HMS King George V (1911)

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For other ships with the same name, see HMS King George V.

A postcard of King George V underway, about 1913
History
United Kingdom
NameKing George V
NamesakeKing George V
Builder
HM Dockyard, Portsmouth
Cost£1,961,096
Laid down16 January 1911
Launched9 October 1911
Commissioned16 November 1912
Decommissioned26 October 1926
FateSold for scrap, December 1926
General characteristics (as built)
Class and type
dreadnought battleship
Displacement25,420 long tons (25,830 t) (normal)
Length594 ft 4 in (181.2 m) (o/a)
Beam89 ft 1 in (27.2 m)
Draught28 ft 8 in (8.7 m)
Installed power
  • 27,000 shp (20,000 kW)
  • 18 ×
    Babcock & Wilcox boilers
Propulsion4 × shafts; 2 × steam turbine sets
Speed21 knots (39 km/h; 24 mph)
Range5,910 nmi (10,950 km; 6,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph)
Complement869–1,114
Armament
  • 5 × twin
    13.5-inch (343 mm) guns
  • 16 × single
    4-inch (102 mm) guns
  • 3 ×
    21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes
Armour

HMS King George V was the

First World War generally consisted of routine patrols and training in the North Sea
.

After the war, King George V became flagship of the Home Fleet and then of the

Great fire of Smyrna in September 1922 before returning home at the beginning of 1923. King George V was reduced to reserve and used as a training ship until late 1926 and was sold for scrap later in the year in accordance with the terms of the Washington Naval Treaty
.

Design and description

The King George V-class ships were designed as enlarged and improved versions of the preceding

deep load; by 1918, the ship's deep displacement had increased to 28,422 long tons (28,878 t). Her crew numbered 869 officers and ratings upon completion and 1,114 in 1916.[2]

The ships of the King George V class were powered by two sets of

Babcock & Wilcox boilers. The turbines were rated at 27,000 shaft horsepower (20,000 kW) and were intended to give the battleships a speed of 21 knots (39 km/h; 24 mph).[3] During her sea trials on 4 November 1912, King George V reached a maximum speed of 22.4 knots (41.5 km/h; 25.8 mph) from 33,022 shp (24,625 kW). She carried enough coal and fuel oil to give her a range of 5,910 nautical miles (10,950 km; 6,800 mi) at a cruising speed of 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph).[4]

Armament and armour

Like the Orion class, the King George Vs were equipped with 10

21-inch (533 mm) submerged torpedo tubes, one on each broadside and another in the stern, for which 14 torpedoes were provided.[5]

The King George V-class ships were protected by a

armoured belt that extended between the end barbettes. Their decks ranged in thickness between 1 inch (25 mm) and 4 inches with the thickest portions protecting the steering gear in the stern. The main battery turret faces were 11 inches (279 mm) thick, and the turrets were supported by 10-inch-thick (254 mm) barbettes.[2]

Modifications

Aerial view of King George V at anchor, about 1917

A

rangefinder was added atop the conning tower. Around the same time, the ship was modified to use a kite balloon. By April 1917, the 4-inch guns had been removed from the hull casemates as they were frequently unusable in heavy seas. The casemates were plated over and some of the compartments were used for accommodations. That same year, the spotting top was enlarged and the foremast was fitted with full-sized tripod legs to handle the additional weight. Her stern torpedo tube was removed in 1917–1918 and flying-off platforms were fitted on the roofs of 'B' and 'Q' turrets during 1918.[8]

Construction and career

British and German ships saluting Kaiser Wilhelm II, Kiel, 24 June 1914; the four King George V-class ships are in the center background

King George V, named after the reigning

Großadmiral (Grand Admiral) Alfred von Tirpitz, and Admirals Friedrich von Ingenohl and Carl von Coerper.[14]

First World War

Solent, about 1914. From left to right, King George V, Thunderer, Monarch, and Conqueror
.

Between 17 and 20 July 1914, King George V took part in a test

mobilisation and fleet review as part of the British response to the July Crisis. Arriving in Portland on 25 July, she was ordered to proceed with the rest of the Home Fleet to Scapa Flow four days later[15] to safeguard the fleet from a possible surprise attack by the Imperial German Navy.[16] In August 1914, following the outbreak of the First World War, the Home Fleet was reorganised as the Grand Fleet, and placed under the command of Admiral Sir John Jellicoe.[17] Repeated reports of submarines in Scapa Flow led Jellicoe to conclude that the defences there were inadequate and he ordered that the Grand Fleet be dispersed to other bases until the defences be reinforced. On 16 October the 2nd BS was sent to Loch na Keal on the western coast of Scotland. The squadron departed for gunnery practice off the northern coast of Ireland on the morning of 27 October and her sister Audacious struck a mine, laid a few days earlier by the German auxiliary minelayer SS Berlin. Thinking that the ship had been torpedoed by a submarine, the other dreadnoughts were ordered away from the area, while smaller ships rendered assistance. In late November 1914, King George V developed problems with her condensers, even though she had just returned from a refit. This forced the ship to be withdrawn from operations while her port condenser had its tubes replaced, which took until 12 December.[18]

