Ship Identity

[Horace Bachelor]

Well done Roop, that's much clearer.

If, as Bob says, the Queens had stockless anchors, that would narrow it down to a Formidable or London. As I said, I don't possess any decent photos of either class.

Perhaps Chris can help with a front 3/4 view of them. By the way Chris, lovely pics.

Bob.

Thanks for the info re Pre-Dreadnought books. That British Battleships 1889-1904 must be out of print. I can't find a copy. Next time I'm in Ottakers I'll see if they can get me one.

I already possess British Battleships of World War I and British Battleships 1919-39, both by R A Burt and excellent works.

Cheers

Rich.

[chrisharley9]

Perhaps Chris can help with a front 3/4 view of them. By the way Chris, lovely pics.

Rich

sorry, but have exhausted the photos for these classes

All The Best

Chris

[chrisharley9]

Give this site a try

http://www.battleships-cruisers.co.uk/battleships.htm

All The Best

Chris

[Malcolm]

Just for research purposes.

Aye

Malcolm

[Horace Bachelor]

Malcolm

So the Queens, Formidables and Londons were in effect all the same class with just detailed differences in individual ships, which happens with any class.

No wonder they were all so similar in appearance.

Thanks for that.

Regards

Rich.

[Bob H]

Roop

OK I think I’ve sussed it.

She's definitely one of the three Formidable class. I don’t think it is Irresistible, but the differences between Formidable and Implacable are too small to be seen in this photo

The other scan you posted Wednesday at 20:01 is a Majestic class but there is not enough detail to go further.

[KONDOA]

Thanks Adrian, Bob, Rich , Chris and Malcolm this thread has been very enlightening and I am much wiser regarding the ship originally posted and the med Fleet too.

Just to show these ships had a life here are the crew visiting the sights :-

[Michael Lowrey]

So the Queens, Formidables and Londons were in effect all the same class with just detailed differences in individual ships, which happens with any class.

No wonder they were all so similar in appearance.

Thanks for that.

Rich,

It would be more accurate to say that you had eight ships of three different batches with only minor differences between the batches ("classes") plus some other minor differences between ship within the same batch. The Londons and Queens had a different armor arrangement forward (the forward armored bulkhead was omitted, but the belt and deck armor were thicker forward to compensate) than in the Formidables. Aside from the anchors, the Queens had open 12-pdr gun batteries amidship on the upper deck; in the Formidables and Londons the 12-pdr batteries were enclosed.

Best wishes,

Michael

[KONDOA]

Hi Michael,

Thanks for that further information, it was not immediately apparent where the differences lay. Forgive my ommission of yourself in the "credits" posted above, most remiss of me.

I have yet to accurately date this photo collection as the fleet carried out several training excercises in Greek waters in the early part of the century. The photos refer quite clearly to some form of official visit which presumably was to ward off Turkish ambitions.

Roop

[Bob H]

As a possible date for your photos, here is a quote from BRITISH BATTLESHIPS 1889-1904:

HMS Hood:

29 Sept – 6 Oct 1902 Combined exercises of Mediterranean and Channel Fleets and Cruiser Squadron off coasts of Cephalonia and Morea.

4 Oct 1902 while on manoeuvres, fractured rudder on seabed while leaving Angostili Harbour. To Malta for repairs, then to England using her twin screws all the way.

Morea is now known as the Peloponnesian peninsular and I believe Angostili is a misspelling of Argostoli. This would place these fleets off Greece around the time the colour scheme was changed. This is a couple of months earlier than some sources suggest, but the only dated photos I have seen show black & white in September and grey in December.

The next time I’m at Kew I’ll have to see if in these ships log books it mentions when they were repainted

Regards

Bob

[KONDOA]

Bob,

That is great information. I have tried unsuccessfully myself to find a reference.

My great grandfather acquired these photographs although he was not on this expedition. He at this time was in the RFR but later rejoined the RN 1906 and served in WW1 aged 54 at the outbreak. He was demobbed due to age and returned to his former position as messenger to the Chaplain of the Fleet at Greenwich . It is possible that this was the origin of the photo collection.

Many thanks for all the information and effort you have supplied to this post.

I attach a rather poor picture of GGf taken at around the time the fleet went to Greece.

Roop