Operational history HMS Majestic (1895)

1 operational history

1.1 world war i

1.1.1 dardanelles campaign


1.2 loss

operational history

majestic being coaled circa 1904

hms majestic commissioned channel squadron on 12 december 1895, , served @ portsmouth division. present @ fleet review @ spithead diamond jubilee of queen victoria on 26 june 1897, , later flagship vice-admiral sir harry rawson, commander-in-chief of channel fleet. captain george egerton appointed in command on 28 june 1899, , paid off in april 1901, when captain edward eden bradford appointed in command became flagship of rear-admiral arthur wilson, had been appointed commander-in-chief of channel squadron. took part in coronation review held @ spithead king edward vii on 16 august 1902. underwent refit @ portsmouth february july 1904, , became unit of atlantic fleet when reorganisation resulted in channel fleet becoming atlantic fleet in january 1905. on 1 october 1906, paid off reserve @ portsmouth.

majestic recommissioned @ portsmouth on 26 february 1907 become flagship of nore division in new home fleet, stationed @ nore. began refit later year in received radio , new fire control systems. when flag transferred ship in january 1908, became private ship in nore division. in june 1908, majestic transferred devonport division of home fleet, stationed @ devonport. refit completed in 1909, , in march 1909 transferred 3rd division @ devonport, in august 1910 4th division @ devonport, underwent refit in 1911. in may 1912, majestic became part of 7th battle squadron in 3rd fleet @ devonport. on 14 july 1912 collided sister ship victorious during manoeuvres, suffering no serious damage.

world war i

upon outbreak of world war in august 1914, majestic , rest of 7th battle squadron assigned channel fleet. majestic underwent refit in august , september 1914, covered passage of british expeditionary force france in september 1914. detached 7th battle squadron 3 october 1914 14 october 1914 escort first canadian troop convoy. @ end of october 1914, majestic transferred nore serve guard ship there. on 3 november 1914, transferred humber serve guard ship there. in december 1914 became unit of dover patrol, , combined battleship revenge bombard german coastal artillery off of nieuwpoort, belgium, on 15 december 1914. in january 1915, based @ portland.

dardanelles campaign

majestic steaming out of mudros harbour several destroyers

in february 1915, majestic assigned participate in upcoming dardanelles campaign open turkish straits, , departed month under command of captain h. f. g. talbot join mediterranean fleet. upon arriving @ malta, fitted termed mine-catching gear serve mine-bumper . joined dardanelles force on 24 february 1915, , on 26 february 1915 departed tenedos bombard ottoman turkish inner forts @ dardanelles morning. on 26 february 1915, majestic , battleships albion , triumph became first allied heavy ships enter turkish straits during campaign, firing on inner forts 0914 until 1740 hours. majestic took hit below waterline, able continue operations , patrolled area again on 27 february 1915. supported landings, shelling forts 1125 until 1645 hours on 1 march 1915 , again while patrolling on 3 march 1915. arrived @ mudros on 8 march 1915.

on 9 march 1915, majestic circumnavigated entrance dardanelles , bombarded ottoman turkish positions 1007 until 1215 hours. returned tenedos on 10 march 1915, patrolled off dardanelles again on 15 march 1915, , again returned tenedos on 16 march 1915. majestic participated in final attempt force straits naval power alone on 18 march 1915. opened fire on fort 9 @ 1420 hours , engaged turkish field guns hidden in woods. shelled fort 9 until ceased fire @ 18:35; fort meanwhile fired on mortally damaged battleship ocean. majestic hit 4 times, twice in lower tops , twice on forecastle, , returned tenedos @ 2200 hours 1 dead , wounded crew members. majestic returned patrol duties on 22 march 1915. shelled turkish positions on 28 march 1915 0950 1015 , 1250 1340 hours , again opened fire on 14 april @ 1458 hours. on 18 april, fired on abandoned british submarine e15 aground near fort dardanos , in danger of being captured; 2 picket boats, 1 majestic , 1 triumph, destroyed e15 torpedoes, although boat majestic sunk turkish shore batteries while retiring. majestic returned tenedos on 21 april 1915.

majestic sinking @ dardanelles, 27 may 1915

on 25 april 1915, majestic in action, signalling london allied landings had begun @ gallipoli , supporting them coastal bombardments until 1915 hours. brought 99 wounded troops aboard @ 2110 hours , recovered boats before anchoring off gallipoli night. on 26 april 1915, in action early, opening fire @ 0617 hours. on 27 april 1915 exchanged fire turkish guns, several turkish shells achieving near misses before both sides ceased firing @ 1130 hours. on 29 april 1915 again anchored off gallipoli. majestic relieved triumph flagship of admiral nicholson, commanding squadrons supporting troops ashore off cape helles, on 25 may 1915.

loss

on 27 may 1915, while stationed off w beach @ cape helles, majestic became third battleship torpedoed off gallipoli peninsula in 2 weeks. around 0645 hours, commander otto hersing of german submarine u-21 fired single torpedo through defensive screen of destroyers , anti-torpedo nets, striking majestic , causing huge explosion. ship began list port , in 9 minutes had capsized in 54 feet (16 m) of water, killing 49 men. masts hit mud of sea bottom, , upturned hull remained visible many months until submerged when foremast collapsed during storm.

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