Service history HMS Vengeance (1899)

1 service history

1.1 pre-world war i
1.2 world war i

1.2.1 dardanelles campaign
1.2.2 later service


1.3 disposal

service history
pre-world war i

launch of hms vengeance (1899)

hms vengeance laid down vickers @ barrow-in-furness on 23 august 1898 , launched on 25 july 1899. completion delayed damage fitting-out dock, , not completed until april 1902. first british battleship built, armed, , engined single company. hms vengeance commissioned @ portsmouth captain leslie creery stuart on 8 april 1902 service mediterranean fleet. left united kingdom following month, arriving @ malta on 12 may. in july 1903 transferred china station relieve sister ship goliath, , underwent refit @ hong kong 1903–1904.

in 1905, united kingdom , japan ratified treaty of alliance, reducing need large royal navy presence on china station , prompting recall of battleships station. vengeance recalled on 1 june 1905 , proceeded singapore, , sister ship albion rendezvoused sister ocean , battleship centurion. 4 battleships departed singapore on 20 june 1905 , steamed home in company, arriving @ plymouth on 2 august 1905. vengeance paid off devonport reserve on 23 august 1905, , underwent refit lasted 1906 during machinery repaired.

on 15 may 1906, vengeance commissioned service in channel fleet. transferred home fleet on 6 may 1908, , on 13 june 1908 damaged in collision merchant ship ss begore head @ portsmouth. moved nore division, home fleet, @ nore in february 1909, became parent ship special service vessels, , grounded in thames estuary on 28 february 1909 without damage. in april 1909, became tender chatham dockyard gunnery school, acted gunnery drill ship. on 29 november 1910, vengeance suffered mishap when collided in fog merchant ship ss biter, suffering damage side, net shelf, , net booms. vengeance served in 6th battle squadron based @ portland, became gunnery training ship @ nore in january 1913. 6th squadron, 5th battle squadron, formed core of second fleet.

world war i

vengeance in 1908

on outbreak of first world war in august 1914, royal navy mobilised meet german high seas fleet. on 7 august, 6th battle squadron dissolved, more modern duncan-class battleships being transferred grand fleet; vengeance assigned 8th battle squadron, channel fleet. 8th squadron tasked patrol duties in english channel , atlantic, though vengeance transferred 7th battle squadron on 15 august 1914 relieve battleship prince george squadron flagship. shortly thereafter, half of 7th squadron battleships dispersed strengthen detached cruiser squadrons patrolling german commerce raiders, leaving vengeance, prince george, caesar, , goliath , protected cruiser proserpine. covered landing of plymouth marine battalion @ ostend, belgium, on 25 august 1914. operation, , other 5 ships of squadron, along 6 destroyers, escorted troopships; @ same time, elements of grand fleet attacked german patrol line off heligoland occupy german high seas fleet.

in november 1914, transferred alexandria replace pair of older french vessels, battleship bouvet , armoured cruiser amiral charner had in turn relieved armoured cruisers black prince , warrior guard ships suez canal. later moved on cape verde-canary islands station relieve albion guard ship @ saint vincent.

dardanelles campaign


map showing ottoman defences @ dardanelles in 1915

on 22 january 1915, vengeance selected take part in dardanelles campaign. stopped @ gibraltar month embark admiral john de robeck , become second flagship of dardanelles squadron, , arrived @ dardanelles in february 1915. admiral sackville carden, commander of british mediterranean fleet, devised plan force straits , attack ottoman capital neutralising ottoman coastal defences @ long range, clearing minefields in dardanelles, , entering sea of marmara.

vengeance participated in opening bombardment of ottoman turkish entrance forts on 18 february , 19 february 1915, though role de robeck s flagship limited observing fire of other ships in formation. battleship cornwallis developed problems capstan , not anchor in firing position, forcing vengeance take place. bombarded orkanie fortress direct fire, aerial reconnaissance proved fortress guns had not been disabled. nevertheless, carden ordered vengeance , several other battleships close targets , engage them @ close range. french battleship suffren joined vengeance in shelling orkanie . later in afternoon, both ships began engage battery @ kumkale main guns, while secondary battery kept firing @ orkanie . @ 16:10, carden ordered them cease fire , inspect fortification. on closing, vengeance came under heavy fire orkanie , battery @ cape helles. contre-amiral (rear admiral) Émile guépratte, commander of french contingent, later wrote daring attack of vengeance in flinging herself against forts when fire in no way reduced 1 of finest episodes of day. suffered damage masts , rigging gunfire forts, not hit directly. several other battleships came aid, , @ 17:20, carden ordered retreat.

