124
Speed: 24.26 knots (mean figures of six runs)
Polperro course, 7 November
Type of trial: full power
Sea condition: rough; wind ESE, Force 9
Revolutions: 295.2rpm
SHP: 46,500
Speed: 26.64 knots (mean figures of six runs)
Type of trial: cruising
Low power: 122.45rpm; 3,854shp; 11.55 knots
Intermediate power: 196.25rpm; 13,291shp; 18.2 knots
High power: 225.62rpm; 21,266shp; 20.812 knots (mean figures of six runs).
1917–18 Fore control top enlarged. Range clock fitted to face of control top and at extremity of after superstructure. Deflection scales painted on ‘A’ and ‘Y’ turrets. Stern torpedo tube removed after April 1917. Six searchlights were removed from abeam fore funnel and from main tripod legs. Two were remounted on lower bridge and the other four were placed in new ‘coffee-box’ control towers abeam third funnel. An extra 36in lamp was fitted on platform low down at extremity of after superstructure. Two 24in signalling lamps added, one on each corner of fore funnel platform.
1917–18 Flying-off platforms for aircraft fitted over ‘P’ and ‘Q’ turrets. Splinter shields fitted to remaining 4in guns in both groups. Large platform added low on fore tripod legs, close above bridge in Inflexible. Topping davits removed. Fore topmast removed. Signal struts fitted to starfish below fore control top in Indomitable, and earlier struts fitted to Inflexible were considerably lengthened.
Invincible moves through the long line of warships assembled for the Fleet Review at Spithead July 1909.
1918 High-angle rangefinder added to fore control top.
History: Invincible
Built under 1905–06 Estimates. Left builder’s yard for finishing touches at Pelaw prior to trials in September 1908. Completion of trials in March 1909. Placed in Nore Reserve during trials at end of 1908, and commissioned at Portsmouth 20 March 1909 for service with 1st CS in 1st Division Home Fleet. Present for delegates of the Imperial Press Conference Review at Spithead in June 1909. Took part in the annual manoeuvres in June and July of that year.
1909 17–24 July Present at visit to Southend by Home and Atlantic Fleets.
31 July Present at Royal Review of Home and Atlantic Fleets at Spithead.
Invincible arrived in Gibraltar on 15 January 1915 and stayed for about five weeks, receiving a minor refit and the addition of her fore funnel extension (shown here being lifted into place).
‘Invincible’ (ex-Patrician) leaving Harland & Wolff’s yard, Belfast on 17 February 1915. In an endeavour to mislead the enemy as to strength and positions of the Grand Fleet, squadrons of merchantmen were disguised as capital ships. Apart from the cutaway hull, this conversion of Patrician was remarkably convincing.
1910 April Took part in exercises with Home and Atlantic Fleets in Scottish waters.
July Annual manoeuvres including a visit to Torbay with Home and Atlantic Fleets, and part of Mediterranean Fleet.
1911 Jan Combined exercises off the NW coast of Spain with all three fleets.
16 May Recommissioned for service in 1st CS. Visited Dublin with 1st and 2nd Divisions of Home Fleet.
24 June Present at Coronation of King George V Review at Spithead.
June–July Annual manoeuvres in the Channel and North Sea.
1912 9 July Took part in Parliamentary Review at Spithead.
July Annual manoeuvres and visited Torbay.
Autumn Cruise to Norway and Denmark.
1913 July Annual manoeuvres.
Aug Transferred to Mediterranean Squadron on conclusion of manoeuvres. 2nd BCS formed (Mediterranean).
Nov Combined exercises with part of Home Fleet.
1914 March Paid off at Portsmouth for extensive refit and changes to her gun mountings involving removal of electrical gear and substitution of hydraulic equipment.
