View source for H.M.S. Emperor of India (1913)

<div name=fredbot:career>{{ShipCareer|fullname=H.M.S. ''Emperor of India'' (1913)|fate2=as target, raised, scrapped{{DittColl|p. 33}}
|comm=10 Nov, 1914
|fatedate=1931{{DittColl|p. 33}}
|order=1911 Programme{{Conways1906|p. 31}}
|name=Emperor of India
|launch=27 Nov, 1913{{DittColl|p. 33}}
|builder=[[Vickers]]{{Conways1906|p. 31}}
|laid=31 May, 1912{{Conways1906|p. 31}}
|fate=Sunk
|pend=11 (Aug 1914)<br>60 (Jan 1918)<br>16 (Apr 1918){{DittColl|p. 33}}
|fg=white|bg=crimson}}</div name=fredbot:career>
'''H.M.S. ''Emperor of India''''' was a dreadnought battleship of the [[Iron Duke Class Battleship (1912)|''Iron Duke'' Class]] in the [[Royal Navy]].

==Construction==
The ''Emperor of India'' was laid down as ''Dehli'' at [[Vickers]] in Barrow-in-Furness on 31 May, 1912.  Launched on 27 November, 1913 and commissioned on 10 November, 1914.  Apparently the King, HM King George V, ordered the change in name a month before launching.

Instead of the normal Loyal Toast given at dinner in the Royal Navy; "Gentlemen, The King." the toast "Gentlemen, the King Emperor." was used in light of the British monarch also holding the position of Emperor of India.  The crown on the ensign staff rested on a cushion indicating an Imperial Crown.

==Launch==
''Emperor of India'' was launched at 09:30 on 27 November, 1913.  The ceremony was performed by Lady Islington, who in naming the ship said, "I christen you the ''Emperor of India'', and may God bless you and all who sail in you."  A luncheon was held in the Mould Loft afterwards, among those present were the Romanian Minister, the Colombian and Peruvian Chargés d'Affaires, represenatives of the Admiralty and British Army, and of the navies of Japan, Russia, Italy, Turkey, Spain, Brazil and Argentina.  {{UK-Revenge|f=p}} was laid down in the vacated slip on 22 December.

==Boats==
In July 1914, the ship was appropriated 42-foot motor launch No. 194, though the boat was not yet delivered from the contractor.{{AWO1914|122 of 10 July, 1914}}

==Service==
===Great War===
Rear-Admiral [[Alexander Ludovic Duff|Alexander L. Duff]] hoisted his flag in ''Emperor of India'' as Rear-Admiral, {{UK-BS|4}} at Barrow-in-Furness on 22 October, 1914.

She was undergoing a refit in late May 1916 and Duff switched his flag to {{UK-Superb}}.  This meant that ''Emperor of India'' missed participating in the [[Battle of Jutland]].

===Post-War===
After the armistice ''Emperor of India'', with the rest of the ''Iron Dukes'' was sent to the [[British Mediterranean Fleet|Mediterranean Fleet]].  She was sent to lend support to the White Russians and Allies in the Russian Civil War which had by mid-1919 reached the shores of the Black Sea.  In May, she was stationed off Theodesia on the Kertch Peninsula, where the local Volunteer Army had retired.  There she was relieved by {{UK-Marlborough}}.

She recommissioned at Sheerness on 20 November, 1920.{{NLJan21|p. 769}}

''Emperor of India'' underwent a large refit in 1922 and re-commissioned on 21 November{{NLApr25|p. 237}} before being sent to join the Mediterranean Fleet.  In 1924, in competitive firing trials as part of the Mediterranean Fleet, her forward torpedo flat fired at intervals of 48, 66, 47, and 69 seconds, and the aft flat at 54, 43, 51 and 48 seconds.  These times were outstanding.{{ARTS1927|p. 54}}  She commissioned at Portsmouth on 2 July, 1925 and served in the Mediterranean Fleet until 1926.  By mid-1927 she was part of the {{UK-BS|3}} in the Atlantic,{{NLJul27|pp. 236-7}} serving there until 1929.  

''Emperor of India'' was paid off into Dockyard Control at Portsmouth on 22 January, 1931.{{NLJul31|p. 237}}  Under the terms of the naval armament treaty she was stricken along with the rest of her class.  On 1 July, 1931 she was sunk by by gunfire off Owers Bank.  The wreck was towed off Owers Bank on 14 August and docked in Portsmouth for examination.  She sold in December and towed to Rosyth for breaking up by Metal Industries (formerly Alloa Shipbreaking Company) on 16 February, 1932.

