HMS Repulse

Naval history of HMS Repulse, Royal Navy Pre-Dreadnought steel armoured battleship of the Royal Sovereign Class, built at Pembroke dockyard part of the Naval Defence Act Programme of 1890. Launched 27th February 1892. Commissioned at Portsmouth in April 1894 and served in the Channel Squadron. In her last years she served in home waters and was eventually scrapped in 1911 Displacement: 14,150 tons. Length: 380 ft. Beam: 75ft. Horse power: 13,312. Draught: 27' 6". Speed: 18 knots. Armament: four 67 ton guns in armoured barbettes. Armour: 18 inch thick. Complement: 712

Repulse was the tenth ship of her name to serve in the Royal Navy. She was ordered under the Naval Defence Act Programme of 1889 and laid down on 1 January 1890 on Pembroke Dockyard's No. 1 Slipway. The ship was launched on 27 February 1892 by Lady Philipps, wife of Sir Charles Philipps, Bt, Lord Lieutenant of Haverfordwest. The ship was transferred to Portsmouth Dockyard on 5 December, where she was completed on 21 April 1894, at a cost of £915,302. Repulse commissioned there, commanded by Captain Burges Watson, four days later to relieve the ironclad battleship Rodney in the Channel Fleet. She participated in annual manoeuvres in the Irish Sea and Atlantic Ocean in August as a unit of the "Blue Fleet." From 19 to 24 June 1895, the ship was part of the squadron that visited Germany for the opening of the Kaiser Wilhelm Canal. In July–August 1895, Repulse again took part in the annual manoeuvres and Watson was relieved by Captain Ernest Rolfe on 10 October. The ship participated in the manoeuvres again in July 1896, when they were held in the Southwest Approaches and the ship was a unit of "Fleet A." Repulse accidentally collided with her sister ship Resolution on 18 July, but sustained no significant damage. On 23 December, there was an explosion in one of her coal bunkers that injured nine men. On 26 June 1897, the ship was present at the Fleet Review at Spithead for the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria. The following month, Repulse took part in the annual manoeuvres, this time held off the coast of Ireland. On 21 December, Captain Robert Groome assumed command of the ship; he was relieved by Captain Randolph Foote on 28 June 1899. In July and August, when the annual manoeuvres were held in the Atlantic, she participated as a unit of "Fleet A". Repulse suffered a mishap on 4 February 1900 when a strong tide forced her to collide with an anchored barge as she departed Sheerness. In August 1900, she again was involved in annual manoeuvre in the Atlantic, this time as a unit of "Fleet A1." The following month, Foote was replaced by Captain Spencer Login on the 18th. On 27 October 1901, she ran aground in mud while under tow to her moorings, but was refloated undamaged two hours later. ] Repulse departed England on 5 April 1902 for service with the Mediterranean Fleet and arrived at Malta two weeks later. In the Mediterranean, she took part in combined exercises of the Mediterranean Fleet, Channel Fleet, and the Cruiser Squadron off Cephalonia and Morea between 29 September and 6 October 1902. Completing her Mediterranean service, she departed Malta on 29 November 1903, arriving at Plymouth on 10 December 1903. She then paid off at Chatham Dockyard on 5 February 1904 for an extensive refit. With the refit complete, Repulse recommissioned at Chatham, under the command of Captain Henry Totteham, on 3 January 1905 for service in reserve with a nucleus crew. Captain Herbert Heath relieved Tottenham shortly afterwards on 27 February and the ship took part in Reserve Fleet manoeuvres in July. She transferred that crew to the predreadnought battleship Irresistible on 27 November 1906 and received new crew. On 25 February 1907, Repulse departed Chatham for Devonport, to serve there as a special service vessel. The predreadnought battleship HMS Majestic relieved the ship of this duty on 2 August 1910. In December, Repulse moved to Portsmouth, where she was taken out of service in February 1911. She was sold for scrap on 11 July 1911 to Thos W Ward for £33,500, and arrived at Morecambe for to be broken up on 27 July. (wikipedia)

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