HMS Victorious

HMS Victorious was the least active member of the Majestic class of pre-dreadnought battleships, acting as a guardship and then a repair ship during the First World War. In pre-war plans she had been allocated to the 7th Battle Squadron with the Channel Fleet, but instead she was posted to the Humber, as part of the 9th Battle Squadron. She remained there until February 1915, when she was sent to Elswick on the Tyne to be disarmed. Her 12in guns were used to arm the Lord Clive monitors Prince Rupert and General Wolfe. After that she was posted to Scapa Flow to act as a repair ship.

Plans of Majestic Class Battleships
Plans of
Majestic Class Battleships

Displacement (loaded)

15,730-16,060t

Top Speed

16kts natural draught
17kts forced 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
Twelve 6in quick firing guns
Sixteen 12pdr quick firing guns
Twelve 2pdr quick firing guns
Five 18in torpedo tubes, four submerged

Crew complement

672

Launched

19 October 1895

Completed

November 1896

Sold for break up

1922

Captains

Captain R. Nugent (1914)

British Battleships 1889-1904 New Revised Edition, R A Burt. Magnificent study of the Royal Navy's pre-dreadnought battleships, amongst the most powerful ships in the world when built, but seen as obsolete by the outbreak of war in 1914. Traces the development of the 'classic' pre-dreadnought design and the slow increase in the power of the secondary armament, leading up to the all-big gun ships that followed. [read full review]
cover cover cover

Books on the First World War | Subject Index: First World War

How to cite this article: Rickard, J (29 October 2007), HMS Victorious , http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/weapons_HMS_Victorious.html

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