on 25 february, vengeance took part in attack on dardanelles fortresses. along cornwallis , french battleships suffren , charlemagne, led assault, supported 1 french , 3 british battleships. once 4 supporting battleships had taken positions , begun firing @ long range suppress ottoman batteries, vengeance , cornwallis made first pass @ close range, intending destroy guns direct hits. de robeck took vengeance within 4,000 yards (3,700 m) of fortifications @ kumkale , fired ten minutes, before turning allow cornwallis engage guns. 2 french ships followed, , 15:00, ottoman guns had been silenced, allowing minesweepers advance , attempt clear minefields; of fleet withdrew while minesweepers worked, though vengeance , battleships albion , triumph remained behind cover them. clearing these fields, allied warships enter dardanelles themselves, opening route attack additional fortifications around town of dardanus. while other vessels shelled forts there, vengeance , battleship irresistible sent men ashore destroy abandoned artillery battery near kumkale, both ships remaining off shore support raid. men landed unopposed, detachment vengeance came under fire ottoman infantry on far side of kumkale. lieutenant-commander eric gascoigne robinson, led vengeance s demolition party, went forward himself destroy ottoman anti-aircraft gun, led detachment destroy second anti-aircraft gun , 1 remaining gun @ orkanie battery. actions, awarded victoria cross. ottoman resistance prevented further action, , men returned vengeance.

by late february, vengeance in need of boiler maintenance, de robeck transferred flag irresistible while vengeance went mudros repairs. had returned 6 march, in time bombardment of ottoman defences; de robeck again transferred flag ship operation. time, plan involved using albion spot powerful dreadnought battleship queen elizabeth, fire indirectly in hopes of being able neutralise ottoman guns @ range @ not respond. vengeance , 3 other battleships covered albion inside straits. ships silenced ottoman guns @ dardanus, mobile artillery batteries continually forced both albion , queen elizabeth shift position, largely preventing latter firing , former relaying corrections few shots queen elizabeth had been able make. nightfall , lack of progress led operation being called off. 2 days later, queen elizabeth sent straits in attempt destroy guns direct fire, vengeance , 3 other battleships covered mobile howitzers. poor visibility hampered queen elizabeth s gunners, , @ 15:30 carden called off attack, having achieved nothing.

she took part in main attack on narrows forts on 18 march 1915, time carden had fallen ill , had resign, leaving de robeck take overall command of fleet. therefore shifted flag queen elizabeth, , vengeance returned second division private ship. vengeance did not engage ottomans until later in afternoon, after french battleship bouvet had been mined , sunk. vengeance attacked ottoman hamidieh battery, of shells fell harmlessly in center of fortification, away guns. when became clear ottoman fortresses not silenced in time allow minesweepers begin clearing minefields further in straits, de robeck ordered fleet withdraw. in process, 2 british battleships mined , sunk, , battlecruiser inflexible had struck mine, though managed return malta repairs.

she supported main landings @ cape helles in morto bay area on 25 april 1915, , supported ground troops during turkish attack on allied positions @ anzac cove on 19 may 1915. submarine attacked on 25 may 1915 without success.

by july 1915, vengeance had boiler defects prevented continuing combat operations, , returned united kingdom , paid off month. under refit @ devonport until december 1915.

later service

vengeance recommissioned in december 1915 , left devonport on 30 december 1915 deployment cape , east africa. while there, supported operations leading capture of dar es salaam in 1916.

in february 1917, vengeance returned united kingdom , paid off. laid until february 1918, when recommissioned use in experiments anti-flash equipment fleet s guns. completed these in april 1918, , partially disarmed, 4 6-inch (152-mm) main-deck casemate guns removed , 4 6-inch (152-mm) guns being installed in open shields on battery deck. became ammunition store ship in may 1918.

disposal

vengeance placed on sale list @ devonport on 9 july 1920, , sold scrapping on 1 december 1921. had eventful trip scrapyard. after departed devonport under tow on 27 december 1921 en route dover, tow rope parted in english channel on 29 december 1921. french tugs located , towed cherbourg, france. there towed dover, arrived scrapping on 9 january 1922.