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HMS Revenge (1892)
Encyclopedia
HMS Revenge was a pre-dreadnought
Pre-dreadnought
Pre-dreadnought battleship is the general term for all of the types of sea-going battleships built between the mid-1890s and 1905. Pre-dreadnoughts replaced the ironclad warships of the 1870s and 1880s...
battleship
Battleship
A battleship is a large armored warship with a main battery consisting of heavy caliber guns. Battleships were larger, better armed and armored than cruisers and destroyers. As the largest armed ships in a fleet, battleships were used to attain command of the sea and represented the apex of a...
of the Royal Sovereign
Royal Sovereign class battleship
The Royal Sovereign class was a class of pre-dreadnought battleships of the British Royal Navy. The class comprised seven ships built to the same design: HMS Royal Sovereign, , HMS Ramilles, HMS Repulse, HMS Resolution, HMS Revenge, and HMS Royal Oak, and a half-sister built to a modified design: ....
class of the British Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
. She was renamed HMS Redoubtable in 1915. HMS Revenge notably served as the flagship of the Flying Squadron
Flying Squadron (Royal Navy)
The Flying Squadron was a special British Royal Navy squadron that operated during 1896.Following the Jameson Raid in South Africa, the German Emperor Wilhelm II sent a telegram of support to President Kruger. This led to a war scare in Europe...
and bombarding the coast of Flanders during World War I before being refitted as an accommodation ship in 1915. As the last surviving member of her class, she was sold for scrap in December 1919.
Technical characteristics
Revenge was laid down by PalmersPalmers Shipbuilding and Iron Company
Palmers Shipbuilding and Iron Company Limited, often referred to simply as Palmers, was a British shipbuilding company. The Company was based in Jarrow, in Northeast England and also had operations in Hebburn and Willington Quay on the River Tyne....
on 12 February 1891, launched on 3 November 1892, and completed in March 1894. She was 410 feet long and had a maximum cruising speed of 17 knots. Her armament included four 67-ton 13.5-inch (343-mm) guns and several smaller calibre guns.
The Royal Sovereign class battleships were designed by Sir William White and were the most potent battleships in the world until HMS Dreadnought
HMS Dreadnought (1906)
HMS Dreadnought was a battleship of the British Royal Navy that revolutionised naval power. Her entry into service in 1906 represented such a marked advance in naval technology that her name came to be associated with an entire generation of battleships, the "dreadnoughts", as well as the class of...
rendered them obsolete overnight in 1906. In their day the Royal Sovereigns had also embodied revolutionary improvements in firepower, armour and speed. The main armament of four 13.5-inch (343-mm) guns was housed in two barbette
Barbette
A barbette is a protective circular armour feature around a cannon or heavy artillery gun. The name comes from the French phrase en barbette referring to the practice of firing a field gun over a parapet rather than through an opening . The former gives better angles of fire but less protection...
s, rather than turrets
Gun turret
A gun turret is a weapon mount that protects the crew or mechanism of a projectile-firing weapon and at the same time lets the weapon be aimed and fired in many directions.The turret is also a rotating weapon platform...
, at either end of the ship which allowed a high freeboard, greatly increasing their capacity for fighting in rough weather; however, they tended to develop a heavy roll in some conditions, and after HMS Resolution
HMS Resolution (1892)
HMS Resolution was a Royal Sovereign-class predreadnought battleship of the Royal Navy.-Technical characteristics:Resolution was laid down by Palmers on 14 June 1890, launched on 28 May 1892, and completed in November 1893.. She was long and had a maximum cruising speed of...
rolled badly in heavy seas in 1893, the entire class was nicknamed the "Rolling Ressies," which stuck even though the problem was quickly corrected by the fitting of bilge keels. The secondary armament was designed to provide potent, quick firing support for the main battery. Despite their greatly increased weight, thanks to a main armour belt which ran for two thirds of their length, they were the fastest capital ships in the world in their time.
In 1906, the Royal Sovereigns, like every other battleship in the world, were made obsolete with the launch of the revolutionary HMS Dreadnought
HMS Dreadnought (1906)
HMS Dreadnought was a battleship of the British Royal Navy that revolutionised naval power. Her entry into service in 1906 represented such a marked advance in naval technology that her name came to be associated with an entire generation of battleships, the "dreadnoughts", as well as the class of...
