Boadicea-class cruiser

Boadicea at anchor
Class overview
Operators Royal Navy
Preceded bySentinel class
Succeeded byBlonde class
Built1907–1910
In commission1909–1926
Completed2
Scrapped2
General characteristics (as built)
TypeScout cruiser
Displacement3,350 long tons (3,400 t) (normal)
Length405 ft (123.4 m) (o/a)
Beam41 ft 6 in (12.6 m)
Draught14 ft (4.3 m)
Installed power
Propulsion
Speed25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph)
Range4,260 nautical miles (7,890 km; 4,900 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph)
Complement317
Armament
Armour

The Boadicea-class cruiser was a pair of scout cruisers built for the Royal Navy in the first decade of the 20th century. They were the first class of this type to be fitted with steam turbine machinery. Upon completion in 1909–10, the sister ships served as flotilla leaders for destroyer flotillas of the First Fleet until 1913 when they were assigned to battleship squadrons. When the First World War began in August 1914, they remained with their squadrons as the First Fleet was incorporated into the Grand Fleet, although they changed squadrons over the course of the war. Both ships were present during the Battle of Jutland in mid-1916, but neither fired a shot. They were converted into minelayers the following year and both ships laid minefields in early 1918 in addition to other missions. The sisters were reduced to reserve in 1919 and sold for scrap in 1921 and 1926.