History & Modifications
Agincourt:
Agincourt was cancelled on 26th August 1914 before any work had been done.
Barham:
In 1916, two of Barhams 6" guns were removed and two 3"/20 Mk I guns added. At Jutland she fited 337
shells and took 5 hits in return. In 1918 she was given aircraft platforms on B and X turrets. From 1920 to
1924 she was part of the Atlantic Fleet, and by 1926 the 3" guns were removed and replaced by four 4"
Mk V AA guns.
Between 1930 and 1933 she underwent a major refit. Antitorpedo bulges were added, increasing beam to
104' / 31.70m. The two funnels were trunked into one and the deck armour over the magazines was increased
to 5". Two octuple 2pdr mountings were also added and two of the torpedo tubes removed, and the
aircraft platforms were replaced by a single catapult. These modifications brought the maximum
displacement up to 35710 tons.
In 1938 the two remaining torpedo tubes were removed, and the 4" Mk V guns replaced by eight 4" Mk XVI
guns in twin mountings. In April 1940 two octuple 2pdr mountings were added. Barham was scheduled for
a second major refit in the early 1940s, but the intervention of the war prevented this. Barham was sunk
by three torpedoes from the German submarine U331 off Sollum in the Mediterranean on 25th November 1941
and went down in five minutes after a magazine explosion ,taking 861 of her crew with her.
Malaya:
In 1916 two of Malayas 6" guns were removed and two 3"/20 Mk I guns added. At Jutland she took minor
damage, and repairs were complete within a week. By late 1926 four 4" Mk V AA guns had been added.
Between 1927 and 1929 she underwent a major refit. Antitorpedo bulges were added, increasing beam to
104' / 31.70m. The two funnels were trunked into one and two octuple 2pdr mountings were added. Two of
the torpedo tubes were removed, and the aircraft platforms were replaced by a single catapult. These
modifications brought the maximum displacement up to 35710 tons.
Between October 1934 and December 1936 she underwent a second major refit at Devonport. The deck armour
was increased to 5" over the magazines and 3.5" over the engine rooms. The C.T. was replaced by a
smaller structure with 5" armour. The last two torpedo tubes were removed and the AA armament was
changed to 8 x " Mk XVI in twin turrets and two octuple 2pdr mountings. The catapult was removed from
the turret and moved amidships with a hangar for two aircraft.
By 1942 the catapult and aircraft had been removed, and the hangar used for stores. In September 1943
the remaining 6" guns were removed and the casemates plated over with 2" armour. By mid 1944 she carried
45 20mm Oerlikons. By the end of WWII her maximum displacement had risen to 37710 tons. She was
decommissioned in early 1945 and sold for scrapping on 20th February 1948.
Queen Elizabeth:
Soon after commissioing, the aft fur 6" guns were removed. In February 1915 she sailed to the
Dardanelles to provide fire support for the operation against the fortifications in the narrows. She
fired a total of 86 15" shells against the forts, and was only prevented from doing more damage by a
lack of shells and Admiralty orders not to wear out her guns. In 1916 two of her 6" guns were removed
and two 3"/20 Mk I guns added. She missed Jutland due to a maintainance refit. In 1918 she was given
aircraft platforms on B and X turrets.
Between 1926 and 1927 she underwent a major refit. Antitorpedo bulges were added, increasing beam to
104' / 31.70m. The two funnels were trunked into one and a single octuple 2pdr mountings were added.
Two of the torpedo tubes removed, and the aircraft platforms were replaced by a single catapult. These
modifications brought the maximum displacement up to 35970 tons.
Between August 1937 and December 1940 1939 she underwent a second major refit at Portsmouth. The
machinery was changed to eight Admiralty 3 drum boilers with four Parsons steam turbines producing a
total of 80000shp. Fuel load was 3366 tons oil, and maximum speed was reduced to 23.5kts despite the
increase in power, due to the increase in displacement and draught. The secondary armament was changed
to 20 x 4.5"/45 Mk I guns in twin mountings and four octuple 2pdr mountings. These modifications
increased draught to 34' 6" / 10.50m and maximum displacement to 38450 tons.
