Photos of Royal Navy vessels at Invergordon during the First World War

Invergordon

Iron Duke-class battleship HMS Emperor of India at Invergordon, 1915.

Acasta-classs destroyer HMS Midge underway at Inverordon, 1915.

“Splendid Cat” battlecruiser HMS Lion at Invergordon, 1915.

Wreck of armoured cruiser HMS Natal at Invergordon, sunk by cordite explosion in the aft 9.2-inch shellroom, 1915.

Queen Elizabeth-class battleship HMS Malaya in drydock at Invergordon after the Battle of Jutland, 1916.

US Navy minelayer USS San Francisco in drydock at Invergordon, 1918.

M-class destroyer HMS Octavia departing Invergordon, 1919.

Queen Elizabeth-class battleship HMS Valiant in drydock at Invergordon, 1919.

Admiralty Floating Drydock 5 (AFD5) at Invergordon, built at Cammell Laird 1912, moved to Invergordon 1914.

“On this day in history” Royal Navy battleship HMS London placed in commision

On this day in history 7 June 1902, the Royal Navy Formidable-class battleship HMS London was placed in commission.

HMS London at Malta, 1915.

Built at Portsmouth Dockyard, London was a battleship of the pre-dreadnought era, armed with four Armstrong Whitworth 12-inch naval guns, firing semi-armour-piercing shells weighing 850 lbs.

At the outbreak of war in 1914, London was assigned to the Channel Fleet, and later served in the Dardanelles campaign and with the Mediterranean Fleet.

In 1918, now obsolete as a battleship, London’s main armament was removed and she was converted to service as a minelayer. By 11 November 1918, London had laid 2,640 mines as part of the Northern Mine Barrage.

HMS London as minelayer, painted in dazzle camouflage, 1918.

Reduced to reserve status in 1919, London paid off in 1920 and was towed to the breaker’s yard in 1922.