HMS Iron Duke

HMS Iron Duke.

HMS Iron Duke.
Battleship ordered under the 1911 Programme and built by HM Dockyard, Portsmouth. The ship was laid down on 15th January 1912 and launched by the wife of the 4th Duke of  Wellington on 12th October 1912 as the 2nd RN ship to carry the name, previously used for an ironclad in 1870. The build was completed on 9th March 1914. She was deployed in the Grand Fleet during WWI and was Flagship of Admiral Sir John Jellicoe. After the armistice, she took part in Black Sea operations to support the White Russians. She remained on the Active List until 10th December 1931 when Paid-of and de-militarised. B and Y turrets, the torpedo tubes and some of the armour plating were removed. The ship was then deployed at Portsmouth as Gunnery Firing Ship and after 1936 used as Boys Training ship. In August 1939 she attended the Review of the Reserve Fleet and took up her war station on 26th August for use as a Depot  Ship at  Scapa Flow.
(pic, Scapa Flow 1939)