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HMS Hannibal was a Majestic class pre-dreadnought battleship that served as an east coast guardship before being disarmed in 1915. She had been paid off from active service in 1905, and joined the Channel Fleet reserve in 1906 (Home Fleet from 1907). In the 1914 mobilisation plans it had been intended to place all of the Majestic class ships into the 7th Battle Squadron of the Channel Fleet, but in August 1914 four of them were detached to form a new 9th Battle Squadron, based on the Humber. HMS Hannibal was to be the flagship of this new squadron, under Rear-Admiral F. S. Miller.
This squadron was broken up before it ever formed. On 7 August Admiral Jellicoe requested Admiral Miller as commander for the naval base at Scapa Flow. He took HMS Hannibal and her sister-ship HMS Magnificent with him to Scapa.
The Hannibal remained in commission as a guardship at Scapa until February 1915. In that month her 12in guns were removed to be used in the Lord Clive class monitors Prince Eugene and Sir John Moore. She was then used as a troop ship. One of her early duties was to take troops to the Mediterranean in September 1915, in company with Mars and Magnificent. She remained service as a troopship until 1919.
Displacement (loaded) |
15,730-16,060t |
Top Speed |
16kts natural draught |
Armour – belt |
9in |
- bulkheads |
14-12in |
- barbettes |
14in |
- gun houses |
10in |
- casemates |
6in |
- conning tower |
14in |
- deck |
4in-2.5in |
Length |
421ft |
Armaments |
Four 12in guns |
Crew complement |
672 |
Launched |
28 April 1896 |
Completed |
April 1898 |
Sold for break up |
1920 |
Captains |
J. F. Grant-Dalton (1914) |