class armoured cruisers built royal_navy decade 20th century assigned 1st cruiser squadron channel_fleet completion refit assigned reserve fleet going mediterranean_fleet transferred remained start world war august ship hunted german commerce raiders transferred grand_fleet end assigned 7th return home transferred 2nd present battle jutland days later sailing russia carrying secretary state war field marshal lord believed struck laid german submarine sank heavy loss life including staff rumours later circulated german spies sabotage involved sinking wreck listed remains act later illegally salvaged films exploring circumstances loss design description hampshire designed displace long tons ship overall length feet inches beam feet inches deep draught feet powered cylinder triple expansion steam engines driving shaft produced total indicated horsepower gave maximum speed knots mph engines powered seventeen yarrow cylindrical boilers carried maximum long tons coal complement consisted officers enlisted men main armament consisted breech loading inch guns mounted single gun turrets fore aft superstructure guns fired pound shells range yards secondary armament inch vii guns arranged casemates amidships mounted main deck usable calm weather maximum range approximately yards pound shells hampshire carried quick firing pounder hotchkiss guns submerged inch torpedo tubes pounder cwt guns service ashore point war main deck inch guns class ships moved upper deck given gun shields casemates improve pounder guns displaced transfer landed ship waterline armour belt maximum thickness inches closed inch transverse bulkheads armour gun turrets inches thick whilst barbettes inches thick protective deck armour ranged thickness inches conning tower protected inches armour construction service hampshire named commemorate english county laid shipyard september launched september completed july initially assigned 1st cruiser squadron channel_fleet sister ships began refit december assigned reserve fleet august recommissioned december assignment 6th cruiser squadron mediterranean_fleet transferred war began assigned small squadron led vice admiral commander chief ordered destroy german radio station armoured cruiser light cruiser newcastle route ships captured august sank hampshire short coal island ordered hong_kong crew end month ordered dutch_east_indies search german ships sea narrowly missing german light cruiser german ship reported war began sailed began british shipping beginning september hampshire ordered search remained october november armed merchant cruiser looking destroyed november hampshire escorted troop convoy indian_ocean red_sea egypt hampshire refitted gibraltar december returning home serve grand_fleet assigned 7th january detached november escort shipping returned home time participate 2nd battle actually engaged fired fell short targets addition shooting submarine day voyage sinking immediately battle ordered carry lord scapa_flow diplomatic mission russia port gale force conditions decided hampshire sail turn north western coast course provide lee strong winds allowing escorting destroyers pace departed scapa_flow hour later escorts class destroyers unity victor ships turned northwest gale increased shifted direction ships facing head caused destroyers fall hampshire considered unlikely enemy submarines active conditions captain hampshire ordered unity victor return scapa_flow sailing heavy seas hampshire approximately mainland explosion occurred starboard struck mines laid german submarine battle jutland cruiser bows bridge smashed ship heavy seas lowered minutes explosion hampshire sank bow crewmen passengers aboard crewmen managed reach shore alive staff lost boer german spy claimed assumed identity russian count joined scotland supposedly signalled german boat shortly departing scapa_flow alert ship approaching rescued submarine hampshire sank 1930s ran captured fbi nazi agents largest espionage conviction history wreck wreck designated controlled site remains act coordinates diving forbidden licence ship upside depth metres water propeller drive shaft illegally salvaged view media sinking ship events surrounding death portrayed film female spy film betrayed
HMS Hampshire (1903)