HMS Royal Oak

1914 R OYAL OAK A battleship of what was officially known as the Revenge Class, five of which entered service with the Royal Navy during the First World War.

THE REVENGE/ROYAL SOVEREIGN CLASS

Essentially, these were a bargain-basement version of the Queen Elizabeths, of the previous year, with their power cut by almost a third. It had been the original intention to cut it by almost fifty percent, for a top speed of 21 .5 knots (39km/h), but wiser counsel prevailed. They were somewhat smaller than the Queen Elizabeths, but their armour was better arranged, as was their secondary battery; however, they were accused of having too little freeboard aft. HMS Royal Oak, built at Devonport Dockyard, was the last (along with Royal Sovereign; they were begun on the same day) to be laid down, on 15 January 1914, but the first to be launched, on 17 November, the same year. She entered service in May 1916, and within a month was in action, at Jutland. She was torpedoed by U 47 in the sanctuary of Scapa Flow in the very early hours of 14 October 1939, with the loss of most of her crew.

MACHINERY AND EQUIPMENT

Like all British battleships built since HMS Dreadnought had validated the concept, the Royal Oak was powered by turbine machinery. It had been intended to give her mixed coal and oil fuel, but that decision was changed to oil only in January 1915. Originally, eight ships were planned, but on 26 August 1 914 work was stopped on the three ships not laid down. First Sea Lord Fisher managed to have two of the contracts suspended, and later had the ships in question Renown and Repulse completed as battlecruisers.

TECHNICAL DATA

Type: Battleship
Machinery: 4-shaft geared turbines producing 40,000shp
Dimensions (overall): Length, 1 90.3m (624.25(t); beam, 27m (88.5(t)
Displacement: 28,000t standard; 31,000t full load
Draught: 8.7m (28.5(t) normal
Complement: 908-997
Speed: 23 knots (42.5km/h)

The Royal Oak had the following:

Twin 15in (381mm) guns in turret aft
Twelve 6in (152mm) guns in sponsons amidships
Twin l5in (381mm) guns in turret forward