H.M.S. Revenge (1892)

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H.M.S. Revenge (1892)
Pendant Number: P.55 (1914)
N.12 (Sep 1915)
N.84 (Apr, 1918)[1]
Builder: Palmer Shipbuilding and Iron Company[2]
Ordered: Naval Defence Act of 1889[3]
Laid down: 12 Feb, 1891[4]
Launched: 3 Nov, 1892[5]
Completed: Mar, 1894[6]
Commissioned: Mar, 1894[7]
Sold: 6 Nov, 1919[8]
Fate: Scrapped

H.M.S. Revenge was one of eight Royal Sovereign class pre-dreadnoughts completed in 1893-94. In 1915, her name was changed to H.M.S. Redoubtable to free the name for the super-dreadnought H.M.S. Revenge that would fight in the Great War.

Service

Revenge was built by Palmers, Hebburn-on-Tyne at a cost of £954,825. She completed her fitting out under the oversight of Commander (N) Michael S. Beatty[9] and commissioned in 1894, becoming with her sisters the most powerful warships in the world. She served in the Channel Squadron and the Mediterranean Fleet and served as the flagship during the blockade of the Cretan Republic in 1898.

In the Annual Manoeuvres of 1901 the ship was part of Fleet "B", loosely representing the British side.

Revenge and her sisters were being rapidly superseded by new construction. In 1906 she was fitted out as a gunnery training ship and used in that capacity until 1911, when she was stricken and towed to the Motherbank awaiting sale.

With the outbreak of World War I and the rapid German advance to the Sea, the need for shore-bombardment vessels was realised. With her 13.5-in guns - the largest available outside the Grand Fleet and the modern gunnery equipment fitted as a training ship, Revenge was the most suitable candidate for the rôle. She was the first vessel to be fitted with anti-torpedo bulges and she was also fitted with minesweeping gear designed by Admiral of the Fleet Sir Arthur K. Wilson.

She performed shore bombardment duties with her 13.5" guns until the stock of ammunition ran out. Her guns were then relined to accept other ammunition and redesignated 10"/40 Mark VIII. On 2 August, 1915 she was renamed H.M.S. Redoubtable so as to free her name for a new ship of the Revenge Class. With the massive influx of new purpose-built monitors which started coming into service in 1915, Redoubtable was surplus to requirements. After being renamed, she conducted long-range gunnery trials in the Thames Estuary before paying off at Portsmouth on 8 October, 1915.

From 1918 to February, 1919 she served as a tender to H.M.S. Victory. In late 1919 she was sold to Wards and broken up at Briton's Ferry.

Captains

Dates of appointment are provided when known.

Radio

As of 1901, she seems conspicuously absent in a list of peers who were fitted with, or slated to receive W/T sets.[48]

See Also

Footnotes

  1. Dittmar; Colledge. British Warships 1914–1919. p. 29.
  2. Dittmar; Colledge. British Warships 1914–1919. p. 29.
  3. Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905. p. 32.
  4. Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905. p. 32.
  5. Dittmar; Colledge. British Warships 1914–1919. p. 29.
  6. Burt. British Battleships: 1889-1904. p. 73.
  7. Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905. p. 32.
  8. Dittmar; Colledge. British Warships 1914–1919. p. 29.
  9. The Navy List. (April, 1894). p. 249.
  10. Curzon-Howe Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/18. p. 66.
  11. Curzon-Howe Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/18. f. 66.
  12. "Naval & Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Saturday, 7 November, 1896. Issue 35042, col C, p. 12.
  13. Grenfell Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/36/1261. f. 564.
  14. Grenfell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/15. f. 426.
  15. Prothero Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/39. f. 1063.
  16. The Navy List. (October, 1898). p. 290.
  17. Briggs Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/20. p. 654.
  18. Briggs Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/20. p. 654.
  19. The Navy List. (February, 1900). p. 291.
  20. The Navy List. (February, 1900). p. 291.
  21. Cross Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/18. f. 411.
  22. Cross Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/18. f. 411.
  23. Cross Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/18. f. 411.
  24. Fisher Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/18. p. 547.
  25. Fisher Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/18. p. 547.
  26. Bradford Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/20. p. 676.
  27. Bradford Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/20. f. 335.
  28. "Naval & Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Monday, 16 May, 1904. Issue 37395, col A, p. 7.
  29. Galloway Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/19. f. 139/276.
  30. "Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Thursday, 24 August, 1905. Issue 37794, col A, p. 9.
  31. De Salis Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/20. f. 345.
  32. "Naval and Military Intelligence" (Official Appointments and Notices). The Times. Wednesday, 25 July, 1906. Issue 38081, col D, p. 12.
  33. Ogilvy Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 415.
  34. Ogilvy Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 415.
  35. Bernard Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. p. 15.
  36. The Navy List. (July, 1909). p. 367.
  37. Bernard Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 15.
  38. Hopwood Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 16.
  39. Hopwood Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 16.
  40. The Navy List. (April, 1911). p. 367.
  41. Grant Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/69. f. 76.
  42. The Navy List. (August, 1912). p. 367.
  43. Grant Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/69. f. 76.
  44. The Navy List. (April, 1915). p. 397n.
  45. Molteno Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. p. 260.
  46. Molteno Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44. f. 260.
  47. The Navy List. (October, 1916). p. 397g.
  48. Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1901. pp. 111-112.

Bibliography


Royal Sovereign Class Pre-dreadnought
  Empress of India Hood Ramillies Repulse  
  Resolution Royal Oak Royal Sovereign Revenge  
<– Trafalgar Class Battleships (UK) Centurion Class –>