History & Modifications
Ramilles:
Ramillies was given antitorpedo bulges in March 1915 which increased beam to 102' 6" / 31.46m. Her
rudder was damaged during launching, and was towed to Cammell Lairds for repair. By June 1918 she
had received director fire control for the secondary armament. During 1918 she was fitted with aircraft
platforms on B and X turrets. Her bulges were removed in 1927 and replaced by deeper bulges which
increased beam and draught to 102' 1" x 31' 6" / 21.10m x 9.60m.
In 1928 the two forward 6" guns were removed and four 4" Mk V AA guns added. By September 1939 she had
her torpedo tubes and aircraft platforms removed, and was given two octuple 2pdr mountings, and another
quad 2pdr mountings were added in 1941. In 1942 the deck armour was increased to 4" over the magazines
and another four 6" were removed. During WWII, she was torpedoed by a Japanese minisub which caused
little damage. In late 1944 she was placed in reserve at Portsmouth for use as a training ship and
sold for scrapping on 20th March 1948.
Renown:
Renown was cancelled on 26th August 1914. She had not been laid down, but materials assembled for
construction were used for the battlecruiser of the same name.
Repulse:
Repulse was cancelled on 26th August 1914. She had not been laid down, but materials assembled for
construction were used for the battlecruiser of the same name.
Resistance:
Resistance was cancelled before being laid down on 26th August 1914.
Resolution:
In early 1917 Resolution was given director fire control for the secondary armament. She was given
antitorpedo bulges by May 1918 which increased beam to 102' 6" / 31.46m. During 1918 she was given
aircraft platforms on B and X turrets, which she retained until after WWII. Between 1931 and 1938 she
was fitted with five 4" AA guns in experimental twin mountings.
By 1939 the torpedo tubes had been removed. In 1941 the elevation for the forward 15" turrets was
increased to 30 degrees. In 1942 the deck armour was increased to 4" over the magazines. During WWII
she was torpedoed by a Vichy French submarine, but sustained little damage. By late 1944 she was in
reserve as a training ship, and sold for scrapping on 5th May 1948.
Revenge:
Revenge was given antitorpedo bulges between October 1917 and February 1918 which increased beam to
102' 6" / 31.46m. In early 1917 she was given director fire control for the secondary armament.
In December 1931 she was fitted with a single octuple 2pdr mounting, and another was fitted by 1939,
when the torpedo tubes were removed. Unlike the others, she was not given a catapult.
By late 1944 she was in reserve as a training ship, and sold for scrapping in September 1948.
Royal Oak:
Royal Oak was given director fire control for the secondary armament in early 1917. Between 1922 and
1924 she was given deep bulges which increased beam and draught to 102' 1" x 31' 6" / 21.10m x 9.60m.
By 1928 the 3" guns were replaced by four 4" Mk IV guns and the two forward 6" guns removed. In 1934
the deck armour over the magazines was increased to 5", and the torpedo tubes were moved above water.
On 14th October 1939 she was sunk at Scapa Flow by three torpedoes from the German submarine U47. Of
her crew 833 were killed, and the wreck is preserved as a war grave. Recently, divers have worked on the
wreck to prevent leaking oil tanks causing pollution.
Royal Sovereign:
In 1918 Royal Sovereign was given aircraft platforms on B and X turrets. She was given antitorpedo
bulges in 1920 which increased beam to 102' 6" / 31.46m. By 1928 the 3" guns were replaced by four 4"
Mk IV guns and the two forward 6" guns removed. The torpedo tubes were removed in 1939, as were the
aircraft platforms. In 1942 the deck armour was increased to 4" over the magazines and by 1943
another four of the 6" guns were removed.
On 30th May 1944 she was transferred to the Russian Navy in place of Italian ships claimed by the
Soviets. She was renamed Arkhangelsk and she spent the rest of the war escorting convoys in the Kola
Inlet. Returned on 9th February 1949, she was sold for scrapping. 5th April 1949