HMS Blenheim (1890)

HMS "Blenheim" was a "Blake" class armoured cruiser that served in the Royal Navy from 1890-1926.

Launched July 5, 1890, she displaced 9,150 tons and her steel hull measured 375 feet (length) and 65 feet (beam) with 20,000 horsepower turning 2 propellers giving a top speed of convert|22|knot|km/h|0. Her main armament was two 9-inch (22 ton) smooth bore guns protected behind armoured casements on the upper deck. She also carried ten convert|6|in|mm|0|sing=on guns and eighteen 3-pounders.

She was built by Thames Ironworks & Shipbuilding Company at Blackwall. The ship was named after the Battle of Blenheim.

She served as a cruiser with the Channel Squadron until May 1908 when she joined the Mediterranean Fleet as a destroyer depot ship. She was sent to Mudros in March 1915 in support of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force at the Battle of Gallipoli. She was scrapped in 1926 at Pembroke Dock.

"Blenheim" served in the repatriation of the remains of three dignitaries during her career:

* His Royal Highness Prince Henry of Battenberg died from malaria while on active duty onboard HMS "Blonde" off Sierra Leone in 1896. "Blenheim" repatriated his body from the Canary Islands. Her Majesty Queen Victoria appointed the commanding officer Captain Edmund S. Poe to the fourth class of the Royal Victorian Order as a mark of appreciation for this service.

* Sitting Canadian Prime Minister Sir John Thompson died in England, just after being named to HM The Queen's Privy Council in 1894 and was repatriated to Halifax, Nova Scotia by "Blenheim", which was painted black for the occasion. [ [http://www.craigmarlatt.com/canada/government/thompson.html Canada info - The Right Honourable Sir John Thompson] ]

*Former Canadian Prime Minister Sir Charles Tupper died in England in 1915 and was repatriated to Halifax by "Blenheim".

Whilst being used as a depot ship, future Rear-Admiral and VC winner Eric Gascoigne Robinson served aboard her.

References

*Colledge
* Roger Chesneau and Eugene M. Kolesnik, ed., "Conway's All The Worlds Fighting Ships, 1860-1905", (Conway Maritime Press, London, 1979), ISBN 0-85177-133-5