.gif)
HMS Black Prince (1904)
Encyclopedia
HMS Black Prince was a armoured cruiser built for the Royal Navy
in the mid-1900s. During the First World War
she served in the Mediterranean
before joining the Grand Fleet. She was sunk at the Battle of Jutland
in 1916, with all hands being killed.
, were ordered for the Royal Navy
as part of the 1902–03 Naval Estimates, the first ships to be designed for the Royal Navy under the supervision of the new Director of Naval Construction
, Sir Philip Watts
. The new design was significantly larger than the previous Monmouth
and Devonshire
class cruisers, mounting a heavier main armament of six 9.2 in (233.7 mm) guns in single turrets.
Duke of Edinburgh displaced 12590 long tons (12,792.1 t) as built and 13965 long tons (14,189.1 t) fully loaded. The ship had an overall length of 505 in 6 in (154.08 m), a beam
of 73 in 6 in (22.4 m) and a draught of 27 feet (8.2 m). She was powered by four-cylinder triple-expansion steam engines, driving two shafts, which produced a total of 23000 ihp and gave a maximum speed of 23 knots (12.5 m/s). The engines were powered by 20 Babcock & Wilcox
water-tube boiler
s and six cylindrical boilers. The ship carried a maximum of 2150 long tons (2,184.5 t) of coal and an additional 600 long tons (609.6 t) of fuel oil
that was sprayed on the coal to increase its burn rate. At full capacity, she could steam for 8130 nautical miles (15,056.8 km) at a speed of 10 knots (5.4 m/s). The ship's complement was 789 officers and men.
Her main armament consisted of six BL 9.2-inch Mk X guns
in single turret
s, two on the centreline and two on each beam, giving a broadside of four 9.2 in guns. Her secondary armament of four BL 6-inch Mark XI guns
was arranged in single casemates. They were mounted amidships on the main deck and were only usable in calm weather. Twenty Vickers QF 3-pounders
were fitted, six on turret roofs and fourteen in the superstructure. The ship also mounted three submerged 17.72 inches (450.1 mm)
torpedo tube
s.
's shipyard at Blackwall, London
. She was launched on 8 November 1904 and completed on 17 March 1906. When completed, Black Prince served with the 2nd Squadron until 1907, the 1st Cruiser Squadron from 1907–1908, the 5th Cruiser Squadron (as part of the Atlantic Fleet) from 1908–1912 and the Third from 1912–1913.
At the beginning of the First World War
, the Black Prince was one of the four armoured cruisers serving in the 1st Cruiser Squadron
of the Mediterranean Fleet, commanded by Rear-Admiral Ernest Charles Thomas Troubridge
. She participated in the Pursuit of Goeben and Breslau
. Following the escape of the two German ships to neutral Turkey
, Black Prince and Duke of Edinburgh were sent into the Red Sea
to capture German Merchant ships, with Black Prince capturing the German liners Südmark and Istria. She was based at Gibraltar
in November 1914, before becoming part of the First Cruiser Squadron of the Grand Fleet in December, being re-united with Duke of Edinburgh.
Captain Frederick Dundas Gilpin-Brown was her captain when war broke out. He was succeeded by Captain James Douglas Dick in January 1915, who was in turn succeeded by Captain Thomas Parry Bonham, RN. Black Prince was modified in March 1916 as a result of lessons learned at the Battle of Coronel
, with the 6 inch guns removed from their casements and replaced by six 6 in guns mounted individually behind shields between the beam 9.2 inch turrets.
As a member of Rear-Admiral Sir Robert Keith Arbuthnot's First Cruiser Squadron, the Black Prince participated in the Battle of Jutland
, where she was sunk with heavy loss of life. The circumstances under which she sank were mysterious for some years after. As the British had lost contact and did not see the ship destroyed, they were unsure as to whether a submarine or surface ship was responsible for sinking the Black Prince.
During the battle, the First Cruiser Squadron was deployed as part of a screening force several miles ahead of the main force of the Grand Fleet, but Black Prince lost contact with the rest of the Squadron as it came into contact with German forces, at about 17:42. Soon after, two other members of the First Cruiser Squadron, HMS Defence
and HMS Warrior
were heavily engaged by German battleships and battlecruisers, Defence blowing up and Warrior receiving heavy damage, which later caused her to sink.
There were no positive sightings of Black Prince by the British fleet after that, although a wireless signal from her was received at 20:45, reporting a submarine sighting.
During the night of 31 May–1 June, the British destroyer
HMS Spitfire
, badly damaged after colliding with the German battleship Nassau
, sighted what appeared to be a German battlecruiser, with two widely-spaced funnels, described as being "...a mass of fire from foremast to mainmast, on deck and between decks. Flames were issuing out of her from every corner." The mystery ship exploded at about midnight. It was later thought that the burning ship may have been Black Prince, with the two midships funnels having collapsed or been shot away.
