Difference between revisions of "H.M.S. Bellerophon (1907)"

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{|align="right" border="2" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 0 0 1em 0.5em; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaa solid; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 95%;" width="300"
 
{|align="right" border="2" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 0 0 1em 0.5em; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaa solid; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 95%;" width="300"
|align="center" colspan="2"|'''HMS ''Bellerophon'''''
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|align="center" colspan="2"|'''H.M.S. ''Bellerophon'''''
 
|-
 
|-
!style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy;"| Career
+
!style="color: white; height: 30px; background: crimson;"| Career
!style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy;"| Details
+
!style="color: white; height: 30px; background: crimson;"| Details
 
|-
 
|-
|Ordered:
+
|Pendant Number:
|
+
|63 (April, 1918)<ref>Dittmar; Colledge. ''British Warships 1914–1919''</ref>
 +
|-
 +
|Built By:
 +
|[[Portsmouth Royal Dockyard]]
 
|-
 
|-
|Laid down:
+
|Laid Down:
|December 06, 1906, [[HM Dockyard, Portsmouth]]
+
|6 December, 1906
 
|-
 
|-
 
|Launched:
 
|Launched:
|July 27, 1907
+
|27 July, 1907
 
|-
 
|-
 
|Commissioned:
 
|Commissioned:
|February 20, 1909
+
|20 February, 1909
|-
 
|Decommissioned:
 
 
|-
 
|-
 +
|Sold:
 +
|8 November, 1921
 
|-
 
|-
 
|Fate:
 
|Fate:
|November 8, 1921 Sold for scrap
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|Scrapped
|-
 
|Struck:
 
|1923
 
 
|-
 
|-
!colspan="2" align="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|General Characteristics
+
!colspan="2" align="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: crimson no-repeat scroll top left;"|General Characteristics
 
|-
 
|-
 
|Displacement:
 
|Displacement:
|18,800 tons (17,055 tonnes)
+
|18,800 tons
 
|-
 
|-
 
|Length:
 
|Length:
|526 feet (160.3 metres)
+
|526 feet (o.a.) 490 feet
 
|-
 
|-
 
|Beam:
 
|Beam:
|82 feet 6 in (25.2 metres)
+
|82 feet 6 inches
 
|-
 
|-
 
|Draught:
 
|Draught:
|31 feet 5 in (9.6 metres)
+
|27 feet 2.4 inches
 
|-
 
|-
 
|Propulsion:
 
|Propulsion:
|4 [[Parsons Marine Steam Turbines|Parsons]] single reduction steam turbines, 4 shafts, 23,000 shp (17 MW)
+
|4 [[Parsons Marine Steam Turbines|Parsons]] single reduction steam turbines, 4 shafts, 23,000 shp
 
|-
 
|-
 
|Speed:
 
|Speed:
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|-
 
|-
 
|Range:
 
|Range:
|5,720 nautical miles (10,593 km) at 10 knots (18.5 km/h)
+
|5,720 miles at 10 knots
 
|-
 
|-
 
|Complement:
 
|Complement:
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|Armament:
 
|Armament:
 
|
 
|
*10 x BL 12-in /45 Mark X (30.5 cm) guns in five twin Vickers BIX mountings
+
*10 × BL 12 in /45 Mark X (30.5 cm) guns in five twin Vickers BIX mountings
*16 x BL 4-in /50 (10.2 cm) guns in single mounts and casemates
+
*16 × 4in BL Mark VII (10.2 cm) guns in single mounts and casemates
*4 x QF 3-pdr (1.4 kg) [1.85"/50 (47 mm)] in single mounts
+
*4 × QF 3-pdr (1.4 kg) [1.85"/50 (47 mm)] in single mounts
*3 x 18-in (45 cm) Whitehead torpedoes
+
*2 × 4in BL Mark VII (10.2 cm) guns on 60° HA Mk II mountings
 +
*3 × 18 in (45 cm) Whitehead torpedoes
 
