hms defence class armoured cruiser built royal_navy decade 20th century armoured cruiser built royal_navy stationed mediterranean world war began participated pursuit german battlecruiser light cruiser ship transferred grand_fleet january remained rest career defence sunk largest naval battle war escorting main body grand_fleet ship fired german battlecruiser dreadnoughts attempted engage disabled german light cruiser struck german ships detonated rear magazine fire explosion spread ship secondary magazines exploded turn survivors description defence displaced long tons built long tons deep load ship overall length feet beam feet inches mean draught feet powered pair cylinder triple expansion steam engines driving shaft developed total indicated horsepower gave maximum speed knots mph engines powered yarrow water tube boilers ship carried maximum long tons coal additional long tons fuel oil sprayed coal increase burn rate capacity steam nautical miles speed knots mph defence designed carry officers men ship main armament consisted inch guns twin gun turrets fore aft secondary armament inch guns mounted amidships single turrets anti torpedo boat defence provided sixteen pounder inch cwt guns defence mounted submerged inch torpedo tubes mounted stern waterline belt consisted inches krupp cemented armour roughly fore aft inch gun turrets reduced steps inches ends ship gun turrets barbettes protected armour thickness lower deck inches armour conning tower inches thick construction career defence ordered naval construction programme class armoured cruisers laid february wales christened april commissioned february cost ship briefly assigned 5th cruiser squadron home_fleet transferred 2nd home_fleet reorganised march months later defence reassigned 1st cruiser squadron escorted ocean liner ship served royal yacht newly crowned king george trip india attend ship returned plymouth early defence transferred remained december ordered rejoin 1st cruiser squadron mediterranean flagship start world war involved pursuit german warships rear admiral decided engage powerful guns heavier armour faster speed blockaded german ships inside dardanelles ship ordered september hunt admiral order cancelled september clear german squadron defence returned dardanelles admiralty ordered ship october join rear admiral squadron searching german ships defence reached november received word admiral squadron destroyed days previously battle ship battlecruisers hms hms invincible later month transferred long range radio equipment invincible sailing south_africa escort troop convoy great_britain defence departed table bay cape_town december rejoined 1st cruiser squadron grand_fleet flagship arrival defence received pounder inch cwt anti aircraft gun pounder gun pounder gun mounted aft superstructure pounder quarterdeck extreme rear flagship rear admiral sir leading squadron formed starboard flank cruiser screen ahead main body grand_fleet defence right centre line defence hms warrior leading ships squadron spotted opened fire shells fell short ships turned port pursuit cutting battlecruiser forced turn away avoid collision shortly spotted disabled german light cruiser sms closed engage ships reached range yards spotted turn german battlecruiser sms battleships yards away fire german ships heavy defence hit german ships caused aft inch magazine explode resulting fire spread ammunition passages adjacent inch magazines detonated turn ship exploded loss men board men killed defence today time believed defence reduced fragments explosion wreck discovered survey north_sea english channel coordinates team led nautical archaeologist found largely intact despite violence sinking defence jutland declared protected place remains act discourage damage resting place approximately men
HMS Defence (1907)