Recent historians, however, hold to the German account of the ship's sinking. Black Prince briefly engaged the German battleship Rheinland
at about 23:35 GMT, scoring two hits with 6-inch shells. Separated from the rest of the British fleet, the Black Prince approached the German lines at approximately midnight. She turned away from the German battleships, but it was too late. The German battleship fixed the Black Prince in her searchlights and opened fire. Up to five other German ships, including battleships , , and , joined in the bombardment, with return fire from Black Prince being ineffective. Most of the German ships were between 750 and 1500 yards of the Black Prince - effectively point blank range for contemporary naval gunnery. Black Prince was hit by at least twelve heavy shells and several smaller ones, sinking within 15 minutes. There were no survivors from Black Princes crew, all 857 being killed.
The wreck was briefly surveyed by nautical archaeologist Innes McCartney in 2000 and 2001. It was discovered that the stern of the wreck is upsidedown and bow section lies on its starboard side. The wrecksite is designated as a protected place under the Protection of Military Remains Act 1986
.
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
in the mid-1900s. During the First World War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
she served in the Mediterranean
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
before joining the Grand Fleet. She was sunk at the Battle of Jutland
Battle of Jutland
The Battle of Jutland was a naval battle between the British Royal Navy's Grand Fleet and the Imperial German Navy's High Seas Fleet during the First World War. The battle was fought on 31 May and 1 June 1916 in the North Sea near Jutland, Denmark. It was the largest naval battle and the only...
in 1916, with all hands being killed.
Design and description
Two armoured cruisers of a new design, HMS Duke of Edinburgh and Black Prince, the latter named for Edward, the Black PrinceEdward, the Black Prince
Edward of Woodstock, Prince of Wales, Duke of Cornwall, Prince of Aquitaine, KG was the eldest son of King Edward III of England and his wife Philippa of Hainault as well as father to King Richard II of England....
, were ordered for the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
as part of the 1902–03 Naval Estimates, the first ships to be designed for the Royal Navy under the supervision of the new Director of Naval Construction
Director of Naval Construction
The Director of Naval Construction was a senior British civil servant post in the Admiralty, that part of the British Civil Service that oversaw the Royal Navy. The post existed from 1860 to 1966....
, Sir Philip Watts
Philip Watts (naval architect)
Sir Philip Watts, KCB FRS was a British naval architect, famous for his design of the revolutionary Elswick cruiser and the HMS Dreadnought.-Early life:...
. The new design was significantly larger than the previous Monmouth
Monmouth class cruiser
The Monmouth-class was a ten-ship class of 10,000 ton armoured cruisers built around 1901 to 1903 for the Royal Navy and designed specifically for commerce protection...
and Devonshire
Devonshire class cruiser (1903)
The Devonshire class was a class of six armoured cruisers of the British Royal Navy, launched in 1903–1904 at a cost of around £850,000 each....
class cruisers, mounting a heavier main armament of six 9.2 in (233.7 mm) guns in single turrets.
Duke of Edinburgh displaced 12590 long tons (12,792.1 t) as built and 13965 long tons (14,189.1 t) fully loaded. The ship had an overall length of 505 in 6 in (154.08 m), a beam
Beam (nautical)
The beam of a ship is its width at the widest point. Generally speaking, the wider the beam of a ship , the more initial stability it has, at expense of reserve stability in the event of a capsize, where more energy is required to right the vessel from its inverted position...
of 73 in 6 in (22.4 m) and a draught of 27 feet (8.2 m). She was powered by four-cylinder triple-expansion steam engines, driving two shafts, which produced a total of 23000 ihp and gave a maximum speed of 23 knots (12.5 m/s). The engines were powered by 20 Babcock & Wilcox
Babcock and Wilcox
The Babcock & Wilcox Company is a U.S.-based company that provides design, engineering, manufacturing, construction and facilities management services to nuclear, renewable, fossil power, industrial and government customers worldwide. B&W's boilers supply more than 300,000 megawatts of installed...
water-tube boiler
Water-tube boiler
A water tube boiler is a type of boiler in which water circulates in tubes heated externally by the fire. Fuel is burned inside the furnace, creating hot gas which heats water in the steam-generating tubes...
s and six cylindrical boilers. The ship carried a maximum of 2150 long tons (2,184.5 t) of coal and an additional 600 long tons (609.6 t) of fuel oil
Fuel oil
Fuel oil is a fraction obtained from petroleum distillation, either as a distillate or a residue. Broadly speaking, fuel oil is any liquid petroleum product that is burned in a furnace or boiler for the generation of heat or used in an engine for the generation of power, except oils having a flash...
that was sprayed on the coal to increase its burn rate. At full capacity, she could steam for 8130 nautical miles (15,056.8 km) at a speed of 10 knots (5.4 m/s). The ship's complement was 789 officers and men.