6 Aug Completed refit and sailed for Queenstown on commerce protection duties.
19 Aug Ordered from Queenstown to the Humber as flagship of newly formed 2nd BCS (with New Zealand).
28 Aug Battle of Heligoland Bight. With New Zealand she was supporting the Harwich Light Forces when the battlecruisers were ordered in from the west to cover a withdrawal. At 11.30 they were unsuccessfully attacked by a U-boat which passed astern. At 12.10 the British destroyers and Fearless were sighted retiring westwards hotly engaged with enemy light cruisers. Invincible engaged the German cruiser Köln and eventually sunk her at 13.25. A general retirement to the west was ordered and action was closed.
31 Aug New Zealand and Invincible ordered to the Forth.
2 Sept At 22.30 general alarm caused by U21 penetrating the harbour defences. No action evident.
10–11 Sept With the Grand Fleet in a sweep into Heligoland Bight, after which she was sent into Scapa to coal.
Mid Sept Transferred to 1st BCS Grand Fleet and based at Rosyth.
14–17 Sept With Inflexible and 3rd BS supporting cruiser sweeps in North Sea.
End Sept With Inflexible patrolled North Sea and in particular the Faroe Islands. Rejoined 1st BCS at sea on 29 September.
Start Oct Transferred to 2nd BCS Grand Fleet on its reorganization.
3–10 Oct Patrolling off Shetland Islands during the crossing of the First Canadian Contingent.
4 Nov Detached with Inflexible as a special squadron for operations against Count Von Spee. Invincible was to be flagship and they were both ordered to Devonport to prepare for this service. This move was made only six hours after receiving news of the Royal Navy’s disaster at the Coronel Islands on 1 November.
5 Nov Hauled down flag of 2nd BCS at midday, being relieved by New Zealand. Left Cromarty at midnight and proceeded to Devonport via west coast of Ireland.
8 Nov Reached Devonport and was found to require docking and repairs which could not be completed before 13 November. The Admiralty gave orders that the ships must sail by 11 November and workmen would have to remain aboard if necessary.
11 Nov Work completed and both ships left for Falkland Islands at 16.45.
18–19 Nov Coaled at St Vincent, Cape Verde Islands.
26 Nov Reached Abrolhos Rocks base and joined the squadron already concentrated there under Admiral Stoddart.
28 Nov In company with cruisers Cornwall, Kent, Carvarvon, Bristol and Glasgow, the two battlecruisers left Abrolhos Rocks for the Falklands.
1 Dec Squadron diverted on receipt of distress call from merchantman which eventually proved groundless.
7 Dec At 10.30 reached Port William in the Falkland Islands.
8 Dec Battle of the Falkland Islands. At 04.00 Invincible commenced coaling. At 07.50 enemy ships were reported in sight by the signal station on the Islands. General chase ordered at 10.20.
At 10.50 ordered to ease speed to 24 knots so as to reduce smoke. Speed reduced again at 11.10 to allow cruisers to catch up with battlecruisers. At 12.20 speed again increased and at 12.58 Invincible opened fire on the German cruiser Leipzig at a distance of 16,000 yards. At 13.20 enemy light cruisers broke away to SW, followed immediately by Kent, Cornwall and Glasgow. At 13.02 Invincible opened fire on German flagship Scharnhorst. At 13.25 Scharnhorst and Gneisenau opened fire on British battlecruisers. 13.45 Invincible struck by 8.2in shells whereupon she turned two points to starboard to increase the range. Scharnhorst’s fire broken off at 14.10 as range increased. At 14.48 Invincible reopened fire on Scharnhorst, altering fire to Gneisenau at 15.15 for approximately five minutes. At 16.10 Scharnhorst rolled over and sank seven minutes later. Gneisenau, her fore funnel shot away and her general condition bad, suddenly turned towards the British ships and stopped, with a heavy list to starboard, although not before she had hit Invincible once more. At 18.02 Gneisenau turned turtle and sank. Invincible picked up seven officers and 24 men. Throughout the action, Invincible had drawn most of the enemy’s fire and had received 22 hits, including two below the waterline, but sustained no casualties and no serious damage.
