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Arrogant Class. Designed as fleet rams with a reinforced bow and intended to sink already disabled ships in battle. For the role they needed good manoeuvrability and they had a reduced length-to-beam ratio compared to previous classes as well as a second rudder in order to achieve this. They also had a heavily protected conning tower, with 9 inch thick armour, as they were expected to be under fire at short range. |
HMS Arrogant
Built Devonport Dockyard, laid down June 1895, completed 1898.
HMS Furious
Built Devonport Dockyard, laid down June 1895, completed July 1898.
HMS Gladiator
Built Portsmouth Dockyard, laid down January 1896, completed April 1899.
HMS Vindictive
Built Chatham Dockyard, laid down January 1896, completed July 1900.
Size:
Length 320 feet pp 342 feet overall, beam 57 feet 6 inches, draught 20 feet, displacement 5,750 tons load.
Propulsion:
2 shaft TE engines, 10,000 ihp, 19kts
Armour:
4.5in gun shields, 3-1.5in decks
Armament:
4 x 6in QF (4 x 1), 6 x 4.7in (6 x 1), 8 x 12 pounder QF (8 x 1), 3 x 3 pounder QF (3 x 1), 3 x 18in TT
Comments:
They were rearmed in 1903-1904 with 10 6 inch guns replaced the previous mix of 6 and 4.7 inch guns. Crew 480.
World War 1 Service:
Arrogant
Used as a Submarine depot ship at Dover.
1915 Base flagship for Dover Patrol.
1923 Sold for scrap.
Furious
In reserve.
June 1915 Renamed Forte and attached to base HMS Vernon as hulk.
1923 Sold for scrap.
Gladiator
24 April 1908 Sunk in accidental collision with liner St Paul.
Vindictive
9th Cruiser Squadron Atlantic.
7 August 1914 Captured German merchant ship Schlesin.
9 August 1914 Captured German merchant ship Slawentziz.
1915 South America.
1916 white Sea.
23 April1918 Used as an assault ship during Zeebrugge Raid.
10 May 1918 Used as a blockship at Ostend.
| HMS Arrogant had been reduced to a submarine depot ship at HMS Mercury before the war and spent most of the war as a base ship for the Dover Patrol flying the flag of Rear Admiral Bacon. The only ship of the class to see some active service was HMS Vindictive although she was most famous for her role as an assault ship during the Zeebrugge Raid. |
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