HMS Lion (1910)
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| Career |  |
|---|---|
| Name: | HMS Lion |
| Builder: | Devonport Dockyard |
| Laid down: | 25 November 1909 |
| Launched: | 6 August 1910 |
| Commissioned: | 4 June 1912 |
| Struck: | 1924 |
| Fate: | Sold for scrap |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | Lion-class battlecruiser |
| Displacement: |
26,250 long tons (26,670 t) normal |
| Length: | 700 ft (210 m) |
| Beam: | 88 ft 7 in (27.00 m) |
| Draught: | 27 ft 6 in (8.38 m) |
| Propulsion: | Parsons steam turbines, 4 shafts, 42 boilers, 70,000 shp |
| Speed: | 27.5 kn (50.9 km/h) |
| Range: | 5,610 nmi (10,390 km) at 10 kn (19 km/h) |
| Complement: | 997–1,267 |
| Armament: |
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| Armour: | Belt: 9 inches (230 mm) Bulkheads: 4 inches (100 mm) Barbettes: 9 inches (230 mm) Turrets: 9 inches (230 mm) Decks: 2.5 inches (64 mm) |
HMS Lion was a battlecruiser of the Royal Navy launched in 1910, the lead ship of her class (known as the "Splendid Cats"). She was originally constructed with her foremast and spotting top behind her forefunnel; the heat and fumes made access to the spotting top difficult and after her initial trials she was rebuilt with the foremast and fore funnel switched in position. In World War I she fought at the battle of Heligoland Bight, 28 August 1914, and served as David Beatty's flagship at the battles of Dogger Bank, 24 January 1915 and Jutland, 31 May 1916. She was sold for breaking in 1924 under the terms of the Washington Naval Treaty.
At Dogger Bank, she scored a somewhat lucky hit on Seydlitz which caused a cordite flashback which burned out the latter's two rear turrets. While it nearly resulted in the destruction of the Seydlitz, the Germans gained crucial insight into improving magazine safety that would make the difference in the future battle of Jutland.[1] In response she was struck by a salvo from the German battlecruiser Derfflinger which crippled her, forcing her to fall out of line and Admiral Beatty to lose control of his squadron until he transferred his flag to HMS New Zealand.
At Jutland she was hit by a 12 inch (305 mm) salvo from the Lützow which blew the roof off of "Q" turret. Dozens of Royal Marines were killed, but a far larger catastrophe was averted when Major Francis Harvey, the mortally wounded turret commander, ordered the magazine doors shut and allegedly ordered the magazine flooded, thereby preventing the cordite propellant from setting off a massive explosion. He was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross.
The future First Sea Lord John H. D. Cunningham served aboard her as navigator for the last year of the war.
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Account of the battle of Jutland by Alexander Grant, a gunner aboard Lion.
- Maritimequest HMS Lion Photo Gallery
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