hms drake lead ship class armoured cruisers built royal_navy assigned different cruiser squadrons home waters completion flagship flagship return home assigned 6th cruiser squadron squadron flagship fleet incorporated grand fleet outbreak world war remained grand_fleet refitted late transferred north_america west indies station convoy escort duties participated unsuccessful search german commerce sms late drake torpedoed german submarine northern_ireland sank shallow water loss eighteen lives wreck partly salvaged beginning fishing collided remainder wreck sank day ships demolished 1970s remnants remain popular dive site design description drake class ships designed faster larger versions preceding class slightly powerful armament displaced long tons long tons earlier ships 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 steam provided belleville boilers sea trials drake reached speed knots mph carried maximum long tons coal complement consisted officers ratings main armament drake class consisted breech loading inch guns single turrets fore aft superstructure secondary armament sixteen inch vii guns arranged casemates amidships mounted lower deck usable calm weather dozen quick firing pounder cwt guns fitted defence torpedo boats additional pounder cwt guns service ashore ships carried pounder hotchkiss guns submerged inch torpedo tubes february lower casemates inch guns upper deck heavy weather pounders removed room inch guns ship waterline armour belt maximum thickness inches closed inch transverse bulkheads armour gun turrets barbettes inches thick casemates inches thick protective deck armour ranged thickness inches conning tower protected inches armour construction service hms drake named sir laid dock april launched march christened wife local landowner completed january assigned channel_fleet command future captain future sea lord commander grand_fleet captain ship commanded captain serving flagship 2nd command rear admiral following year drake flagship channel_fleet attending hudson celebration time assigned 5th cruiser squadron channel_fleet served flagship returning home joined 6th cruiser squadron 2nd fleet reserve fleet merged grand fleet drake flagship rear admiral commander squadron squadron briefly deployed beginning war blockade northern exit north_sea october command ship carry russian worth million pounds britain arrival drake lay thirty miles gold brought night ship refitted october transferred north_america west indies station convoy escort duties participated unsuccessful search west_indies german commerce sms december drake torpedoed german submarine commanded october convoy dispersed destinations ship miles tip northern_ireland hit torpedo struck boiler room caused engine rooms boiler room flood killing crewmen gave list knocked steam powered steering captain decided steam accidentally collided merchant ship dropped anchor collision damage drake forced beach sink drake crew taken capsized later afternoon wreck church bay favourite site divers wreck depth metres generally good visibility salvage wreck began continued years night november steam struck wreck subsequently sank atop drake ammunition ordnance salvaged 1970s demolished depth charges reduce chance ships coming grief remaining fuel oil salvaged reduce pollution leaking oil
HMS Drake (1901)