HMS Iron Duke (1870)

The first HMS "Iron Duke" was an iron Audacious-class central battery ironclad.

She was originally to have been called HMS "Duke" but she was nicknamed "Iron Duke" during construction as she was armoured unlike many other vessels under construction. The phrase was already in circulation as it was a nickname given to Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington. The name was adopted when she was launched at Pembroke shipyard.

She became the flagship of the China Station on 31 August 1871, one of the first large ships to use the Suez canal to reach there. In an age of inefficient engines, her full sailing rig made her particularly suitable for operations in the Pacific Ocean. She returned to the UK in 1875 and joined the First Reserve Squadron.

On 1 September 1875 during the squadron's summer cruise she was en route with several other ships between Kingstown (now Dún Laoghaire) and Queenstown (now Cobh). She accidentally rammed her sister ship, another member of the squadron, HMS "Vanguard" off Kish Bank, Dublin Bay in thick fog. Although "Iron Duke" sustained minor damage, a large hole was torn in "Vanguard". "Vanguard"'s engine room was flooded which prevented her from using her pumps and she sunk in a little over an hour. All the crew were rescued.

Following the loss, "Iron Duke" replaced "Vanguard" as guard ship at Kingstown, a role in which she remained until July 1877.

She then returned to the China station again as flagship, returning in January 1883. After refitting, on 16 April 1885 she became a member of Admiral Hornby's Particular Service Squadron until August, when she joined the Channel Squadron.

She entered the reserve in May 1890 and was finally paid off on 2 May 1893. She was converted to a coal hulk in 1900 before eventually being sold for £15,000 as scrap on 15 May 1906.

References

* 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