Her main armament consisted of six BL 9.2-inch Mk X guns
BL 9.2 inch gun Mk IX - X
The BL 9.2 inch guns Mk IX and Mk X were British 46.7 calibres naval and coast defence guns in service from 1899 to the 1950s. They had possibly the longest, most varied and successful service history of any British heavy ordnance.-History:...
in single turret
Turret
In architecture, a turret is a small tower that projects vertically from the wall of a building such as a medieval castle. Turrets were used to provide a projecting defensive position allowing covering fire to the adjacent wall in the days of military fortification...
s, two on the centreline and two on each beam, giving a broadside of four 9.2 in guns. Her secondary armament of four BL 6-inch Mark XI guns
BL 6 inch Mk XI naval gun
The BL 6 inch Gun Mark XI was a British 50 calibres high-velocity naval gun which was mounted as primary armament on cruisers and secondary armament on pre-dreadnought battleships.-History:...
was arranged in single casemates. They were mounted amidships on the main deck and were only usable in calm weather. Twenty Vickers QF 3-pounders
Ordnance QF 3 pounder Vickers
The Ordnance QF 3 pounder Vickers was a British artillery piece first tested in Britain in 1910. It was used on Royal Navy warships. It was more powerful than and unrelated to the older QF 3 pounder Hotchkiss, with a propellant charge approximately twice as large, but it initially fired the same...
were fitted, six on turret roofs and fourteen in the superstructure. The ship also mounted three submerged 17.72 inches (450.1 mm)
British 18 inch torpedo
There have been a number of 18 inch torpedoes in service with the United Kingdom. These have been used on ships of the Royal Navy and aircraft of both the Fleet Air Arm and Royal Air Force...
torpedo tube
Torpedo tube
A torpedo tube is a device for launching torpedoes. There are two main types of torpedo tube: underwater tubes fitted to submarines and some surface ships, and deck-mounted units installed aboard surface vessels...
s.
Operational history
Black Prince was laid down on 3 June 1903 at the Thames Ironworks and Shipbuilding CompanyThames Ironworks and Shipbuilding Company
The Thames Ironworks and Shipbuilding Company, Limited was a shipyard and iron works straddling the mouth of Bow Creek at its confluence with the River Thames, at Leamouth Wharf on the west side and at Canning Town on the east side...
's shipyard at Blackwall, London
Blackwall, London
Blackwall is an area of the East End of London, situated in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets on the north bank of the River Thames.The district around Blackwall Stairs was known as Blackwall by at least the 14th century. This presumably derives from the colour of the river wall, constructed in...
. She was launched on 8 November 1904 and completed on 17 March 1906. When completed, Black Prince served with the 2nd Squadron until 1907, the 1st Cruiser Squadron from 1907–1908, the 5th Cruiser Squadron (as part of the Atlantic Fleet) from 1908–1912 and the Third from 1912–1913.
At the beginning of the First World War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, the Black Prince was one of the four armoured cruisers serving in the 1st Cruiser Squadron
1st Cruiser Squadron
The First Cruiser Squadron was a Royal Navy squadron of armored cruisers that saw service as part of the Mediterranean and Grand Fleets during the First World War. It was originally formed in 1909, but was renamed on 1 January 1913 to First Battle Cruiser Squadron...
of the Mediterranean Fleet, commanded by Rear-Admiral Ernest Charles Thomas Troubridge
Ernest Troubridge
Admiral Sir Ernest Charles Thomas Troubridge KCMG, MVO was an officer of the Royal Navy who served during the First World War, later rising to the rank of admiral....
. She participated in the Pursuit of Goeben and Breslau
Pursuit of Goeben and Breslau
The pursuit of Goeben and Breslau was a naval action that occurred in the Mediterranean Sea at the outbreak of the First World War when elements of the British Mediterranean Fleet attempted to intercept the German Mittelmeerdivision comprising the battlecruiser and the light cruiser...
. Following the escape of the two German ships to neutral Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, Black Prince and Duke of Edinburgh were sent into the Red Sea
Red Sea
The Red Sea is a seawater inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. The connection to the ocean is in the south through the Bab el Mandeb strait and the Gulf of Aden. In the north, there is the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and the Gulf of Suez...
to capture German Merchant ships, with Black Prince capturing the German liners Südmark and Istria. She was based at Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
in November 1914, before becoming part of the First Cruiser Squadron of the Grand Fleet in December, being re-united with Duke of Edinburgh.
