HMS Carnarvon, Armoured Cruiser, 1904

Carnarvon:
Armoured Cruiser;
Built: William Beardmore & Co, Dalmuir, Scotland
Laid: 1902; Launched: 1903; Commissioned: 1905; Sold for scrap: 1921;
10,020 Tons;  Length: 473′ 6″ (144.3 m); Beam ; 68′ 6″ (20.9 m); Draught: 24′ (7 m);
Power: 21,000 ihp (16,000 kW); 2 shafts; 22 knots (41 km/h; 25 mph);
Complement: 610;
Armament: 4 x 7.5″ (190 mm); 6 x 6″ (152 mm);  2 x 12 lb (5.4 kg); 18 x 3 lb (1.4 kg); 2 x 18″ (.46 m) torpedo tubes;

Shown (above) in tropical paint scheme, Carnarvon was one of six Devonshire-class armoured cruisers built at the start of the 20th century. These cruisers were the improved successors to the Monmouth Class cruisers and were built for commerce protection. Built at William Bearmore & Co’s yard at Dalmuir on Clydeside, Glasgow she was launched in October 1893 and commissioned in May 1905. From the Mediterranean Fleet in 1905 she joined the Atlantic Fleet in 1907 and the reserve Third Fleet in 1909. She transferred to 2nd Fleet, Devonport and became flagship to 5th Cruiser Squadron until WW I.  In 1914 she was assigned to the Cape Verde Station to search for German commerce raiders while protecting British shipping. Transferred to the South Atlantic she joined the squadron under Vice-Admiral Sturdee that destroyed the German East Asia Squadron under Vice-Admiral von Spree at the Battle of the Falkland Islands on 8th December 1914.  The armoured cruisers, Scharnhorst and Gneisenau and the light cruisers Nürnberg, and Leipzig were all sunk. The date is commemorated with an annual public Holiday in the Falklands. Carnarvon struck a reef in 1915 and was repaired in Canada before joining West Indies station from where she protected shipping for the rest of the War. She was sold in 1921 and broken up in Germany.