HMS Sir Thomas Picton
Encyclopedia
HMS Sir Thomas Picton was a First World War
Royal Navy
Lord Clive-class
monitor. Sir Thomas Picton was the only Royal Navy ship ever named for Sir Thomas Picton, a British general of the Peninsula War who was killed at the Battle of Waterloo
. The ship's original 12" main battery was stripped from the obsolete Majestic-class
battleship HMS Mars
.
The Lord Clive-class monitors were originally built in 1915 to engage German shore artillery in occupied Belgium
during the First World War. Sir Thomas Picton, however was differently employed, being dispatched to the Eastern Mediterranean upon completion for service with the fleet there alongside her sister Earl of Peterborough
. Early in 1916 she shelled Turkish positions at the Dardanelles
and during the remainder of the war was active against Turkish units in Egypt, Palestine and Turkey itself.
Following the armistice in November 1918, Sir Thomas Picton and her sisters were put into reserve pending scrapping, as the reason for their existence ended with the liberation of Central Power-held coastlines. In 1921 Sir Thomas Picton was scrapped along with all her sisters.
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...
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...
Lord Clive-class
Lord Clive class monitor
The Lord Clive class, sometimes referred to as the General Wolfe class, of monitors were ships designed for shore bombardment and were constructed for the Royal Navy during the First World War.-Design:...
monitor. Sir Thomas Picton was the only Royal Navy ship ever named for Sir Thomas Picton, a British general of the Peninsula War who was killed at the Battle of Waterloo
Battle of Waterloo
The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815 near Waterloo in present-day Belgium, then part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands...
. The ship's original 12" main battery was stripped from the obsolete Majestic-class
Majestic class battleship
The Majestic class was a class of pre-dreadnought battleships, built under the Spencer Programme of 8 December 1893, that sought to counter the growing naval strength of France and the Russian Empire...
battleship HMS Mars
HMS Mars (1896)
HMS Mars was a Royal Navy predreadnought battleship of the Majestic class.-Technical characteristics:HMS Mars was laid down by Cammell Laird at Birkenhead on 2 June 1894 and launched on 3 March 1896...
.
The Lord Clive-class monitors were originally built in 1915 to engage German shore artillery in occupied Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
during the First World War. Sir Thomas Picton, however was differently employed, being dispatched to the Eastern Mediterranean upon completion for service with the fleet there alongside her sister Earl of Peterborough
HMS Earl of Peterborough
HMS Earl of Peterborough was a First World War Royal Navy Lord Clive-class monitor. Earl of Peterborough was the only Royal Navy ship ever named for Charles Mordaunt, 3rd Earl of Peterborough, a British general of the War of the Spanish Succession who fought in Spain...
. Early in 1916 she shelled Turkish positions at the Dardanelles
Dardanelles
The Dardanelles , formerly known as the Hellespont, is a narrow strait in northwestern Turkey connecting the Aegean Sea to the Sea of Marmara. It is one of the Turkish Straits, along with its counterpart the Bosphorus. It is located at approximately...
and during the remainder of the war was active against Turkish units in Egypt, Palestine and Turkey itself.
Following the armistice in November 1918, Sir Thomas Picton and her sisters were put into reserve pending scrapping, as the reason for their existence ended with the liberation of Central Power-held coastlines. In 1921 Sir Thomas Picton was scrapped along with all her sisters.