8–10 Dec In company with Inflexible, searched for the escaped cruisers Nürnburg and Dresden in the Cape Horn area.
11 Dec Returned to Port William.
16 Dec Left Falkland Islands for home, returning independently.
20 Dec Visited Montevideo.
26–31 Dec Called at Pernambuco.
1915 Jan Coaled at St Vincent. On arriving in Gibraltar Invincible hauled down flag of Admiral Sturdee and began a five-week refit, during which her fore funnel was lengthened, the last in the class to have this feature. In the latter part of Feb 1915, Invincible arrived at Scapa Flow and commenced gunnery trials and practice. Transferred to 3rd BCS as flagship.
1916 Early March Based at Rosyth having joined 3rd BCS.
April Under refit on River Tyne, having some of her 12in guns replaced.
26 May Hoisted Flag of Rear-Admiral the Hon. Horace Hood, GB.
May 3rd BCS, temporarily transferred to Scapa Flow for gunnery practice.
30 May Left Scapa with Grand Fleet for a sweep into the Skaggerak. ‘Battle of Jutland’.
31 May At 14.30 3rd BCS increased speed, screened by Chester, Canterbury, Shark, Acasta, Ophelia and Christopher all of which were scouting some 21 miles ahead of the main battlefleet. At 15.30 again increased speed to reinforce Sir David Beatty in Lion of 1st BCS. The weather had now become misty. At 17.40, having steered a slightly too easterly course, heard firing to the NW and altered course to investigate. At 17.46 sighted the Chester which was retiring on the 3rd BCS and hotly engaged with the enemy light cruisers believed to be Frankfurt, Weisbaden, Pillau and Elbing. At 17.50 Invincible with Inflexible opened fire on Weisbaden and Pillau, badly damaging both. At 18.10 enemy launched a torpedo attack to cover retreat and Invincible was forced to turn to starboard to avoid it. At 18.20 she sighted 1st and 2nd BCS to port steering north. Invincible swung into line ahead of them on an ESE course. At 18.30 she engaged the German battlecruisers Derfflinger and Lützow inflicting serious damage on both of them. At approximately 18.33 she was hit in ‘Q’ turret but apparently not badly damaged. She was hitting the enemy vessels very hard, but had now come under the fire of more than one ship, some of which were the van of the German High Seas Fleet. The strikes on and around ‘Q’ turret reached her propellant charges which in turn reached her amidships magazines. The ship blew up with a tremendous explosion, flames rising about 400 feet, and when the smoke had cleared about twenty minutes later, both bow and stern were visibly projecting bottom up from the water, the smashed amidships section apparently resting on the bottom. She vanished during the night, time uncertain. 61 officers and 965 men (including five civilians) were lost, only six survivors being picked up by Badger.
History: Inflexible
Built under the 1905–6 Estimates. Began steam trials 20 June 1908. Completed trials in October of that year.
1908 20 Oct Commissioned at Chatham to relieve Jupiter in Nore Division of Home Fleet. At end of 1908 cruised in Mediterranean.
1909 March Transferred to 1st CS (later 5th CS) Home Fleet on its transformation.
June Took part in Imperial Press Conference Review.
6–7 July Annual manoeuvres with the combined fleets.
17–24 July Visited Southend with units of Home and Atlantic Fleets.
31 July Present at Royal Review of Home and Atlantic Fleets at Spithead.
Sept With Special Squadron which represented Great Britain at the Hudson-Fulton celebrations at New York, she flew the flag of Admiral of the Fleet, Sir Edward Seymour.
16 Sept Left for New York.
24 Sept Reached Sandy Hook.
9 Oct Left New York for return voyage.
19 Oct Returned to Portsmouth.
1910 April Exercises in Scottish waters with Home and Atlantic Fleets.
July Annual manoeuvres with Atlantic, Home and Mediterranean Fleets, and visited Torbay.