Captain Frederick Dundas Gilpin-Brown was her captain when war broke out. He was succeeded by Captain James Douglas Dick in January 1915, who was in turn succeeded by Captain Thomas Parry Bonham, RN. Black Prince was modified in March 1916 as a result of lessons learned at the Battle of Coronel
Battle of Coronel
The First World War naval Battle of Coronel took place on 1 November 1914 off the coast of central Chile near the city of Coronel. German Kaiserliche Marine forces led by Vice-Admiral Graf Maximilian von Spee met and defeated a Royal Navy squadron commanded by Rear-Admiral Sir Christopher...
, with the 6 inch guns removed from their casements and replaced by six 6 in guns mounted individually behind shields between the beam 9.2 inch turrets.
As a member of Rear-Admiral Sir Robert Keith Arbuthnot's First Cruiser Squadron, the Black Prince participated in the Battle of Jutland
Battle of Jutland
The Battle of Jutland was a naval battle between the British Royal Navy's Grand Fleet and the Imperial German Navy's High Seas Fleet during the First World War. The battle was fought on 31 May and 1 June 1916 in the North Sea near Jutland, Denmark. It was the largest naval battle and the only...
, where she was sunk with heavy loss of life. The circumstances under which she sank were mysterious for some years after. As the British had lost contact and did not see the ship destroyed, they were unsure as to whether a submarine or surface ship was responsible for sinking the Black Prince.
During the battle, the First Cruiser Squadron was deployed as part of a screening force several miles ahead of the main force of the Grand Fleet, but Black Prince lost contact with the rest of the Squadron as it came into contact with German forces, at about 17:42. Soon after, two other members of the First Cruiser Squadron, HMS Defence
HMS Defence (1907)
HMS Defence was a armoured cruiser built for the Royal Navy in the mid-1900s. She was the last armoured cruiser built for the Royal Navy. She was stationed in the Mediterranean when the First World War began and participated in the pursuit of the German battlecruiser and light cruiser...
and HMS Warrior
HMS Warrior (1905)
HMS Warrior was a Duke of Edinburgh-class armoured cruiser built for the Royal Navy in the mid-1900s. She was stationed in the Mediterranean when the First World War began and participated in the pursuit of the German battlecruiser and light cruiser . Warrior was transferred to the Grand Fleet in...
were heavily engaged by German battleships and battlecruisers, Defence blowing up and Warrior receiving heavy damage, which later caused her to sink.
There were no positive sightings of Black Prince by the British fleet after that, although a wireless signal from her was received at 20:45, reporting a submarine sighting.
During the night of 31 May–1 June, the British destroyer
Destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
HMS Spitfire
HMS Spitfire (1912)
HMS Spitfire was an Acasta-class destroyer of the Royal Navy which took part in the battle of Jutland in 1916.-Pennant numbers:-Construction:...
, badly damaged after colliding with the German battleship Nassau
SMS Nassau
SMS Nassau"SMS" stands for "Seiner Majestät Schiff", or "His Majesty's Ship" in German. was the first dreadnought battleship built for the Imperial German Navy, a response to the launching of the British battleship HMS Dreadnought in 1906...
, sighted what appeared to be a German battlecruiser, with two widely-spaced funnels, described as being "...a mass of fire from foremast to mainmast, on deck and between decks. Flames were issuing out of her from every corner." The mystery ship exploded at about midnight. It was later thought that the burning ship may have been Black Prince, with the two midships funnels having collapsed or been shot away.
Recent historians, however, hold to the German account of the ship's sinking. Black Prince briefly engaged the German battleship Rheinland
SMS Rheinland
SMS Rheinland "SMS" stands for "Seiner Majestät Schiff", or "His Majesty's Ship" was one of four Nassau-class battleships, the first dreadnoughts built for the German Imperial Navy . Rheinland mounted twelve main guns in six twin turrets in an unusual hexagonal arrangement...
at about 23:35 GMT, scoring two hits with 6-inch shells. Separated from the rest of the British fleet, the Black Prince approached the German lines at approximately midnight. She turned away from the German battleships, but it was too late. The German battleship fixed the Black Prince in her searchlights and opened fire. Up to five other German ships, including battleships , , and , joined in the bombardment, with return fire from Black Prince being ineffective. Most of the German ships were between 750 and 1500 yards of the Black Prince - effectively point blank range for contemporary naval gunnery. Black Prince was hit by at least twelve heavy shells and several smaller ones, sinking within 15 minutes. There were no survivors from Black Princes crew, all 857 being killed.
The wreck was briefly surveyed by nautical archaeologist Innes McCartney in 2000 and 2001. It was discovered that the stern of the wreck is upsidedown and bow section lies on its starboard side. The wrecksite is designated as a protected place under the Protection of Military Remains Act 1986
Protection of Military Remains Act 1986
The Protection of Military Remains Act 1986 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom which provides protection for the wreckage of military aircraft and designated military vessels. The Act provides for two types of protection: protected places and controlled sites. Military aircraft are...
.