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Royal Sovereign class. Easy to distinguish from the similar looking Queen Elizabeth class by the single funnel, the only British battleships of World War 1 with a single funnel. The secondary guns were mounted further back than previous classes in an attempt to reduce interference from the sea. |
HMS Royal Sovereign
Built Portsmouth Dockyard, laid down January 1914, completed May 1916, cost £2,570,504.
HMS Revenge
Built Vickers, laid down December 1913,completed March 1916, cost £2,406,368.
HMS Resolution
Built Palmers, laid down November 1913 ,completed December 1916, cost £2,449,680.
HMS Royal Oak
Built Devonport Dockyard, laid down January 1914 ,completed May 1916, cost £2,468,269.
HMS Ramillies
Built Beardmore, laid down November 1913 ,completed September 1917, cost £3,295,810.
Size:
Length 614 feet 6 inches waterline 620 feet 7 inches overall, beam 88 6 inches feet, draught 33 feet 7 inches
(deep), displacement 29,590 tons load 32,820 tons deep.
Propulsion:
4 shaft Parsons turbines, 40,000 shp, 21kts.
Trials:
Revenge 41,938 shp = 21.9 knots
Resolution 41,405 shp = ? knots
Royal Oak 40,360 shp = 22.0 knots.
Royal Sovereign 41,112 shp = 21.75 knots
Ramillies 42,414 shp = 21.5 knots.
Armour:
13-1in belt, 10-4in barbettes, 13in turret faces, 4-1in decks
Armament:
8 x 15in 45cal MK I (4 x 2), 14 x 6in (14 x 1), 4 x 3 pounder (4 x 1), 2 x 3in (2 x 1), 4 x 21in TT
Comments:
Whilst the Queen Elizabeth class were a special class these ships were the follow on to the Iron Duke class as a
"bog standard" ship for the battle line. The armament was the same as the Queen Elizabeth class
although the 6 inch guns were mounted further back. Likewise the protection was similar although the with less
tapering and so improved. During construction Ramillies was fitted with an underwater bulge as an experiment to
improve underwater protection. Although this led to a slight reduction in speed the ship could still make the
deigned 21 knots. Revenge and Resolution were also fitted with bulges in 19-17 and the rest of the class post
war. A speed of 21 knots was considered acceptable and so it was originally proposed that the ships would be
mixed coal and oil fired as oil had to be imported whilst coal did not. When Admiral Fisher returned from
retirement as First Sea Lord he had the design altered to all oil fired. Crew 936.
World War 1 Service:
Revenge
February 1916 joined 1st Battle Squadron Grand Fleet.
Battle of Jutland. Fired 102 15in shells and received no damage.
1948 Sold for scrap.
Resolution
December 1916 joined 1st Battle Squadron Grand Fleet.
1948 Sold for scrap.
Royal Oak
May 1916 joined 4th Battle Squadron Grand Fleet.
Battle of Jutland. Fired 38 15in shells and received no damage.
14 October 1939 sunk by German submarine U47.
Royal Sovereign
May 1916 joined 1st Battle Squadron Grand Fleet.
Missed Jutland owing to engine problems.
1949 sold fro scrap.
Ramillies
When launched in September 1916 her keel was damaged which delayed her completion.
September 1917 joined 1st Battle Squadron Grand Fleet.
1948 Sold for scrap.
| HMS Ramillies in late 1917 complete with multi coloured dazzle camouflage. The stripes were a mix of yellow, black, light and dark blue, green, and purple and the pattern was different on the other side of the ship and form those of HMS Revenge which was also dazzle painted. The experimental schemes were removed in March 1918 when the ships were painted a more conventional grey. |
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