|}
 
|}
  
'''HMS ''Bellerophon''''' was a dreadnought of the [[Royal Navy]]. She was the lead ship of the [[HMS Bellerophon Class (1907)|''Bellerophon'' class]], and the second Royal Navy vessel to bear the name of the mythic Greek hero.  Built at the Royal Dockyard in Portsmouth and completed in 1909, ''Bellerophon'' first joined the [[British 1st Battle Squadron|1st Battle Squadron]] and then upon the outbreak of war joined the [[British 4th Battle Squadron|4th Battle Squadron]] where she remained until 1919.  She was present at the [[Battle of Jutland]] where she fired 62 12 in rounds and received no damage.  With the end of the war she was placed in the Reserve Fleet and sold for scrap in 1921 before being taken to the breakers two years later.
+
'''H.M.S. ''Bellerophon''''' was a dreadnought of the [[Royal Navy]]. She was the lead ship of the [[Bellerophon Class Battleship (1907)|''Bellerophon'' class]], and the second Royal Navy vessel to bear the name of the mythic Greek hero.  Built at the Royal Dockyard in Portsmouth and completed in 1909, ''Bellerophon'' first joined the [[British 1st Battle Squadron|1st Battle Squadron]] and then upon the outbreak of war joined the [[British 4th Battle Squadron|4th Battle Squadron]] where she remained until 1919.  She was present at the [[Battle of Jutland]] where she fired sixty-two 12-inch rounds and received no damage.  With the end of the war she was placed in the Reserve Fleet and sold for scrap in 1921 before being taken to the breakers two years later.
  
 
==Design==
 
==Design==
  
Due to the scaling down of coal bunkerage, she had a modest range of 5,720 miles at 10 knots.  Her four Parsons single reduction steam turbines were constructed by the [[Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company]].
+
Due to the scaling down of coal bunkerage, she had a modest range of 5,720 miles at 10 knots.  Her four Parsons single reduction steam turbines were constructed by [[The Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company]].
  
During the war she was fitted with a [[Dreyer Table Mark I]] and a Vickers gunnery director for her main battery.
+
During the war she was fitted with a Mark I. Dreyer Fire Control Table and the Director system.
  
 
==Career==
 
==Career==
 +
Laid down the month H.M.S. ''Dreadnought'' was commissioned, ''Bellerophon'' was the name ship of the ''Bellerophon'' class and was the first to be completed.  The cost of building was £1,763,491, making her the most expensive of her class.  She was laid down on December 06, 1906, launched on July 27, 1907 and commissioned into the fleet in February 20, 1909.  On trials she made 21.25 knots, a speed lower than that of her sisters due to inferior shp; 25,061 shp as opposed to [[H.M.S. Superb (1907)|''Superb'']]'s 27,407 shp and [[H.M.S. Temeraire (1907)|''Temeraire'']]'s 26,966 shp.
 +
 +
Upon completion she joined the 1st Battle Squadron of the [[British Home Fleet|Home Fleet]].  On May 26, 1911 she was in collision with the battlecruiser [[H.M.S. Inflexible (1907)|''Inflexible'']].  ''Bellerophon'' received damage whilst ''Inflexible'' took bow damage which put her in the dockyard until November.  In the 1913 Battle Practice the ship came 7th out of 15 dreadnoughts and battlecruisers with a score of 550.  During December she visited with the 1st Battle Squadron the ports of Toulon, Gibraltar, Salamis and Barcelona.  Upon the commissioning of [[H.M.S. Iron Duke (1913)|''Iron Duke'']] on 10 March, 1914 into the 1st battle Squadron, ''Bellerophon'' was transferred to the [[British 4th Battle Squadron|4th Battle Squadron]].  While at Cromarty on 5 June, 1914 she suffered a coal gas explosion which injured four stokers.
 +
 +
On the journey to the fleet anchorage at [[Scapa Flow]], ''Bellerophon'' collided with the vessel SS ''St Clair'' on 27 August off the Orkney Islands and sustained no major damage.  In May 1915 She headed to the Royal Dockyard, Devonport for a refit.
 +
 +
At the Battle of Jutland the vessel was under the command of Captain [[Edward Francis Bruen|Edward F. Bruen]] in the Second Division (commanded by Rear Admiral [[Alexander Duff]]) of the 4th Battle Squadron under Vice Admiral [[Doveton Sturdee]].  The 4th Battle Squadron deployed behind the 2nd Battle Squadron in line ahead in the main part of the battle, and ''Bellerophon'' fired sixty-two 12 inch rounds without receiving one hit.
 +
 +
After the battle she sweeped with the other vessels of the Grand Fleet regularly.  Between June and September, 1917 she served as the flagship of the 2ic of the 4th Battle Squadron, carrying the flag of Rear Admiral [[Roger Keyes]] and then Rear Admiral [[Douglas Nicholson]].  Unlike her sister ships she was not deployed to the [[British Eastern Mediterranean Squadron|Eastern Mediterranean Squadron]] in October, 1918.
 +
 +
Placed in reserve in 1919 at Sheerness as part of the Nore Reserve, she and her sister ship ''Superb'' were used as Gunnery School (Turret Drill) ships.  On 20 September, 1919 ''Bellerophon'' was ordered to be paid off after receiving her annual refit in Devonport.  On 20 May orders were given that her mechanical dough-kneaders were to be removed; a sure sign of disposal.  She was sold to the [[Slough Trading Company]] on 8 November, 1921 and departed Britain for breakers in Germany on 14 September, 1922.
  