1911 Jan Combined exercises off the NW coast of Spain with the above fleets.
Spring With 2nd Division Home Fleet in Dublin Bay for State Visit of the King and Queen.
Inflexible in the Dardanelles early 1915, wearing a one-off three-tone camouflage scheme.
Bow-on view of Inflexible after running into a mine in Eren Keui Bay on 18 March 1915. Listing to port and receiving assistance from auxiliary vessels. She was later taken in tow by Canopus (see History: Inflexible).
26 May Collided with Bellerophon at Portland, sustained slight damage to bows.
24 June Present at Coronation Review at Spithead.
June–July Annual manoeuvres off SW coast and in North Sea.
18 Nov Temporarily relieved Indomitable as flagship 1st CS Home Fleet during latter’s refit.
1912 8 May Relieved as flagship and became a private ship again.
9 July Took part in Parliamentary Review followed by more manoeuvres and visit to Torbay.
Autumn Cruising, and visited Norway and Denmark.
Nov Transferred to Mediterranean Squadron as flagship of the C in C, replacing Good Hope.
5 Nov Commissioned for this service at Chatham.
1913 2nd BCS Mediterranean Squadron was formed.
19 July Visited Piraeus.
Nov Combined exercises in Mediterranean with part of Home Fleet.
1914 July Visited Constantinople.
27 July At Alexandria with Indefatigable, Warrior, Black Prince, Chatham, Dublin, Weymouth, Gloucester and fourteen destroyers.
3 Aug Left Malta.
5 Aug Concentrated off Pantellaria with Indomitable and Indefatigable.
6 Aug Patrolling off Pantellaria with Indomitable and Indefatigable.
7 Aug Reached Malta at 12.00 to coal.
8 Aug With Indomitable, Indefatigable and Weymouth, left Malta at 00.30 to search for the German Goeben and Breslau.
10 Aug At 04.00 the Squadron rounded Cape Malea.
10–11 Aug Searching the Aegean Islands.
18 Aug Left Malta for home.
Late Aug Joined 2nd BCS Grand Fleet at Rosyth.
10–11 Sept With Grand Fleet in a sweep to the Heligoland Bight, then, with Invincible, to the North.
14–17 Sept With 3rd BS and Invincible, covering cruiser sweeps in North Sea.
Late Sept With Invincible cruising north of Faroe Islands, rejoined 1st BCS at sea on 29th.
2 Oct Left Scapa Flow.
2–10 Oct With Invincible, Sappho and three minelayers on patrol between Shetlands and Faroes during the crossing of the Canadian Contingent.
18–25 Oct With Invincible covering unsuccessful air raid on Zeppelin sheds at Cuxhaven.
5–6 Nov With Invincible, left Cromarty for Devonport at midnight and proceeded west around Ireland.
Inflexible showing damage received during the Dardanelles campaign whilst bombarding Hamidieh (fort 16) and Namazieh (fort 17) on 18 March 1915.
8–11 Nov At Devonport fitting out for detached service.
11 Nov Sailed for Falkland Islands. At Battle of the Falklands 8 December 1914 (see Invincible). Sustained no damage during the battle and was able to pick up 10 officers and 52 men from Gneisenau after that vessel sank. Inflexible had one man killed and two slightly wounded.
13 Dec With Glasgow, left Port Stanley at 08.30 to investigate rumours that Dresden was at Punta Arenas.
17 Dec Passed into Pacific and met Bristol and Glasgow in Gulf of Penas where she received orders to return home immediately. Left for Port Stanley.
Late Dec/Jan 1915 Refitting at Gibraltar.
1915 24 Jan Reached Dardanelles to replace Indefatigable as flagship of British Dardanelles Squadron, intending to engage Goeben should she come out. The flag was transferred at Skyros.
