hms good hope hms good hope drake class armoured cruisers built royal_navy originally named africa renamed launched flagship 1st cruiser squadron flagship 2nd reduced reserve recommissioned war declared august good hope ordered reinforce 4th flagship rear admiral moved available ships squadron later month coast south_america search german commerce raiders ordered south block attempt penetrate found german squadron november coast chile german squadron outnumbered force individually powerful sank armoured cruisers good hope lost hands design description good hope designed displace long tons ship overall length feet inches beam feet inches deep draught feet inches powered cylinder triple expansion steam engines driving shaft produced total indicated horsepower gave maximum speed knots mph engines powered belleville boilers carried maximum long tons coal complement consisted officers enlisted men main armament consisted breech loading inch guns single gun turrets fore aft superstructure fired pound shells range yards secondary armament sixteen inch vii guns arranged casemates amidships mounted main deck usable calm weather maximum range approximately yards pound shells dozen quick firing pounder cwt guns fitted defence torpedo boats additional pounder cwt guns service ashore good hope carried pounder hotchkiss guns submerged inch torpedo tubes ship waterline armour belt maximum thickness inches closed inch transverse bulkheads armour gun turrets barbettes inches thick armour inches thick protective deck armour ranged thickness inches conning tower protected inches armour service good hope named british colony cape good hope laid september africa shipyard renamed good hope october launched february arrived portsmouth completed armed late december flagship 1st flagship 2nd visited south_africa years later good hope placed reserve briefly assigned 6th august assigned 4th cruiser squadron reinforce forces transferred flag faster previous flagship command transferred coast south_america later month suggestion better hunt german ships british merchant ships ships generally unsuccessful moved squadron south late september search command vice admiral vicinity accordance orders admiralty end september fruitless search del area later detached ships search chilean coast reaching october good hope returned communications admiralty received word october ships definitely bound region waited elderly battleship reinforce squadron poor mechanical condition arrived port stanley required time repairs good hope sailed october going departed following day taking shorter route good hope rest squadron remote archipelago chile october departed days later arrived ordering battleship follow soon possible sent light cruiser glasgow scout ahead enter chile pick messages admiralty acquire intelligence german activities cruiser began pick german radio signals light cruiser afternoon october delayed entering days permission avoid trapped fast german ships german supply ship glasgow entered harbour twilight cruiser departed morning november plans catch informed presence previous evening glasgow departed having picked squadron mail rest squadron hours later ordered ships form line abreast interval nautical miles ships visibility steered north speed knots mph leipzig spotted glasgow easternmost british ship west spotted leipzig funnel smoke minutes later ordered ships head glasgow closest ship germans gathered formed line astern good hope lead steering southeasterly knots mph sixteen guns aboard armoured cruisers matched inch guns flagship needed close range bring numerous inch guns bear force winds high seas prevented use half guns close water wanted use setting sun advantage light blind german gunners aware british advantages refused allow close range ships faster british slowed knot maximum speed armed merchant cruiser opened range yards conditions changed suit sun set british ships light sky german ships indistinguishable shoreline immediately turned close signalled ships open fire range closed yards flagship engaged good hope fired flagship hit shells knocked forward inch turret set forecastle fire knowing chance close range continued despite ships inflicted range half battle began british ships bore onwards tried open range fearing torpedo attack british yards away seven minutes later good hope charged directly german ships way ordered armoured cruisers concentrate fire british flagship soon drifted halt forward magazine exploded bow rest ship later sank darkness estimated flagship hits good hope suffering hits return significant damage failed wound good hope sunk hands total officers enlisted men aboard ship casualties newly formed
HMS Good Hope (1901)