HMS Queen (1902)

HMS Queen, c. 1909
History
United Kingdom
Name	HMS Queen
Builder	Devonport Dockyard
Laid down	12 March 1901
Launched	8 March 1902
Completed	March 1904
Commissioned	7 April 1904
Decommissioned	November 1919
Fate	Broken up, 1921
General characteristics
Class and type	London-class battleship
Displacement	Normal: 14,140 long tons (14,370 t) Full load: 15,400 long tons (15,600 t)
Length	431 ft 9 in (131.6 m) o/a
Beam	75 ft (22.9 m)
Draught	26 ft (7.9 m)
Installed power	20 × water-tube boilers 15,000 ihp (11,000 kW)
Propulsion	2 × triple-expansion steam engines 2 × screw propellers
Speed	18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph)
Complement	714
Armament	4 × BL 12-inch (305-mm) Mk IX guns 12 × BL 6 in (152 mm) Mk VII guns 14 × QF 12-pounder guns 6 × QF 3-pounder guns 4 × 18-inch (457-mm) submerged torpedo tubes
Armour	Belt: 9 in (229 mm) Bulkhead: 9–12 in (229–305 mm) Barbettes: 12 in (305 mm) Turrets: 10 in (254 mm) Casemates: 6 in (152 mm) Conning tower: 14 in (356 mm) Deck: 1–2.5 in (25–64 mm)

HMS Queen was a member of the London class of pre-dreadnought battleships built for the British Royal Navy. The Londons were near repeats of the preceding Formidable-class battleships, but with modified armour protection. Due to slight differences between Queen and HMS Prince of Wales and the other Londons, they are sometimes referred to as the Queen class. The ship's main battery consisted of four 12-inch (305-mm) guns, and she had top speed of 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph). The ship was laid down in March 1901, was launched in March 1902, and was completed in March 1904. After commissioning in April 1904, she served with the Mediterranean Fleet until 1906, when she returned to Britain before embarking on another stint with the Mediterranean Fleet later that year. Queen was transferred back to the United Kingdom in 1908 and thereafter served in the Atlantic Fleet, the Home Fleet, and finally the 5th Battle Squadron of the Second Fleet in 1914.

After the outbreak of the First World War in August 1914, Queen, still part of the 5th Battle Squadron, initially served in the English Channel. After operations with the Dover Patrol, she served in the Dardanelles Campaign in support of the Allied landings at Gallipoli. She participated in the Landing at Cape Helles on 25–26 April and supported ANZAC forces ashore over the course of the following month. In late May 1915, Queen was withdrawn to reinforce the Italian fleet at the southern end of the Adriatic Sea after Italy joined the war on the side of the Allies. In early 1917, she was converted into a depot ship to support the Otranto Barrage and was disarmed over the course of the year. The ship returned to Britain after the war in early 1919, where she was briefly used as a barracks ship. Queen was sold for scrap in 1920 and was broken up the following year.