==Alterations==
In 1913, ''Emperor of India'' was slated as part of the [[British Adoption of the Director#Early Orders|twelve ship order]] to receive a director along the lines of that developed in ''Neptune''. She was fully equipped sometime in 1914 prior to the start of the war.<ref>''The Technical History and Index: Fire Control in H.M. Ships'', pp. 9-10.</ref>  Her class received their directors after ''King George V'' received hers, and likely to a similar design, placing the light aloft tower atop the spotting top.<ref>Letter in D'Eyncourt Papers at the National Maritime Museum's Caird Library, DEY/27</ref>

She received a temporary director system for her secondary battery in November-December, 1916 which was replaced by a proper one sometime in 1917.<ref>''The Technical History and Index: Fire Control in HM Ships'', p. 16.</ref>

In October, 1914, it was decided that ''Emperor of India'' should receive an [[Open Director Sight]] for each of her turrets.  They fitted between April 1916 and June 1917.<ref>''The Technical History and Index: Fire Control in HM Ships'', p. 18.</ref>

==Captains==
Dates of appointment are provided when known.
<div name=fredbot:officeCapt otitle="Captain of H.M.S. ''Emperor of India''">
{{Tenure|rank={{CaptRN}}|name=William Coldingham Masters Nicholson|nick=William C. M. Nicholson|appt=15 September, 1914<ref>Nicholson Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/42.}}  f. 214.</ref>|precBy=New Command|end=9 July, 1915<ref>Nicholson Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/42.}} f. 214.</ref>}}
{{Tenure|rank=Captain|name=Charles William Rawson Royds|nick=Charles W. R. Royds|appt=30 June, 1915{{NLDec18|p. 786}}<ref>Royds Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/44.}}  f. 290.</ref>|ass=9 July, 1915<ref>Nicholson's Service Record indicates "will not leave ''Emperor of India'' before 9-7-15."</ref>|end=2 January, 1919<ref>Royds Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/44.}}  f. 290.</ref>}}
{{Tenure|rank=Captain|name=Joseph Charles Walrond Henley|nick=Joseph C. W. Henley|appt=2 January, 1919<ref>Henley Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/45.}}  f. 44.</ref>{{NLAug19|p. 786}}|end=21 February, 1921<ref>Henley Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/45.}}  f. 44.</ref>}}
{{Tenure|rank={{CaptRN}}|name=Arthur Edward Frederick Bedford|nick=Arthur E. F. Bedford|appt=21 February, 1921|end=1 April, 1921|note=and as Flag Captain to R/A Webb}}
{{Tenure|rank=Captain|name=Henry Ralph Crooke|nick=H. Ralph Crooke|appt=1 April, 1921<ref>Crooke Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/89/136.|D8115661}}</ref>|end=September, 1921<ref>Crooke Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/44.|}} f. 36.</ref>}}
{{Tenure|rank=Captain|name=William Archibald Howard Kelly|nick=W. A. Howard Kelly|appt=September, 1921<ref>Kelly Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/43.}}  f. 230.</ref>|end=}}
{{Tenure|rank=Captain|name=Arthur Kenneth Macrorie|nick=Arthur K. Macrorie|appt=2 November, 1922<ref>Macrorie Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/43/467.|D7602785}} f. 521.</ref>|ass=21 November, 1922{{NLJan23|p. 755}}|end=9 May, 1924<ref>Macrorie Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/43/467.|D7602785}} f. 521.</ref>}}
{{Tenure|rank=Captain|name=Frederick Parland Loder-Symonds|nick=Frederick P. Loder-Symonds|appt=9 May, 1924<ref>Loder-Symonds Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/44/186.|D7602972}} f. 212.</ref>{{NLJul24|p. 237}}|end=15 October, 1925<ref>Loder-Symonds Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/44/186.|D7602972}} f. 212.</ref>}}
{{Tenure|rank=Captain|name=Berwick Curtis|nick=Berwick Curtis|appt=mid October, 1925<ref>Curtis Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/44/262.}} f. 262.</ref>|end=1 January, 1927<ref>Curtis Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/44/262.}} f. 262.</ref>}}
{{Tenure|rank=Captain|name=Cecil Horace Pilcher|nick=Cecil H. Pilcher|appt=1 January, 1927{{NLJul27|p. 236}}|end=31 December, 1927}}
{{Tenure|rank=Captain|name=William Fortescue Sells|nick=William F. Sells|appt=2 January, 1928<ref>Sells Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/45.|D7603444}} f. 196.</ref>|end=7 May, 1929<ref>Sells Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/45.|D7603444}} f. 196.</ref>}}
{{Tenure|rank=Captain|name=Frederick Avenel Sommerville|nick=Frederick A. Sommerville|appt=7 May, 1929<ref>Sommerville Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/48/10.}} f. 413.</ref>|end=6 May, 1930<ref>Sommerville Service Record. {{TNA|ADM 196/48/10.}} f. 413.</ref>|note=and as Flag Captain and Chief Staff Officer to Rear Admiral [[Henry Karslake Kitson|Kitson]] in {{UK-BS|3}}}}
{{Tenure|rank=Captain|name=George William Taylor|nick=George W. Taylor|appt=6 May, 1930<ref>Taylor Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/48.|}} f. 438.</ref>|end=c. November, 1930<ref>Taylor Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/48.|}} f. 438.</ref>|note=and as Flag Captain and Chief Staff Officer to R.A. Hyde}}
</div name=fredbot:officeCapt>

==See Also==
{{refbegin}}
{{WP|https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Emperor_of_India}}
*[http://dreadnoughtproject.org/models/ships/HMS_Iron_Duke/ 3D Model] of ''Iron Duke'' available for licensing
{{refend}}

==Footnotes==
{{reflist}}

==Bibliography==
{{refbegin}}
*{{DittColl}}
*{{FCHMShips}}
*{{ParkesBritishBattleships}}
{{refend}}

{{Footer Iron Duke Class Battleship (1912)}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Emperor of India}}

{{CatShipDreadnought|UK}}