HMS Hindustan (1903)

HMS "Hindustan" was a "King Edward VII" class pre-dreadnought battleship of the Royal Navy . Like all ships of the class (apart from at the end of 1906 and the large numbers of the new dreadnought battleships that commissioned in succeeding years. By 1914, "Hindustan" and her "King Edward VII"-class sisters were, like all predreadnoughts, so outclassed that they spent much of their 1914-1916 Grand Fleet service steaming at the heads of divisions of the far more valuable dreadnoughts, protecting the dreadnoughts from naval mines by being the first battleships to either sight or strike them. [Burt, p. 235]

Operational history

Upon completion in March 1905, HMS "Hindustan" was placed in reserve. She went into full commission on 22 August 1905 at Portsmouth Dockyard for service in the Atlantic Fleet. She transferred to the Channel Fleet in March 1907. Under a fleet reorganization on 24 March 1909, the Channel Fleet became the 2nd Division, Home Fleet, and "Hindustan" became a Home Fleet unit in that division. She underwent a refit at Portsmouth in 1909-1910. [Burt, p. 255, 256]

Under a fleet reorganization in May 1912, "Hindustan" and all seven of her sisters of the "King Edward VII" class (HMS|Africa|1905|2, HMS|Britannia|1904|2, HMS|Commonwealth|1903|2, HMS|Dominion|1903|2, HMS|Hibernia|1905|2, HMS|King Edward VII|1903|2 and HMS|New Zealand|1904|2) were assigned to form the 3rd Battle Squadron, assigned to the First Fleet, Home Fleet. The squadron was detached to the Mediterranean in November 1912 because of the First Balkan War (October 1912-May 1913); it arrived at Malta on 27 November 1912 and subsequently participated in a blockade by an international force of Montenegro and in an occupation of Scutari. "Hindustan" and "Africa" returned to the United Kingdom in February 1913 and rejoined the Home Fleet; they were attached to the 4th Battle Squadron, then transferred back to the 3rd Battle Squadron upon that squadron's return to the United Kingdom and the Home Fleet on 27 June 1913. [Burt, p. 255-256]

. It returned to the Grand Fleet on 13 November 1914. [Burt, p. 255-256]

"Hindustan" served in the Grand Fleet until April 1916. [Burt, p. 256] During sweeps by the fleet, she and her sister ships often steamed at the heads of divisions of the far more valuable dreadnoughts, where they could protect the dreadnoughts by watching for mines or by being the first to strike them. [Burt, p. 235]

On 29 April 1916, the 3rd Battle Squadron was rebased at Sheerness, and on 3 May 1916 it was separated from the Grand Fleet, being transferred to the Nore Command. "Hindustan" remained there with the squadron until February 1918. [Burt, p. 256]

"Hindustan" left the 3rd Battle Squadron in February 1918 when she selected to serve as a parent ship for preparations for the Zeebrugge Raid and first Ostend Raid and served as depot ship for the raids. She was stationed in the Swin in this capacity until May 1918, and collided with and badly damaged destroyer HMS|Wrestler|1918|6 on May 1918. [Burt, p. 256]

On 15 May 1918, "Hindustan" paid off into reserve at the Nore, and was employed as an accommodation ship for the Royal Naval Barracks at Chatham Dockyard. She was placed on the disposal list at Chatham in June 1919 and on the sale list in August 1919. She was sold for scrappig to T. W. Ward & Company, Limited on 9 May 1921. She was towed to Belfast for stripping in 1923 and arrived at Preston for scrapping on 14 October 1923. [Burt, p. 256]

Notes

References

* Burt, R. A. "British Battleships 1889-1904". Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press, 1988. ISBN 0870210610.
* Chesneau, Roger, and Eugene M. Kolesnik, eds. "Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships, 1860-1905". New York: Mayflower Books, Inc., 1979. ISBN 0831703024.
* Dittmar, F. J. & Colledge, J. J. "British Warships 1914-1919". London: Ian Allen, 1972. ISBN 0-7110-0380-7
* Gibbons, Tony. "The Complete Encyclopedia of Battleships and Battlecruisers: A Technical Directory of All the World's Capital Ships From 1860 to the Present Day". London: Salamander Books Ltd., 1983.
* Gray, Randal, Ed. "Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships 1906-1921." Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press, 1985. ISBN 0870219073.

External links

* [http://www.pbenyon1.plus.com/Janes_1919/B_Ships/King_Edward_Cl_69.html HMS "Commonwealth"] in "Jane's Fighting Ships", 1919.
* [http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/read/Mariners/2001-10/1003278100 Assignment of the HMS "Commonwealth"]
* [http://www.battleships-cruisers.co.uk/hms_hindustan.htm HMS "Hindustan"]
* [http://www.worldwar1.co.uk/pre-dreadnought/hms-king-edward-vii.html HMS "Hindustan" Ship's History]
* [http://www.maritimequest.com/warship_directory/great_britain/battleships/hindustan/hms_hindustan.htm MaritimeQuest HMS "Hindustan" pages]