Feb At Mudros. She was to have returned home when Agamemnon had arrived, but accident to Queen Elizabeth prevented this.
19 Feb First bombardment of Dardanelles outer forts. The pre-dreadnoughts Albion, Cornwallis (flag) and Triumph, plus the cruiser Amethyst and the French battleships Bouvet, Suffren and Gaulois began their bombardment at 09.51. Inflexible bombarded Fort Sedd el Bahr and closed to short range at 15.00. At 17.50 she engaged Fort Orkanieh and assisted Vengeance. At 17.50 ceasefire was called.
20–24 Feb At Tenados during a gale.
25 Feb Second bombardment of outer forts. She was stationed about 11,000 yards NW of Cape Helles and spotting for Queen Elizabeth whose 15in guns did considerable damage to the forts. Agamemnon also in this action.
4 March Supported bombardment of Forts Dardance and Messaudieh and covered Marines landed to destroy the forts at Helles and Orkanieh.
Inflexible showing final wartime additions and alterations: new and heavy bridgework, enlarged foretop and director control, 4in guns in casemates, ‘coffee-box SL towers around base of mainmast tripod, AA gun behind first funnel, runways on midships 12in turrets with an aircraft on each.
5 March With Prince George supported Queen Elizabeth in bombarding Rumili Medjidieh and Namazgieh at long range, from the Gulf of Saros. At 14.40 with Prince George silenced a battery of field guns which were hitting Queen Elizabeth.
11 March Left for Malta to change her two ‘A’ turret guns which had become worn.
17 March Back to Dardanelles.
18 March Left for Tenados at 08.30. At 11.30 joined by Queen Elizabeth, Agamemnon and Lord Nelson, to bombard Hamidieh (Fort 16) and Namazieh (Fort 17) from range of 14,000 yards. Inflexible came under heavy fire from Eren Keui, but knocked out two of the Hamidieh heavy guns. At 12.20 hit on foremast and bridge and set on fire, being hit seven times by 12.23. At 13.25 withdrew from line to extinguish fire and attend to wounded. At 14.36 she was again in action and became heavily engaged with the gunfire from the forts. At 15.45 she was hit again, but not seriously. At about 16.10 struck a mine on the starboard bow while turning in Eren Keui Bay. Forward torpedo flat was flooded and 39 men drowned. At 18.00 reached Tenados and beached in shallows, having shipped approx 2,000 tons of seawater. A cofferdam was quickly fitted over the hole which measured some 30 feet by 26 feet.
6 April Left Mudros for Malta, escorted by the old pre-dreadnought Canopus and the cruiser Talbot.
10 April Reached Malta, having nearly foundered in heavy weather when the cofferdam worked loose. Towed stern first for six hours by Canopus, until Malta was finally reached.
9 June At Gibraltar.
19 June Returned home and joined 3rd BCS Grand Fleet.
1916 May 3rd BCS transferred to Scapa Flow for gunnery practice.
30 May Left Scapa with Grand Fleet for a sweep to the Skaggerak.
31 May Battle of Jutland. See Invincible. After Invincible sank, Inflexible led the battlecruiser line until 18.54 when, during a lull 3rd BCS was ordered to reduce speed to 18 knots and take up line astern of New Zealand. At 19.14, the battlecruisers were again in action at a distance of 15,000 yards. A torpedo attack to cover enemy withdrawal was repelled at 19.25. Inflexible was heavily engaged throughout action but sustained neither damage nor casualties.
5 June 3rd BCS dissolved and Inflexible transferred to 2nd BCS on fleet reorganization.
19 Aug At 19.50 off Blythe passage, two torpedoes fired by U65 passed astern and caused no damage.
1918 31 Jan At about 18.00 while leaving the Forth with the fleet, collided with K 14, striking her a glancing blow, after that submarine had collided with K 22. (‘Battle of May Island’ disaster to 13th Submarine Squadron.)
