Boadicea Class Scout Cruisers

Boadicea Class.  Enlarged in-house design follow on to the earlier commercially designed scouts.  Unlike the earlier ships they were turbine powered but still were soon outrun by modern destroyers limiting their usefulness in working with destroyers although the increase in size improved sea keeping.

HMS Boadicea
Built Pembroke Dockyard, laid down June 1907, completed June 1909.

HMS Bellona
Built Pembroke Dockyard, laid down June 1908, completed February 1910.

Average cost £330,000.

Size:
Length 385 feet pp 405 feet overall, beam 41 feet, draught 14 feet, displacement 3,300 tons normal 3,800 tons deep load..

Propulsion:
4 shaft Parsons turbines, 18,000 shp, 25 knots

Armour:
1in decks

Armament:
6 x 4in 50cal MK VIII (6 x 1), 4 x 3 pounder QF (4 x 1), 2 x 18in TT

Comments:
Protective deck was limited to machinery spacesCrew 317.

World War 1 Service:
Boadicea
Attached to Grand Fleet Battle Squadrons.
15 December 1914 Bridge lost in storm with several men drowned.
31 May-1 June 1916 took part in the Battle of Jutland.
December 1917 converted to lay mines.
1926 sold for scrap.

Bellona
Attached to Grand Fleet Battle Squadrons.
31 May-1 June 1916 took part in the Battle of Jutland.
June 1917 converted to lay mines.
1921 sold for scrap.

HMS Boadicea. Four additional 4 inch guns were added in 1916 as was a 3 inch anti-aircraft gun, which was upgraded to a 4 inch weapon before the end of the war.