, the first all-big-gun battleship. Of the Royal Sovereign class, only Revenge survived to see the outbreak of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
Pre-World War I
Upon completion in March 1894, HMS Revenge commissioned into reserve at Portsmouth, United Kingdom. On 14 January 1896 she commissioned there as flagshipFlagship
A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships, reflecting the custom of its commander, characteristically a flag officer, flying a distinguishing flag...
of the Particular Service Squadron, soon renamed the Flying Squadron
Flying Squadron (Royal Navy)
The Flying Squadron was a special British Royal Navy squadron that operated during 1896.Following the Jameson Raid in South Africa, the German Emperor Wilhelm II sent a telegram of support to President Kruger. This led to a war scare in Europe...
; she was flagship of the squadron, which was attached to the Mediterranean Fleet
Mediterranean Fleet
Several countries have or have had a Mediterranean Fleet in their navy. See:* Mediterranean Fleet * French Mediterranean Fleet* Mediterranean Squadron * United States Sixth Fleet...
briefly in the middle of 1896, throughout its existence. The deployment was due to increased international tensions following the Jameson Raid
Jameson Raid
The Jameson Raid was a botched raid on Paul Kruger's Transvaal Republic carried out by a British colonial statesman Leander Starr Jameson and his Rhodesian and Bechuanaland policemen over the New Year weekend of 1895–96...
. When the squadron was disbanded, Revenge paid off at Portsmouth on 5 November 1896, and recommissioned the same day to relieve battleship HMS Trafalgar
HMS Trafalgar (1887)
HMS Trafalgar was one of two Trafalgar class battleships commissioned in 1890 and 1891, the other being HMS Nile.-Design:They were designed to be improved versions of the Admiral and Victoria classes, having a greater displacement to allow for improved protection...
as flagship of the second-in-command of the Mediterranean Fleet.
From February 1897 to December 1898, Revenge served in the International Squadron
International Squadron
The International Squadron can refer to:*International Squadron, a fighter unit led by Claire Chennault in China*120 Squadron of the Israeli Air Force*International Squadron a 1941 film starring Ronald Reagan...
blockading Crete
Crete
Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...
during the Greco-Turkish uprising there. During this duty, she landed a force of Royal Marines
Royal Marines
The Corps of Her Majesty's Royal Marines, commonly just referred to as the Royal Marines , are the marine corps and amphibious infantry of the United Kingdom and, along with the Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary, form the Naval Service...
on Crete to seize Fort Tzeddin, and in September 1898 she went to Candia
Candia
-Places:* The old Venetian name for Heraklion, Crete* Kingdom of Candia, colony of the Republic of Venice * Candia Canavese, Italy* Candia Lomellina, Italy...
to support the British garrison there.
On 15 December 1899, Revenge recommissioned at Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
to continue Mediterranean Fleet service. In April 1900, battleship HMS Victorious
HMS Victorious (1895)
HMS Victorious was one of nine Majestic-class predreadnought battleships of the British Royal Navy.-Technical characteristics:HMS Victorious was laid down at Chatham Dockyard on 28 May 1894 and launched on 19 October 1895...
relieved her and she returned to the United Kingdom, paying off into Fleet Reserve at Chatham
Chatham, Medway
Chatham is one of the Medway towns located within the Medway unitary authority, in North Kent, in South East England.Although the dockyard has long been closed and is now being redeveloped into a business and residential community as well as a museum featuring the famous submarine, HMS Ocelot,...
.
On 18 April 1901, Revenge commissioned at Chatham to relieve HMS Alexandra
HMS Alexandra (1875)
HMS Alexandra was a central battery ironclad of the Victorian Royal Navy, whose seagoing career was from 1877 to 1900. She spent much of her career as a flagship, and took part in operations to deter Russian aggression against Turkey in 1878 and the bombardment of Alexandria in 1882.-Background:At...
as both coast guard ship at Portland and flagship of Admiral Superintendent Commanding Reserves. In early 1902 she went under refit. Later in 1902, she commissioned to serve as flagship of the Home Squadron
Home Squadron
The Home Squadron was part of the United States Navy in the mid-19th century. Organized as early as 1838, ships were assigned to protect coastal commerce, aid ships in distress, suppress piracy and the slave trade, make coastal surveys, and train ships to relieve others on distant stations...
upon its creation.