22 April 2nd BCS and 7th LCS covered passage of Scandinavia convoy from Methil. 2nd CS and battle ships Hercules and Agincourt were ordered from Scapa to reinforce the escort, as strong enemy forces were reported in the area.
21 Nov With 2nd BCS present at surrender of German High Seas Fleet off the Forth.
1919 March Became flagship of Nore Reserve Fleet after abolition of Grand Fleet.
July Earmarked for disposal.
1920 31 March Paid off into the disposal list from Nore Reserve. From April 1921 she was prepared for sale at Chatham, and then laid up at Sheerness.
1921 End June Taken from Sheerness to Devonport, having been selected for part of the training establishment ‘Impregnable’, but because of the high cost of converting her, the project was abandoned and she reverted to the Disposal list at Devonport.
1 Dec Sold to Stanlee Shipbreaking Co. of Dover.
1922 8 April Left Devonport for Dover in tow of Dutch tugs Zwartzee and Wittezee.
April Resold and towed to Germany where she was broken up.
History: Indomitable
Built under the 1905–6 Programme, being ordered on 21 November 1905.
1908 8 April Began sea trials.
20 June Commissioned at Portsmouth for special detached service to convey HRH Prince George to Canada.
15 July Left Portsmouth for Quebec, escorted by Minotaur.
29 July Left Quebec.
3 Aug Reached Cowes, Isle of Wight, having broken Drake’s speed record of three years ago.
Autumn Joined Nore Reserve.
1909 March Transferred to 1st CS Home Fleet on its organization.
June Present at Imperial Press Conference Review at Spithead.
Indomitable leading Inflexible during sweeps in the North Sea, 1918.
June–July Took part in combined manoeuvres.
17–24 July Visited Southend with units of Home and Atlantic Fleets.
26 July Relieved Drake as flagship 1st CS Home Fleet.
31 July Took part in Royal Review Home and Atlantic Fleets at Spithead.
1910 April Exercises off the coast of Scotland with Home and Atlantic Fleets.
July Combined manoeuvres with Atlantic, Home and Mediterranean Fleets, and visited Torbay.
9 Aug Recommissioned at Chatham for service as flagship of 1st CS Home Fleet.
1911 Jan Combined exercises with Atlantic and Mediterranean Fleets off NW coast of Spain.
Spring State Visit to Dublin with 1st and 2nd Divisions. Further visits included Aberystwyth, for the investiture of HRH the Prince of Wales at Caernarvon.
24 June Coronation Review of King George V at Spithead.
June–July Annual manoeuvres off SW coast and in North Sea.
Nov Reduced to nucleus crew for refit.
Nov–Feb 1912 Under refit, being relieved of flag by Inflexible.
1912 21 Feb Recommissioned for service as flagship 2nd CS Home Fleet, relieving Shannon.
9 July Parliamentary Review of Home Fleet at Spithead.
Autumn Cruising in Baltic.
11 Dec Temporarily transferred to 1st BCS Home Fleet, having been relieved by Shannon as flagship of 2nd CS.
1913 17 March In collision with minelayer C4, in Stokes Bay, sustaining slight damage to bows.
During 1912/13, it was decided to withdraw all battleships from the Mediterranean, replacing them with a powerful cruiser squadron consisting of: Indomitable, Inflexible, Invincible, Indefatigable, Defence, Black Prince, Warrior and Duke of Edinburgh. There was to be a light cruiser squadron, and a flotilla of destroyers also.
July Annual manoeuvres.
27 Aug Transferred to 2nd BCS Mediterranean Squadron; her position in 1st BCS was taken by New Zealand.
Nov Annual manoeuvres in Mediterranean with units of Home Fleet and 3rd CS.
1914 10 Feb Recommissioned at Sheerness for service with 2nd BCS Mediterranean Squadron.