Bombardment of Scarborough, Hartlepool, and Whitby

Main article: Raid on Scarborough, Hartlepool and Whitby
King George V underway, about 1913

The Royal Navy's

pre-dreadnoughts would reinforce Hipper. The ships of both sides departed their bases on 15 December, with the British intending to ambush the German ships on their return voyage. They mustered the six dreadnoughts of the 2nd Battle Squadron, including King George V and her sisters Ajax and Centurion, and stood with the main body in support of Vice-Admiral David Beatty's four battlecruisers.[19]

The screening forces of each side blundered into each other during the early morning darkness of 16 December in heavy weather. The Germans got the better of the initial exchange of fire, severely damaging several British destroyers, but von Ingenohl, commander of the High Seas Fleet, ordered his ships to turn away, concerned about the possibility of a massed attack by British destroyers in the dawn's light. A series of miscommunications and mistakes by the British allowed Hipper's ships to avoid an engagement with Beatty's forces.[20]

1915–1916

Retubing of the ship's starboard condenser took from late December to 4 January 1915. Jellicoe's ships, including King George V, conducted gunnery drills on 10–13 January west of the

Shetland Islands. On the evening of 23 January, the bulk of the Grand Fleet sailed in support of Beatty's battlecruisers, but the fleet was too far away participate in the ensuing Battle of Dogger Bank the following day. On 7–10 March, the Grand Fleet conducted a sweep in the northern North Sea, during which it conducted training manoeuvres. Another such cruise took place on 16–19 March. On 11 April, the Grand Fleet conducted a patrol in the central North Sea and returned to port on 14 April; another patrol in the area took place on 17–19 April, followed by gunnery drills off Shetland on 20–21 April.[21]

The Grand Fleet conducted sweeps into the central North Sea on 17–19 May and 29–31 May without encountering any German vessels. During 11–14 June, the fleet conducted gunnery practice and battle exercises west of Shetland[22] and more training off Shetland beginning on 11 July. The 2nd BS conducted gunnery practice in the Moray Firth on 2 August and then returned to Scapa Flow. On 2–5 September, the fleet went on another cruise in the northern end of the North Sea and conducted gunnery drills. Throughout the rest of the month, the Grand Fleet conducted numerous training exercises. The ship, together with the majority of the Grand Fleet, conducted another sweep into the North Sea from 13 to 15 October. Almost three weeks later, King George V participated in another fleet training operation west of Orkney during 2–5 November and repeated the exercise at the beginning of December.[23] Warrender was relieved by Vice-Admiral Sir Martyn Jerram on 16 December.[24]

The Grand Fleet sortied in response to an attack by German ships on British light forces near Dogger Bank on 10 February 1916, but it was recalled two days later when it became clear that no German ships larger than a destroyer were involved. The fleet departed for a cruise in the North Sea on 26 February; Jellicoe had intended to use the

minefields in the Baltic Sea.[25] The fleet returned to Scapa Flow on 24 April and refuelled before proceeding south in response to intelligence reports that the Germans were about to launch a raid on Lowestoft, but only arrived in the area after the Germans had withdrawn. On 2–4 May, the fleet conducted another demonstration off Horns Reef to keep German attention focused on the North Sea.[26]

Battle of Jutland

The British fleet sailed from northern Britain to the east while the Germans sailed from Germany in the south; the opposing fleets met off the Danish coast
Maps showing the manoeuvres of the British (blue) and German (red) fleets on 31 May – 1 June 1916
Main article: Battle of Jutland

In an attempt to lure out and destroy a portion of the Grand Fleet, the High Seas Fleet, composed of sixteen dreadnoughts, six pre-dreadnoughts and supporting ships, departed the Jade Bight early on the morning of 31 May. The fleet sailed in concert with Hipper's five battlecruisers. Room 40 had intercepted and decrypted German radio traffic containing plans of the operation. In response the Admiralty ordered the Grand Fleet, totalling some 28 dreadnoughts and 9 battlecruisers, to sortie the night before to cut off and destroy the High Seas Fleet.[27]

On 31 May, King George V, under the command of

2nd Cruiser Squadrons. That was the only time that the ship fired her guns during the battle.[29]

Subsequent activity

King George V underway in Scapa Flow, 1917, flying a kite balloon

The Grand Fleet sortied on 18 August to ambush the High Seas Fleet while it advanced into the southern North Sea, but a series of miscommunications and mistakes prevented Jellicoe from intercepting the German fleet before it returned to port. Two light cruisers were sunk by German

