Difference between revisions of "H.M.S. Royal Oak (1914)"

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'''H.M.S. ''Royal Oak''''' was a [[Revenge Class (1914)|''Revenge'' class]] [[dreadnought]] [[battleship]] of the British [[Royal Navy]], torpedoed in [[Scapa Flow]] by the German submarine ''U-47'' on 14 October, 1939.  Launched in 1914 and completed in 1916, ''Royal Oak'' first saw action at the [[Battle of Jutland]].  In peacetime, she served in the [[British Atlantic Fleet|Atlantic]], [[British Home Fleet|Home]] and [[British Mediterranean Fleet|Mediterranean]] fleets, coming under accidental attack on more than one occasion.  The ship became the centre of worldwide attention in 1928 when her senior officers were controversially [[Court-Martial]]led.  During a twenty-five year career, attempts to modernise ''Royal Oak'' could not address her fundamental lack of speed, and by the start of the [[Second World War]] she was no longer suited to front-line duty.
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'''H.M.S. ''Royal Oak''''' was a [[Revenge Class (1914)|''Revenge'' class]] [[dreadnought]] [[battleship]] of the British [[Royal Navy]], torpedoed in [[Scapa Flow]] by the German submarine ''U-47'' on 14 October, 1939.  Launched in 1914 and completed in 1916, ''Royal Oak'' first saw action at the [[Battle of Jutland]] with the [[Grand Fleet]].  In peacetime, she served in the [[Atlantic Fleet (Royal Navy)|Atlantic]], [[Home Fleet (Royal Navy)|Home]] and [[Mediterranean Station|Mediterranean]] fleets, coming under accidental attack on more than one occasion.  The ship became the centre of worldwide attention in 1928 when her Captain and Commander were Court Martialled.
 
==Career==
 
==Career==
 
===First World War===
 
===First World War===
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The [[First World War]] had been under way for almost two years when ''Royal Oak'' was commissioned. She was assigned to the Third Division of the [[British 4th Battle Squadron|Fourth Battle Squadron]] of the [[British Grand Fleet]], and within the month was ordered, along with most of the fleet, to engage the German [[High Seas Fleet]] in the [[Battle of Jutland]]. Under the command of Captain Crawford Maclachlan,<ref>{{cite web | title = Battle of Jutland:Order of Battle | publisher = Bill Schlielauf | url = http://www.gwpda.org/naval/jutob.htm| accessdate = 2007-02-22}}</ref> ''Royal Oak'' left Scapa Flow on the evening of 30 May in the company of the battleships [[H.M.S. Superb (1907)|''Superb'']], [[H.M.S. Canada (1913)|''Canada'']] and [[John Jellicoe, 1st Earl Jellicoe|Admiral Jellicoe's]] flagship [[H.M.S. Iron Duke (1912)|''Iron Duke'']].<ref>{{Citation| last = Admiralty| title = ADM53/58646: Ship's Log: HMS Royal Oak, May 1916 | publisher = HMSO }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title = Dreadnoughts and Jutland | publisher = Royal Navy | url = http://www.royal-navy.mod.uk/server/show/conWebDoc.1775/changeNav/3533| accessdate = 2006-12-26}}</ref> The next day's indecisive battle saw ''Royal Oak'' fire a total of thirty-eight 15-inch and eighty-four 6-inch shells,<ref>{{cite book | last = Campbell| title = Jutland | pages = pp346-358}}</ref> claiming three hits on the battlecruiser [[SMS Derfflinger|''Derfflinger'']], putting one of its turrets out of action, and a hit on the cruiser ''[[SMS Wiesbaden (1915)|Wiesbaden]]''. She avoided damage herself, despite being straddled by shellfire on one occasion.<ref>{{cite book | last = Campbell| title = Jutland | pages = pp152&ndash;157}}</ref>
 
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Following the battle, ''Royal Oak'' was reassigned to the [[British 1st Battle Squadron|First Battle Squadron]]. On 5 November 1918&mdash;the final week of the First World War&mdash;she was anchored off [[Burntisland]] in the [[Firth of Forth]] accompanied by the [[aircraft carrier]] [[H.M.S. Campania (1914)|''Campania'']] and [[Battlecruiser|battlecruiser]] [[H.M.S. Glorious (1917)|''Glorious'']]. A sudden [[Beaufort scale|Force 10]] squall caused ''Campania'' to drag her anchor, collide with ''Royal Oak'' and then with the 22,000-ton ''Glorious''. Both ''Royal Oak'' and ''Glorious'' suffered only minor damage; ''Campania'', however, was holed by her initial collision with ''Royal Oak''. Her engine rooms flooded, and she sank five hours later, without loss of life.<ref>{{citation| last = Admiralty |title = ADM156/90: Board of Enquiry into sinking of HMS Campania | publisher = HMSO | date = 1918}}</ref>
 
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At the end of the First World War ''Royal Oak'' escorted several vessels of the surrendering German High Seas Fleet from the [[Firth of Forth]] to their internment in [[Scapa Flow]],<ref>{{Citation| last = Admiralty| title = ADM53/58676: Ship's Log: HMS Royal Oak, November 1918 | publisher = HMSO }}</ref> and was present at a ceremony in [[Pentland Firth]] to greet other ships as they followed.
 
  
 
==Alterations==
 
==Alterations==
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''Royal Oak'' received her secondary battery directors in March, 1917.<ref>''The Technical History and Index: Fire Control in HM Ships'', p. 16.</ref>   
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''Royal Oak'' received her secondary battery directors in March, 1917.<ref>''The Technical History and Index: Fire Control in H.M. Ships''.  p. 16.</ref>   
  
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In March, 1915, [[Open Director Sight]]s were ordered for all{{INF}} her turrets.  They were likely in place by her completion.<ref>''The Technical History and Index: Fire Control in HM Ships'', p. 18.</ref>
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In March, 1915, [[Open Director Sight]]s were ordered for all{{INF}} her turrets.  They were likely in place by her completion.<ref>''The Technical History and Index: Fire Control in H.M. Ships''.  p. 18.</ref>
  
 
==See also==
 
==See also==

Revision as of 08:25, 1 February 2011

H.M.S. Royal Oak
Career Details
Pendant Number: 38 (April, 1918)[1]
Built By: Devonport Royal Dockyard
Laid Down: 15 January, 1914
Launched: 17 November, 1914
Commissioned: May, 1916
Sunk: 14 October, 1939

H.M.S. Royal Oak was a Revenge class dreadnought battleship of the British Royal Navy, torpedoed in Scapa Flow by the German submarine U-47 on 14 October, 1939. Launched in 1914 and completed in 1916, Royal Oak first saw action at the Battle of Jutland with the Grand Fleet. In peacetime, she served in the Atlantic, Home and Mediterranean fleets, coming under accidental attack on more than one occasion. The ship became the centre of worldwide attention in 1928 when her Captain and Commander were Court Martialled.

Career

First World War

Alterations

Royal Oak received her secondary battery directors in March, 1917.[2]

In March, 1915, Open Director Sights were ordered for all[Inference] her turrets. They were likely in place by her completion.[3]

See also

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Dittmar; Colledge. British Warships: 1914-1919
  2. ↑ The Technical History and Index: Fire Control in H.M. Ships. p. 16.
  3. ↑ The Technical History and Index: Fire Control in H.M. Ships. p. 18.

Bibliography

Template:Revenge Class (1914)

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