In April 1904, Revenge and her sister ship HMS Royal Oak
HMS Royal Oak (1892)
HMS Royal Oak was a pre-dreadnought Royal Navy battleship of the seven-ship Royal Sovereign class.-Technical Characteristics:Royal Oak was ordered under the Naval Defence Act Programme of 7 March 1889 and built by Cammell Laird at Birkenhead at a cost of £977,996. She was launched on 5 November 1892...
both struck a submerged wreck off the Scilly Isles while serving with the Home Fleet. Revenge suffered bottom damage.
In July 1905, Revenge participated in maneuvers with the Reserve Fleet. She paid off at Portsmouth on 31 August 1905, then recommissioned on 1 September 1905 in the Portsmouth Reserve Division.
In June 1906, Revenge relieved battleship HMS Colossus
HMS Colossus (1882)
The second HMS Colossus was a Colossus class second-class British battleship, launched in 1882 and commissioned in 1886. She had a displacement of 9,520 tons, and an armament of 4 × 12-inch breechloaders, 5 × 6-inch guns and had a respectable speed of 15.5 knots. She served in the Mediterranean...
as gunnery training ship at Portsmouth and as tender to shore establishment HMS Excellent.
On 13 June 1908, Revenge collided with the merchant ship SS Bengore Head. In October 1908, she tested a new model of 13.5-inch (343-mm) gun in firing and explosives tests against battleship HMS Edinburgh
HMS Edinburgh (1882)
HMS Edinburgh was an ironclad battleship of the Colossus class which served in the Royal Navy of the Victorian era. She was the sister ship of HMS Colossus, being started before her but being completed after....
. On 7 January 1912 she suffered hull damage when, during a gale a Portsmouth, she broke from her moorings and collided with battleship HMS Orion
HMS Orion (1910)
HMS Orion was a dreadnought battleship of the Royal Navy. Launched in 1910, she was the lead ship of her class; she was the first so-called "super-dreadnought", being the first British dreadnought to mount guns of calibre greater than twelve inches, and the first British dreadnought to have...
. She was relieved as gunnery training ship by battleship HMS Albemarle
HMS Albemarle (1901)
HMS Albemarle was a pre-Dreadnought Duncan-class battleship of the Royal Navy, named after George Monck, 1st Duke of Albemarle.-Technical Description:...
and paid off on 15 May 1913. She went ito reserve, and then was laid up at Motherbank
Motherbank
The Motherbank is a shallow sandbar off the northeast coast of the county Isle of Wight in the United Kingdom. It lies in The Solent between Cowes and Ryde....
, awaiting disposal.
World War I
Unlike her sister ships, Revenge was given a reprieve from the scrapyard by the outbreak of World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
in August 1914. It was decided to bring her back into service for use in coastal bombardment duties off the coast of Flanders
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
. In September and October 1914, she was refitted at Portsmouth for this mission, including the relining of her 13.5-inch (343-mm) guns to 12-inch (305-mm) caliber. Her refit completed, she was ordered on 31 October 1914 to stand by to relieve battleship HMS Venerable
HMS Venerable (1899)
HMS Venerable was a London class predreadnought battleship, a sub-class of the Formidable class battleships, and the third ship of the British Royal Navy to bear the name.-Technical Description:...
as flagship there.
Revenge was declared ready for service on 5 November 1914, and formed the Channel Fleet
Channel Fleet
The Channel Fleet was the Royal Navy formation of warships that defended the waters of the English Channel from 1690 to 1909.-History:The Channel Fleet dates back at least to 1690 when its role was to defend England against the French threat under the leadership of Edward Russell, 1st Earl of...
's new 6th Battle Squadron with battleships HMS Albemarle
HMS Albemarle (1901)
HMS Albemarle was a pre-Dreadnought Duncan-class battleship of the Royal Navy, named after George Monck, 1st Duke of Albemarle.-Technical Description:...