Admiralty concurred and stipulated that the Grand Fleet would not sortie unless the German fleet was attempting an invasion of Britain or there was a strong possibility it could be forced into an engagement under suitable conditions.[30] Vice-Admiral Sir John de Robeck relieved Jerram on 3 December.[31]

In April 1918, the High Seas Fleet again sortied, to attack British convoys to Norway. They enforced strict wireless silence during the operation, which prevented Room 40 cryptanalysts from warning the new commander of the Grand Fleet, Admiral Beatty. The British only learned of the operation after an accident aboard the battlecruiser SMS Moltke forced her to break radio silence to inform the German commander of her condition. Beatty then ordered the Grand Fleet to sea to intercept the Germans, but he was not able to reach the High Seas Fleet before it turned back for Germany.[32] The ship was present at Rosyth, Scotland, when the High Seas Fleet surrendered there on 21 November[33] and she remained part of the 2nd Battle Squadron through 1 March 1919.[34]

Postwar activities

King George V at anchor in the Firth of Forth, 1917; alongside is the submarine K4

By 1 May, King George V had been assigned to the

4th Battle Squadron of the Mediterranean Fleet.[33]

King George V recommissioned on 31 October and sailed for the Mediterranean. In February 1921, together with the dreadnought

Great Fire of Smyrna in mid-September and evacuated 130 refugees to Malta on 16 September as she proceeded there for permanent repairs.[38]

In January 1923, the ship returned home and became a gunnery training ship at

Alloa Shipbreaking Company and arrived at Rosyth on 27 January 1927 to be broken up.[33]

Notes

  1. ^ The times used in this section are in UT, which is one hour behind CET, which is often used in German works.

Citations

  1. ^ Burt, pp. 169–70
  2. ^ a b c Burt, p. 176
  3. ^ Parkes, p. 538
  4. ^ Burt, pp. 176, 179
  5. ^ Burt, pp. 175–76
  6. ^ Brooks, p. 168; Burt, p. 170
  7. ^ Friedman, p. 199
  8. ^ Burt, pp. 170, 179–80
  9. ^ Silverstone, p. 247
  10. ^ Colledge, p. 188
  11. ^ Preston, p. 30
  12. His Majesty's Stationery Office
    . 18 February 1913. p. 269. Retrieved 29 March 2017.
  13. ^ Burt, p. 186
  14. ^ von Hase, pp. 35, 40, 49, 58
  15. ^ Burt, p. 188
  16. ^ Massie, p. 19
  17. ^ Preston, p. 32
  18. ^ Burt, p. 183; Goldrick, p. 156; Jellicoe, pp. 167–168, 173
  19. ^ Tarrant, pp. 28–30
  20. ^ Goldrick, pp. 200–214
  21. ^ Jellicoe, pp. 185, 190–191, 194–196, 206, 211–212
  22. ^ Jellicoe, pp. 217–219, 221–222
  23. ^ Jellicoe, pp. 228, 234–235, 243, 246, 250, 253, 257–258
  24. ^ "Supplement to the Monthly Navy List Showing the Organisation of the Fleet, Flag Officer's Commands, &c" (PDF). National Library of Scotland. Admiralty. February 1915. p. 5. Retrieved 27 March 2017.
  25. ^ Jellicoe, pp. 270–271, 275, 279–280, 284, 286
  26. ^ Jellicoe, pp. 286–290
  27. ^ Tarrant, pp. 54–55, 57–58
  28. ^ Corbett, frontispiece map and p. 428
  29. ^ Campbell, pp. 204, 208
  30. ^ Halpern 1995, pp. 330–332
  31. ^ "Supplement to the Monthly Navy List Showing the Organisation of the Fleet, Flag Officer's Commands, &c" (PDF). National Library of Scotland. Admiralty. March 1917. p. 5. Retrieved 27 March 2017.
  32. ^ Halpern 1995, pp. 418–420
  33. ^ a b c Burt, p. 187
  34. ^ "Supplement to the Monthly Navy List Showing the Organisation of the Fleet, Flag Officer's Commands, &c". National Library of Scotland. Admiralty. 1 March 1919. p. 10. Retrieved 17 March 2017.
  35. ^ "Supplement to the Monthly Navy List Showing the Organisation of the Fleet, Flag Officer's Commands, &c". National Library of Scotland. Admiralty. 1 May 1919. pp. 5, 12. Retrieved 17 March 2017.
  36. ^ "The Navy List" (PDF). National Library of Scotland. London: His Majesty's Stationery Office. 18 December 1919. pp. 694, 707. Retrieved 17 March 2017.
  37. ^ "The Navy List" (PDF). National Library of Scotland. London: His Majesty's Stationery Office. 18 October 1920. pp. 695–6, 707a, 712–13. Retrieved 17 March 2017.
  38. ^ Burt, p. 187; Halpern 2011, pp. 304, 345, 378, 385

Bibliography

External links

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