Lord Nelson Class Battleship

Lord Nelson Class.  The last British pre-Dreadnought battleships were also the most distinctive - heavy turret based secondary armament, unequal flat sided funnels, built up superstructure and unusual flying bridge.  Like many of the last generation of pre-Dreadnoughts they were completed after HMS Dreadnought, the delay in this case being caused by the diversion of the original min armament to HMS Dreadnought to speed the construction of that ship.

HMS Lord Nelson
Built Palmer, Jarrow, laid down May 1905, completed October 1908, cost £1,651,339.

HMS Agamemnon
Built Beardmore, laid down May 1905, completed June 1908, cost £1,652,347.

Size:
Length 435 feet waterline 443 feet 6 inches overall, beam 79 feet 6 inches, draught 30 feet, displacement 15,358 load 17,820 tons deep.

Propulsion:
2 shaft Triple Expansion, 16,750 ihp, 18kts

Trials:
Lord Nelson 17,526 ihp = 18.73 knots
Agamemnon 16,616 ihp = 18.61 knots

Armour:
12-8in belt, 12in barbettes, 12in gun houses, 4-1in decks

Armament:
4 x 12in 45 cal BL (2 x 2), 10 x 9.2 in BL (4 x 2, 2 x 1), 24 x 12pounder QF (24 x 1), 2 x 3pounder (2 x 1), 5 x 18in TT

Comments:
Designed to provide a considerable step forward in British battleship capabilities.  The 9.2 inch guns were increased in numbers to replace the 6 inch guns giving the class a very heavy secondary armament although spotting for gunnery control of such a heavy secondary gun was not easy - one of the reasons for the 'all big gun' armament of future battleships.  Both the 12 inch and 9.2 inch guns were of new improved types and a much heavier anti-torpedo boat armament was also carried. Protection was also substantially increased and subdivision and pumping arrangements were improved.  Crew 752.

World War 1 Service:
Lord Nelson
5th Battle Squadron Channel Fleet as flagship.
February 1915 transferred to Dardanelles.
19 February 1915 onwards involved in various attacks on forts and support of landings.  Hit by artillery on several occasions but no serious damage.
6 May brief engagement with battlecruiser Yavuz Sultan Selim (ex Goeben).
May-June 1915 refit at Malta.
2 December 1915 took part in destruction of Kavak Bridge.
January 1916 Eastern Mediterranean Squadron.
October 1918 refit at Malta.
November 1918 part of Allied squadron through the Dardanelles to Constantinople.
Sold for scrap 1920.

Agamemnon
5th Battle Squadron Channel Fleet.
February 1915 transferred to Dardanelles.
19 February 1915 onwards involved in various attacks on forts and support of landings.  Hit by artillery on several occasions but no serious damage.
May-June 1915 refit at Malta.
2 December 1915 took part in destruction of Kavak Bridge.
January 1916 Eastern Mediterranean Squadron.
5 May 1917 shot down Zeppelin L85.
30 October 1918 Ottoman Empire signed Armistice on board.
November 1918 led Allied squadron through the Dardanelles to Constantinople.
Sold for scrap 1927.

HMS Agamemnon.  The first battleships for which Philip Watts was responsible for the design.  Some of the earlier sketches for the class were of an 'all big gun' variety but these were rejected as too radical and expensive until further experience with a heavy calibre secondary armament had been obtained.