Laid down the month HMS ''Dreadnought'' was commissioned, ''Bellerophon'' was the name ship of the ''Bellerophon'' class and was the first to be completed.  The cost of building was £1,763,491, making the most expensive of her class.  She was laid down on December 06, 1906, launched on July 27, 1907 and commissioned into the fleet in February 20, 1909.  On trials she made 21.25 knots, a speed lower than that of her sisters due to inferior shp; 25,061 shp as opposed to [[HMS Superb (1907)|HMS ''Superb'']]'s 27,407 shp and [[HMS Temeraire (1907)|HMS ''Temeraire'']]'s 26,966 shp.
+
==Commanding Officers==
 +
Dates of appointment given:
  
Upon completion she joined the 1st Battle Squadron of the [[British Home Fleet|Home Fleet]]. On May 26, 1911 she was in collision with the battlecruiser [[HMS Inflexible (1907)|HMS ''Inflexible'']]. ''Bellerophon'' received damage whilst ''Inflexible'' took bow damage which put her in the dockyard until November. On August 1, 1914, after the Fleet Mobilisation and the formation of the [[British Grand Fleet|Grand Fleet]] she joined the 4th Battle Squadron.
+
*{{CaptRN}} [[Hugh Evan-Thomas]], 14 December, 1908.<ref>Evan-Thomas Service Record.  The National Archives.  ADM 196/42.  f. 105.</ref>
 +
*Captain [[Trevylyan Dacres Willes Napier|Trevylyan D. W. Napier]], 16 August, 1910.
 +
*Captain [[Charles Lionel Vaughan-Lee|Charles L. Vaughan-Lee]], 16 August, 1912
 +
*Captain [[Edward Francis Bruen|Edward F. Bruen]], 18 August, 1913.<ref>''Navy List'' (December, 1914).  p. 280.</ref>
 +
*Captain [[Hugh Dudley Richards Watson|Hugh D. R. Watson]], 31 August, 1916.<ref>''Navy List'' (December, 1916).  p. 392''k''.</ref>
 +
*Captain [[Francis Herbert Mitchell|Francis H. Mitchell]], 1918.
 +
*Captain [[Humphrey Wykeham Bowring|Humphrey W. Bowring]], 1919.
  
