HMS Iron Duke (1912)

HMS "Iron Duke" was a battleship of the Royal Navy, the lead ship of her class, named in honour of Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington. She served as the flagship of the Grand Fleet during World War I, including at the Battle of Jutland. For the majority of the Great War she was based with the rest of the Grand Fleet at Scapa Flow.

"Iron Duke" was launched on 12 October 1912 at Portsmouth, England, the first of her class. After commissioning, she joined the Home Fleet as the flagship of Admiral Sir George Callaghan. Shortly before the beginning of hostilities, Callaghan was relieved by Admiral Sir John Jellicoe, who made "Iron Duke" the flagship of the newly organized Grand Fleet. Her only major combat service during World War I came in the Battle of Jutland, 31 May 1916, where she served in the Fourth Battle Squadron. She later became the flagship for a short time of Admiral Sir David Beatty when he assumed command of the Grand Fleet in late 1916, although he soon moved his flag to HMS "Queen Elizabeth".

After the war, she was transferred to the Mediterranean Fleet, where she again served as flagship, this time for Admiral Sir John de Robeck. She served with the Mediterranean and Atlantic Fleets until she was paid off in 1929.

In 1931, after the London Naval Treaty, "Iron Duke" was disarmed and she served as a gunnery training vessel. To this aim, both B and Y turrets and the torpedo tubes were removed while two 4 inch AA guns were mounted and another AA gun was mounted in place of the B turret. Moreover, in 1939 another twin 4.5 inch turret was mounted at the X turret.

During World War II she was used as a base ship at Scapa Flow, where she was forced to beach during an air attack in 1939. She was refloated and saw continued service until the conclusion of hostilities. She was sold in 1946 as scrap, and broken up in Glasgow in 1948. HMS "Iron Duke"'s bell is on display at Winchester Cathedral.

External links

* [http://www.maritimequest.com/warship_directory/great_britain/battleships/iron_duke/hms_iron_duke.htm Maritimequest HMS "Iron Duke" photo gallery]