H.M.S. Orion (1910): Difference between revisions

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==Alterations==
==Alterations==
In 1913, ''Orion'' was slated as part of the [[British Adoption of the Director#Early Orders|seventeen ship order]] to receive a director for her main battery.  It was fitted in late April or early May, 1915 during a weeklong refit in Devonport, and the wiring was completed in May at Scapa Flow.  Very soon thereafter, a test of six half salvoes in Scapa demonstrated mean patterns of 200 yards at 12,000 yards.<ref>''The Technical History and Index: Fire Control in HM Ships''. pp. 9-10.</ref><ref>Dreyer.  ''The Sea Heritage: A Study of Maritime Warfare'', pp. 94-95.</ref> {{Burt|p. 140}}
In 1913, ''Orion'' was slated as part of the [[British Adoption of the Director#Early Orders|seventeen ship order]] to receive a director for her main battery.  It was fitted in late April or early May, 1915 during a weeklong refit in Devonport, and the wiring was completed in May at Scapa Flow.  Very soon thereafter, a test of six half salvoes in Scapa demonstrated mean patterns of 200 yards at 12,000 yards.{{FCHMShips|pp. 9-10}}{{DreyerSeaHeritage|pp. 94-95}}{{Burt|p. 140}}


In late 1914, it was decided that ''Orion'' should receive one of 22 [[Open Director Sight]]s for her "Q" turret. It was fitted between April 1916 and June 1917.<ref>''The Technical History and Index: Fire Control in HM Ships''. p. 18.</ref>
In October 1913, it was decided that the 4-in mountings should also have buzzers for their firing circuits.{{AWO1913|569 of 17 Oct, 1913}}


In 1915, it was also decided to outfit her 4-in battery with director firing as a test, as resources did not permit wholesale support of the ships with 4-in secondaries.  However, this installation did not actually occur until mid-1918.<ref>''The Technical History and Index: Fire Control in HM Ships''. pp. 16-7.</ref> It seems that ''Orion'' was the only capital ship in the Royal Navy to have a director for a 4-in secondary battery.
In late 1914, it was decided that ''Orion'' should receive one of 22 [[Open Director Sight]]s for her "Q" turret.  It was fitted between April 1916 and June 1917.{{FCHMShips|p. 18}}
 
In 1915, it was also decided to outfit her 4-in battery with director firing as a test, as resources did not permit wholesale support of the ships with 4-in secondaries.  However, this installation did not actually occur until mid-1918.{{FCHMShips|pp. 16-7}} It seems that ''Orion'' was the only capital ship in the Royal Navy to have a director for a 4-in secondary battery.


==Decommission==
==Decommission==

Revision as of 22:01, 12 November 2012

H.M.S. Orion (1910)
Pendant Number: 52 (1914)
91 (Jan 1918)
86 (Apr 1918)[1]
Builder: Portsmouth Royal Dockyard[2]
Ordered: 1909 Programme[3]
Laid down: 29 Nov, 1909[4]
Launched: 20 Aug, 1910[5]
Commissioned: 2 Jan, 1912
Sold: 19 Dec, 1922[6]
Fate: Scrapped

Early History

H.M.S. Orion was one of eight armoured vessels authorised in 1909 and one of four Orion Class Battleship and was built at Portsmouth Royal Dockyard.[7] She was laid down on 29 November 1909 and launched on 20 August 1910.[8][9] She had a displacement of 22,500 tons and was the first vessel to be mounted with a 13.5-inch Mk II mountings for her main battery guns.[7][10] Her acceptance trial was concluded on 25 November 1911.[7] A few weeks later on 12 December 1911 eighteen officers and men were injured when an explosion occurred onboard while Orion was at Portsmouth.[7] She was launched on 2 January 1912.

Career

Commander Julian Francis Chichester Patterson, 1914-1917 (Gunnery Officer)

In 24-25 August 1915, Orion won the Second Battle Squadron Pulling Regatta at Scapa. Dreyer rowed in boats that proved victorious in the Officers' Cutter Race and the Officers' Veterans Skiff Race. The ship also won the 2BS Sailing Regatta held on 23 September.[11]

Jutland

Main article

Secondary Battery

Orion differed from her sisters in using a P IV* mounting (as in the Colossus class) rather than a P II* mounting for her sixteen 4-in guns. Their details can be found here.

Torpedoes

The ships had three 21-in submerged torpedo tubes. Orion's broadside tubes were angled at 90 degrees, unlike her sisters, whose were angled 10 degrees in advance of the beam.[12]

Alterations

In 1913, Orion was slated as part of the seventeen ship order to receive a director for her main battery. It was fitted in late April or early May, 1915 during a weeklong refit in Devonport, and the wiring was completed in May at Scapa Flow. Very soon thereafter, a test of six half salvoes in Scapa demonstrated mean patterns of 200 yards at 12,000 yards.[13][14][15]

In October 1913, it was decided that the 4-in mountings should also have buzzers for their firing circuits.[16]

In late 1914, it was decided that Orion should receive one of 22 Open Director Sights for her "Q" turret. It was fitted between April 1916 and June 1917.[17]

In 1915, it was also decided to outfit her 4-in battery with director firing as a test, as resources did not permit wholesale support of the ships with 4-in secondaries. However, this installation did not actually occur until mid-1918.[18] It seems that Orion was the only capital ship in the Royal Navy to have a director for a 4-in secondary battery.

Decommission

On 19 December 1922 was decommissioned and sold off.[19]

Captains

Dates of appointment are provided when known.

See Also

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Dittmar; Colledge. British Warships 1914–1919. p. 33.
  2. ↑ Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. p. 28.
  3. ↑ Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. p. 28.
  4. ↑ Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. p. 28.
  5. ↑ Dittmar; Colledge. British Warships 1914–1919. p. 33.
  6. ↑ Dittmar; Colledge. British Warships 1914–1919. p. 33.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 Explosion at the Orion. The Times (London, England), Wednesday, Dec 13, 1911; pg. 7; Issue 39767.
  8. ↑ Dittmar; Colledge. British Warships 1914–1919. p. 33.
  9. ↑ Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. p. 28.
  10. ↑ Hodges. The Big Gun. p. 62.
  11. ↑ Dreyer. The Sea Heritage: A Study of Maritime Warfare, p. 95.
  12. ↑ Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1917. p. 190.
  13. ↑ The Technical History and Index, Vol. 3, Part 23. pp. 9-10.
  14. ↑ Dreyer. The Sea Heritage. pp. 94-95.
  15. ↑ Burt. British Battleships of World War One. p. 140.
  16. ↑ Admiralty Weekly Order No. 569 of 17 Oct, 1913.
  17. ↑ The Technical History and Index, Vol. 3, Part 23. p. 18.
  18. ↑ The Technical History and Index, Vol. 3, Part 23. pp. 16-7.
  19. ↑ Dittmar; Colledge. British Warships 1914–1919. p. 33.
  20. ↑ Waller Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 207.
  21. ↑ The Navy List (December, 1914). p. 364.
  22. ↑ The Navy List (December, 1916). p. 396h.
  23. ↑ The Navy List (December, 1918). p. 856.
  24. ↑ Mackie, Colin. ROYAL NAVY WARSHIPS.
  25. ↑ The Monthly Navy List (August, 1919). p. 855.
  26. ↑ Mackie, Colin. ROYAL NAVY WARSHIPS.

Bibliography


Orion Class Dreadnought
  Conqueror Monarch Orion Thunderer  
<– Colossus Class Battleships (UK) King George V Class –>


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