On the journey to the fleet anchorage at [[Scapa Flow]], ''Bellerophon'' collided with the vessel SS ''St Clair'' on August 27 off the Orkney Islands and sustained no major damage.  In May 1915 She headed to the Royal Dockyard, Devonport for a refit.
+
==Ship's Logs==
 +
*ADM 53/35034 through ADM 53/35053 for 1 April, 1913 to 25 September, 1919.
  
At the Battle of Jutland the vessel was under the command of Captain [[Edward F. Bruen]] in the Second Division (commanded by Rear Admiral [[Alexander Duff]]) of the 4th Battle Squadron under Vice Admiral [[Doveton Sturdee]]. The 4th Battle Squadron deployed behind the 2nd battle squadron in line ahead in the main part of the battle, and ''Bellerophon'' fired sixt two 12 inch rounds without receiving one hit.
+
==Alterations==
 +
''Bellerophon'' was fitted with a director after December, 1915 but prior to the [[Battle of Jutland]].<ref>''The Technical History and Index: Fire Control in HM Ships'', pp. 9-11.</ref>
  
After the battle she sweeped with the other vessels of the Grand Fleet regularly. Between June and September, 1917 she served as the flagship of the 2ic of the 4th Battle Squadron, carrying the flag of Rear Admiral [[Roger Keyes]] and then Rear Admiral [[Douglas Nicholson]]. Unlike her sister ships she was not deployed to the [[British Eastern Mediterranean Squadron|Eastern Mediterranean Squadron]] in October, 1918.
+
==See Also==
 +
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Bellerophon_(1907) Wikipedia]
 +
 
 +
==Footnotes==
 +
{{reflist}}
  
Placed in reserve in 1919, she and her sister ship ''Superb'' were used as Gunnery School (Turret Drill).  She was sold to the breakers in November 1921 and broken up in 1923.
+
==Bibliography==
 +
{{refbegin}}
 +
*{{BibUKFireControlInHMShips1919}}
 +
*{{BibDittmarColledge}}
 +
*{{BibParkesBritishBattleships}}
 +
{{refend}}
  
{{HMS Bellerophon Class (1907)}}
+
[[Category:Bellerophon Class Battleships (1907)|Bellerophon]]
 +
[[Category:Ship|Bellerophon]]
  
[[Category:HMS Bellerophon Class (1907)]]
+
{{Bellerophon Class (1907)}}
[[Category:Navies]]
 
[[Category:Ship]]
 

Revision as of 16:50, 16 June 2011

H.M.S. Bellerophon
Career Details
Pendant Number: 63 (April, 1918)[1]
Built By: Portsmouth Royal Dockyard
Laid Down: 6 December, 1906
Launched: 27 July, 1907
Commissioned: 20 February, 1909
Sold: 8 November, 1921
Fate: Scrapped
General Characteristics
Displacement: 18,800 tons
Length: 526 feet (o.a.) 490 feet
Beam: 82 feet 6 inches
Draught: 27 feet 2.4 inches
Propulsion: 4 Parsons single reduction steam turbines, 4 shafts, 23,000 shp
Speed: 21 knots
Range: 5,720 miles at 10 knots
Complement: 733
Armament:
  • 10 × BL 12 in /45 Mark X (30.5 cm) guns in five twin Vickers BIX mountings
  • 16 × 4in BL Mark VII (10.2 cm) guns in single mounts and casemates
  • 4 × QF 3-pdr (1.4 kg) [1.85"/50 (47 mm)] in single mounts
  • 2 × 4in BL Mark VII (10.2 cm) guns on 60° HA Mk II mountings
  • 3 × 18 in (45 cm) Whitehead torpedoes

H.M.S. Bellerophon was a dreadnought of the Royal Navy. She was the lead ship of the Bellerophon class, and the second Royal Navy vessel to bear the name of the mythic Greek hero. Built at the Royal Dockyard in Portsmouth and completed in 1909, Bellerophon first joined the 1st Battle Squadron and then upon the outbreak of war joined the 4th Battle Squadron where she remained until 1919. She was present at the Battle of Jutland where she fired sixty-two 12-inch rounds and received no damage. With the end of the war she was placed in the Reserve Fleet and sold for scrap in 1921 before being taken to the breakers two years later.

