HMS Formidable (1898)

Painting of HMS Formidable, Sept. 1898
History
United Kingdom
Name	HMS Formidable
Ordered	1897 Programme
Builder	Portsmouth Dockyard
Laid down	21 March 1898
Launched	17 November 1898
Completed	September 1901
Commissioned	10 October 1901
Fate	Sunk, 1 January 1915
General characteristics
Class and type	Formidable-class battleship
Displacement	Normal: 14,500 long tons (14,700 t) Full load: 15,800 long tons (16,100 t)
Length	431 ft 9 in (131.6 m) o/a
Beam	75 ft (22.9 m)
Draught	25 ft 11 in (7.90 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)
Range	5,500 nmi (10,190 km; 6,330 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph)
Complement	780
Armament	4 × BL 12-inch (305-mm) Mk IX guns 12 × BL 6 in (152 mm) Mk VII guns 10 × QF 12-pounder guns 6 × QF 3-pounder guns 4 × 18 in (457 mm) torpedo tubes
Armour	Belt: 9 in (229 mm) Bulkheads: 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: 1–3 in (25–76 mm)

HMS Formidable, the third of four ships of that name to serve in the Royal Navy, was the lead ship of her class of pre-dreadnought battleships. The ship was laid down in March 1898, was launched in November that year, and was completed in September 1901. Formidable served initially with the Mediterranean Fleet, transferring to the Channel Fleet in 1908. In 1912, she was assigned to the 5th Battle Squadron, which was stationed at Nore.

Following the outbreak of the First World War in August 1914, the squadron conducted operations in the English Channel, and was based at Sheerness to guard against a possible German invasion. In the first days of the war, the 5th Battle Squadron covered the crossing of the British Expeditionary Force to France. On 31 December, the squadron was conducting training exercises in the English Channel, and despite the risk of German submarines, was without anti-submarine protection; the German U-24 stalked the ships during the day and in the early hours of 1 January 1915, torpedoed Formidable twice, sinking her with heavy loss of life.