, HMS Cornwallis
HMS Cornwallis (1901)
HMS Cornwallis was a Duncan-class predreadnought battleship of the Royal Navy.-Technical Description:HMS Cornwallis was laid down by Thames Ironworks and Shipbuilding Company at Leamouth, London on 19 July 1899 and launched on 13 July 1901...
, HMS Duncan
HMS Duncan (1901)
HMS Duncan was the lead ship of the six-ship Duncan class of Royal Navy predreadnought battleships.-Technical Description:HMS Duncan was laid down by Thames Ironworks and Shipbuilding Company, Leamouth, on 10 July 1899, launched on 21 March 1901, and completed in October 1903.Duncan and her five...
, HMS Exmouth
HMS Exmouth (1901)
HMS Exmouth was a Duncan class predreadnought battleship of the Royal Navy. HMS Exmouth was laid down by Cammell Laird at Birkenhead in August 1899, launched in August 1901 and finally completed in May 1903...
. and HMS Russell
HMS Russell (1901)
HMS Russell was a Duncan-class predreadnought battleship of the Royal Navy.-Technical Description:HMS Russell was laid down by Palmers Shipbuilding and Iron Company at Jarrow on 11 March 1899 and launched on 19 February 1902...
. Plans for the squadron to participate in an attack on German submarine
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
bases were cancelled due to bad weather on 14 November 1914, and instead Revenge and battleship HMS Majestic
HMS Majestic (1895)
HMS Majestic was a Majestic-class predreadnought battleship of the Royal Navy.-Technical characteristics:HMS Majestic was laid down at Portsmouth Dockyard on 5 February 1894 and launched on 31 January 1895...
left Dover, England, for Dunkirk, France.
Revenge took her first action of the war when she joined gunboat
Gunboat
A gunboat is a naval watercraft designed for the express purpose of carrying one or more guns to bombard coastal targets, as opposed to those military craft designed for naval warfare, or for ferrying troops or supplies.-History:...
HMS Bustard, six British and four French destroyers and a French torpedo boat in bombarding German troops from off of Nieuwpoort
Nieuwpoort, Belgium
Nieuwpoort is a municipality located in Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium, and in the Flemish province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the city of Nieuwpoort proper and the towns of Ramskapelle and Sint-Joris. On January 1, 2008 Nieuwpoort had a total population of 11,062....
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, on 22 November 1914. She was recalled to Dover the same day.
On 15 December 1914, Revenge returned to her bombardment duties, joining Majestic in searching for and bombarding German heavy artillery sites. She took two 8-inch (203-mm) shell hits, one of which penetrated her hull below the waterline and caused a serious leak. She again bombarded the Flanders coast on 16 December 1914.
In April and May 1915 she underwent a refit at Chatham
Chatham Dockyard
Chatham Dockyard, located on the River Medway and of which two-thirds is in Gillingham and one third in Chatham, Kent, England, came into existence at the time when, following the Reformation, relations with the Catholic countries of Europe had worsened, leading to a requirement for additional...
in which she had antitorpedo bulges fitted, the first ship to be fitted with them operationally. In August 1915, she was renamed HMS Redoubtable.
On 7 September 1915, she returned to combat, joining gunboats HMS Bustard and HMS Excellent
HMS Excellent
HMS Excellent is a Royal Navy "stone frigate" sited on Whale Island near Portsmouth in Hampshire.HMS Excellent is itself part of the Maritime Warfare School, with a Headquarters at HMS Collingwood, although a number of lodger units are resident within the site, the principal of which is the...
in bombarding German troops at Ostend
Ostend
Ostend is a Belgian city and municipality located in the Flemish province of West Flanders. It comprises the boroughs of Mariakerke , Stene and Zandvoorde, and the city of Ostend proper – the largest on the Belgian coast....
and German barracks and gun positions at Westende
Westende
Westende is a town in Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium, and in the Flemish province of West-Flanders. It lies on the Belgian coast, also called Flemish coast. It used to be the far west of the island Testerep which lay along the Belgian coast....
, inflicting much damage on the Germans. One of her antitorpedo bulges was deliberately flooded to impart a list that would increase the range of her main battery.