24 July Docked in Malta for annual refit which was cancelled abruptly on 30th.
2 Aug Ordered to sea. Sailed at 21.00 with Indefatigable, Defence, Duke of Edinburgh, Warrior, Gloucester and eight destroyers to patrol entrance to the Adriatic.
3 Aug At 15.15 detached, with Indefatigable, to search for Goeben and Breslau between Cape Bon and Cape Spartivento. At 20.00 they were ordered to proceed immediately to Straits of Gibraltar to prevent enemy breaking out of the Mediterranean.
Inflexible enters her home port after the war.
4 Aug At 10.35, 50 miles west of Galita Island, Breslau was spotted first, then Goeben, both returning from bombardment of Phillipville and Bona. Indomitable and Indefatigable turned and followed at a distance. From 14.30 to 19.00 shadowed enemy vessels, later joined by Dublin. Just after 19.00, the British force lost contact with the enemy, and were later ordered to turn west.
5 Aug Concentrated off Pantellaria with Inflexible and Indefatigable, and afterwards detached to Bizerta to coal.
6 Aug At 19.00 left Bizerta to rendezvous with flagship west of Milazzo.
7 Aug Reached Malta at 14.00.
8 Aug At 00.30 left Malta with Inflexible, Indefatigable and Weymouth for Cape Matapan, having stayed at Malta while the other ships coaled.
10 Aug With Squadron, rounded Cape Malea, Greece.
10–11 Aug Searching for Goeben and Breslau.
11–19 Aug Searching Aegean Islands for German ships and watching entrance to Dardanelles.
19 Aug Ordered to Gibraltar.
20 Sept In Dardanelles blocking squadron.
3 Nov Preliminary bombardment of Dardanelles outer forts at dawn to ascertain range of Turkish heavy guns. With Indefatigable, bombarded Fort Sedd el Bahr, while French battleships Suffren and Vérité engaged Kum Kale and Fort Orkameh. The magazines at Sedd el Bahr were seen to blow up.
Nov Returned home.
23 Dec Ordered to rendezvous with Grand Fleet between Scotland and Norway.
26 Dec Joined 1st BCS at sea in a gale, and was nearly fired upon by New Zealand, who failed to recognize Indomitable’s ‘dazzle’ camouflage and topmasts still in position. Until 14 January 1915, undergoing refit.
1915 Joined 2nd BCS which had been reformed. New Zealand was flagship.
24 Jan Battle of Dogger Bank.
Enemy sighted at 07.30, steering SE, 14 miles off port bow. General chase ordered, Indomitable worked up to her maximum speed. At approximately 10.45, Indomitable came into action with Panzerschiffe Blücher which was later sunk. At 15.38 ordered to take Lion in tow, underway by 17.00. Towed Lion to the Forth escorted by sixty destroyers. Dropped anchor just below the bridge, at 02.45 on 26th, and took Lion up to her moorings at midday.
Jan–Feb Repairing and refitting after a fire caused by a defective electrical circuit.
11 March Unsuccessfully attacked by U-boat en route from Scapa Flow to Rosyth.
1916 May 3rd BCS transferred to Scapa for gunnery practice.
31 May Battle of Jutland (see other two ships for details). No damage to ship, although heavily engaged with enemy.
1 June Left the area with units of 3rd LCS, and en route engaged a Zeppelin which had been following part of the fleet.
5 June Transferred to 2nd BCS on cruiser reorganization.
Aug Under refit.
1918 22 April With 2nd BCS and 7th LCS covering the Scandinavia Convoy of 39 vessels.
23 April Covering outward bound convoy from Methil.
21 Nov With 2nd BCS, was present at surrender of German High Seas Fleet.
1919 March Placed in Nore Reserve.
July Earmarked for disposal.
1920 31 March Paid off onto disposal list.
7 April Placed on sale list.
1921 1 Dec Sold to Stanlee Shipbreaking Co., Dover.
1922 30 Aug Towed to Dover to be broken up.
1923 April Under cutter’s torch.