Design

Due to the scaling down of coal bunkerage, she had a modest range of 5,720 miles at 10 knots. Her four Parsons single reduction steam turbines were constructed by The Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company.

During the war she was fitted with a Mark I. Dreyer Fire Control Table and the Director system.

Career

Laid down the month H.M.S. Dreadnought was commissioned, Bellerophon was the name ship of the Bellerophon class and was the first to be completed. The cost of building was £1,763,491, making her the most expensive of her class. She was laid down on December 06, 1906, launched on July 27, 1907 and commissioned into the fleet in February 20, 1909. On trials she made 21.25 knots, a speed lower than that of her sisters due to inferior shp; 25,061 shp as opposed to Superb's 27,407 shp and Temeraire's 26,966 shp.

Upon completion she joined the 1st Battle Squadron of the Home Fleet. On May 26, 1911 she was in collision with the battlecruiser Inflexible. Bellerophon received damage whilst Inflexible took bow damage which put her in the dockyard until November. In the 1913 Battle Practice the ship came 7th out of 15 dreadnoughts and battlecruisers with a score of 550. During December she visited with the 1st Battle Squadron the ports of Toulon, Gibraltar, Salamis and Barcelona. Upon the commissioning of Iron Duke on 10 March, 1914 into the 1st battle Squadron, Bellerophon was transferred to the 4th Battle Squadron. While at Cromarty on 5 June, 1914 she suffered a coal gas explosion which injured four stokers.

On the journey to the fleet anchorage at Scapa Flow, Bellerophon collided with the vessel SS St Clair on 27 August off the Orkney Islands and sustained no major damage. In May 1915 She headed to the Royal Dockyard, Devonport for a refit.

At the Battle of Jutland the vessel was under the command of Captain Edward F. Bruen in the Second Division (commanded by Rear Admiral Alexander Duff) of the 4th Battle Squadron under Vice Admiral Doveton Sturdee. The 4th Battle Squadron deployed behind the 2nd Battle Squadron in line ahead in the main part of the battle, and Bellerophon fired sixty-two 12 inch rounds without receiving one hit.

After the battle she sweeped with the other vessels of the Grand Fleet regularly. Between June and September, 1917 she served as the flagship of the 2ic of the 4th Battle Squadron, carrying the flag of Rear Admiral Roger Keyes and then Rear Admiral Douglas Nicholson. Unlike her sister ships she was not deployed to the Eastern Mediterranean Squadron in October, 1918.

Placed in reserve in 1919 at Sheerness as part of the Nore Reserve, she and her sister ship Superb were used as Gunnery School (Turret Drill) ships. On 20 September, 1919 Bellerophon was ordered to be paid off after receiving her annual refit in Devonport. On 20 May orders were given that her mechanical dough-kneaders were to be removed; a sure sign of disposal. She was sold to the Slough Trading Company on 8 November, 1921 and departed Britain for breakers in Germany on 14 September, 1922.

Commanding Officers

Dates of appointment given:

Ship's Logs

  • ADM 53/35034 through ADM 53/35053 for 1 April, 1913 to 25 September, 1919.

Alterations

Bellerophon was fitted with a director after December, 1915 but prior to the Battle of Jutland.[5]

See Also

Footnotes

  1. Dittmar; Colledge. British Warships 1914–1919
  2. Evan-Thomas Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 105.
  3. Navy List (December, 1914). p. 280.
  4. Navy List (December, 1916). p. 392k.
  5. The Technical History and Index: Fire Control in HM Ships, pp. 9-11.

Bibliography

Template:Bellerophon Class (1907)