HMS Queen Elizabeth

The Ship


Sold for Scrap 1948



Royal Naval battleship HMS Queen Elizabeth built at Portsmouth in 1913, served in the Dardanelle's Campaign during world war one and during world war two she was sunk in shallow water by mines attacked to the battleship by Italian frogmen in Alexandria. Raised and repaired at Norfolk, Virginia.



Displacement: 29,700 Speed: 23.0 knots Compliment: 950 and up to 1,220 in 1918

Armament: Eight 15-inch guns in pairs and fourteen 6 -inch guns. Two 3 inch Anti Aircraft Guns in 1917, two 4-inch anti aircraft guns.

HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH

HMS Queen Elizabeth was built at Portsmouth and Re -Engined at Fairfield and launched on the 16th October 1913. She was the sister ship to HMS Warspite, Valiant, Barham, and Malaya. HMS Queen Elizabeth was the only ship of the class to have a full compliment of sixteen 6-inch guns, She was the only ship of the class not be be involved during The Battle of Jutland. But her first world war service included being part of the Dardanelle's campaign. She bombarded the forts on the Narrows in the support of the Gallipoli landings between February 25th and May 14th 1915. She fired a total of 86 15-inch shells and 71 6-inch shells. The short supply of 15-inch shells and a direct order from the Admiralty not to wear out her guns. After the The Battle of Jutland (she was in refit at the Time,) she became the flagship of the Home Fleet in February 1917. HMS Queen Elizabeth had to major refits between the Wars. At the start of World War two she was in the middle of her second refit, being reconstructed at Portsmouth, due to the chance of enemy bombing she was moved to Rosyth. She was completed and ready for service in May 1941. HMS Queen Elizabeth was transferred to The Mediterranean fleet. It was at Alexandria, along with her sister ship HMS Valient that both ships were mined by Italian Frogmen. HMS Queen Elizabeth sank in shallow water, raised and temporarily repaired. But due to the serious damage she had sustained she was transferred to the US Navy Yard in Norfolk, being repaired there between September 1942 till 1st June 1943.

She joined the Eastern fleet and In January 1944 onwards was joined by HMS valiant and took part in the carrier raids in Indonesia against Japanese bases, returning to Britain in July 1945. She was scrapped at Dalmuir on the Clyde 7th July 1948 and at Troon (Hull only)

My Postcards

Not postally used.
Postcard series: Photochrom Co Ltd

 

Letter written on reverse but posted with clothing items that ' I have not got room for in my kit bag'.
Postcard series: Gale & Polden Ltd

 

Not postally used.

 

Not postally used.

 

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