RN Armoured Cruisers: Cressy Class

[Brian James]

The ill fated Cressy Class Armoured Cruiser HMS Hogue pictured c1906.

[Brian James]

Cressy Class Armoured Cruiser HMS Bacchante pictured c1904.Built at John Brown & Company Shipyards,Clydebank,completed and commissioned in November 1902.Upon completion she was assigned to the Mediterranean Fleet as flagship of the fleet's Cruiser Squadron. She was reduced to reserve upon her return home in 1905 before returning to the Mediterranean in 1906. Six years later she returned home and was again placed in reserve. Recommissioned at the start of World War I, she became flagship of the 7th Cruiser Squadron. She was present at the Battle of Heligoland Bight a few weeks after the war began, but saw no combat.
She was transferred to convoy escort duties in the Bay of Biscay in late 1914 before being sent to Egypt in early 1915. Bacchante was then assigned to support Anzac troops during the Gallipoli Campaign by providing Naval Gunfire Support. She covered the landing at Anzac Cove in April as well as several subsequent operations. Returning home in late 1916, she became the flagship of the 9th Cruiser Squadron on convoy escort duties off the African coast in mid-1917. Bacchante remained there for the rest of the war and was reduced to reserve in 1919 before being sold for scrap in 1920.

[Brian James]

Launch Day for Cressy Class Armoured Cruiser HMS Euryalus pictured at Vickers & Sons, Maxim Shipyards, Barrow-in-Furness on May 20th 1901... Badly damaged by multiple accidents while fitting out, she was not completed until 1904. She became flagship of the Australia and New Zealand Station that year and was reduced to reserve upon her return in 1905. Recommissioned in 1906, she became a Training Ship for the North America and West Indies Station before being placed in reserve with the Third Fleet in 1909.
Recommissioned at the start of World War I, Euryalus was assigned to the 7th Cruiser Squadron. She became flagship of the Southern Force defending the eastern end of the English Channel from any German attack, shortly after the war began. She was present at the Battle of Heligoland Bight a few weeks after the war began, but saw no combat. She was transferred to convoy escort duties in the Bay of Biscay in late 1914, before being sent to Egypt in early 1915. Euryalus was then assigned to support British and ANZAC troops during the Gallipoli Campaign by providing naval gunfire support. She covered the landing at Cape Helles in April as well as providing fire support during one subsequent British offensive. She became the flagship of the East Indies Station in January 1916, until relieved in July 1917. Later that year she began a conversion into a Minelayer at Hong Kong, but this was still incomplete when the war ended. Euryalus returned home in 1919 and was sold for scrap the following year.

[Brian James]

Cressy Class Armoured Cruiser HMS Euryalus pictured c1914.

[Brian James]

Cressy Class Armoured Cruiser HMS Sutlej pictured at Bergen in 1902.

[Brian James]

Australia Station flagship, Cressy Class Armoured Cruiser HMS Euryalus pictured at Fremantle in 1905.

[Brian James]

Admiralty 1899 blueprint for Lead Ship, Armoured Cruiser HMS Cressy as fitted at Fairfield Shipbuilding & Engineering Company Limited, Govan in 1901.

[Brian James]

Cressy Class Armoured Cruiser HMS Hogue pictured on the ways just prior to launching, at Vickers Sons & Maxim Shipyards, Barrow-in-Furness on August 13th 1900.

[Pelican]

Launching of the HMS Hogue at Barrow-in-Furness, United Kingdom, 13 August 1900