On 19th December 1941 she was seriously damaged at Alexandria by Italian frogmen, and repairs were only
complete by June 1943, the aircraft and catapult being removed during repairs, and the AA armament
was increased to 54 x 20mm Oerlikons. She was decommissioned in August 1945 and sold for scrapping on
19th March 1948.
Valiant:
In 1916 two of Valiants 6" guns were removed and two 3"/20 Mk I guns added. She was present at Jutland,
and took no damage, but impressed the Germans with the accuracy of her shooting. In 1918 she was given
aircraft platforms on B and X turrets.
Between 1929 and 1930 she underwent a major refit. Antitorpedo bulges were added, increasing beam to
104' / 31.70m. The two funnels were trunked into one and a single octuple 2pdr mountings were added.
Two of the torpedo tubes removed, and the aircraft platforms were replaced by a single catapult. These
modifications brought the maximum displacement up to 35970 tons.
In 1936 a second octuple 2pdr mounting was added. Between March 1937 and November 1939 she underwent a
second major refit at Devonport. The machinery was changed to eight Admiralty 3 drum boilers with four
Parsons steam turbines producing a total of 80000shp. Fuel load was 3393 tons oil, and maximum speed
was reduced to 23.5kts despite the increase in power, due to the increase in displacement and draught.
The secondary armament was changed to 20 x 4.5"/45 Mk I guns in twin mountings and four octuple 2pdr
mountings. These modifications increased draught to 32' 10" / 10.00m and maximum displacement to 36513
tons.
On 19th December 1941 she was seriously damaged at Alexandria by Italian frogmen, and repairs were only
complete by May 1943. She was undergoing maintainance at Trincomalee on 8th August 1944 when a dry
dock collapsed, causing serious damage. By the end of WWII she had an AA armament of seven octuple 2pdr
mountings. She was decommissioned in July 1945 and sold for scrapping on 19th March 1948.
Warspite:
In 1916 two of Warspites 6" guns were removed and two 3"/20 Mk I guns added. At Jutland she was heavily
damaged, taking fifteen 11" and 12" hits. She had to drop out of line and was escorted to Rosyth for
repairs, these being completed by 22nd July 1916.
Between 1924 and 1926 she underwent a major refit. Antitorpedo bulges were added, increasing beam to
104' / 31.70m. The two funnels were trunked into one and a single octuple 2pdr mountings were added.
Four 4" Mk V AA guns were also added. Two of the torpedo tubes removed, and the aircraft platforms
were replaced by a single catapult. These modifications brought the maximum displacement up to 35970
tons.
Between March 1934 and March 1937 she underwent a second major refit at Portsmouth. The machinery was
changed to six Admiralty 3 drum boilers with four Parsons steam turbines producing a total of 80000shp.
Fuel load was 3501 tons oil, and maximum speed was reduced to 23.5kts despite the increase in power,
due to the increase in displacement and draught. The secondary armament was changed to 8 x 4" Mk XVI
guns in twin mountings and four octuple 2pdr mountings. A catapult and hangar for two aircraft were
added. These modifications increased draught to 33' 1" / 10.10m and maximum displacement to 36450.
The aircraft and catapult were removed in 1943. On 16th September 1943 she was hit by a FX1400 guided
missile, and sailed to Malta for temporary repairs. She was never full repairs and was used as a
bombardment ship from then on, with the aft 15" turret unusable, but still fitted, and the secondary
armament was changed to 8 x 4" AA guns, five octuple 2pdr mountings and 35 x 20mm guns.
On 13th June 1944 she was damaged by a mine off Portsmouth, and never completely repaired, speed
being reduced to 15kts as a result. She was placed in reserve in February 1945, and sold for scrapping
on 12th July 1946. On 12th March 1947 she left Portsmouth to the breakers, but ran aground in Prussia
Cove off Cornwall on 23rd April 1947. Despite attempts to remove her, it was decided to scrap her
in situ, a process which took nine years.