HMS Hood (Wreck)
| military
United Kingdom /
England /
Fortuneswell /
World
/ United Kingdom
/ England
/ Fortuneswell
World / United Kingdom / England
military, invisible
"A bitch to the last!" was one Royal Navy captain's verdict on HMS Hood, writes Kendall McDonald. She had just capsized as they were scuttling her across the southern entrance to Portland Harbour in 1914.
Perhaps the Hood didn't deserve that epitaph, but since her launch in 1891, the 14,150 ton armoured monster had become known throughout the fleet as a good looker, but a lousy sailer.
She was weighed down with heavily armoured turrets which the First Sea Lord, Sir Arthur Hood, had insisted were installed to house her big guns.
This extra weight lowered her freeboard so that she needed dead calm to proceed at speed, otherwise great green seas came aboard and the whole ship was covered in clouds of spray, making gunnery impossible.
So it is not surprising that shortly after her completion in 1893, the 380ft-long warship was sent to the calmer waters of the Mediterranean. She stayed there for nine years, was put on reserve duties and then transferred to Portland as a target for torpedo practices. Her guns were taken out - they had never once fired a shot in anger.
Shortly after the outbreak of World War One, on 4 November, 1914, the Hood was sunk across the southern entrance to Portland to stop any crafty U-boat commander firing torpedoes into the anchored Channel Fleet. But she didn't go quietly.
Once she was towed into position, the seacocks were opened so that she would sink gracefully and upright.
However, it took so long that the tide turned and started to pull her out of place. Explosives were hurriedly used to blow a hole in her side, she filled too quickly, did a port roll, and crashed completely upside down into the seabed.
Perhaps the Hood didn't deserve that epitaph, but since her launch in 1891, the 14,150 ton armoured monster had become known throughout the fleet as a good looker, but a lousy sailer.
She was weighed down with heavily armoured turrets which the First Sea Lord, Sir Arthur Hood, had insisted were installed to house her big guns.
This extra weight lowered her freeboard so that she needed dead calm to proceed at speed, otherwise great green seas came aboard and the whole ship was covered in clouds of spray, making gunnery impossible.
So it is not surprising that shortly after her completion in 1893, the 380ft-long warship was sent to the calmer waters of the Mediterranean. She stayed there for nine years, was put on reserve duties and then transferred to Portland as a target for torpedo practices. Her guns were taken out - they had never once fired a shot in anger.
Shortly after the outbreak of World War One, on 4 November, 1914, the Hood was sunk across the southern entrance to Portland to stop any crafty U-boat commander firing torpedoes into the anchored Channel Fleet. But she didn't go quietly.
Once she was towed into position, the seacocks were opened so that she would sink gracefully and upright.
However, it took so long that the tide turned and started to pull her out of place. Explosives were hurriedly used to blow a hole in her side, she filled too quickly, did a port roll, and crashed completely upside down into the seabed.
Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Hood_(1891)
Nearby cities:
Coordinates: 50°34'10"N 2°25'16"W
- Verne Citadel - HMP Verne 1.4 km
- Wyke Regis Army Training Area 6.3 km
- Chickerell Range 7.8 km
- The M2 (Wreck) 9 km
- Lulworth Camp 15 km
- Lulworth Tank Range 17 km
- Bovington Camp 19 km
- Bovington Camp: Tank training area 22 km
- Admiralty Park 29 km
- Royal Marines Commando Barracks (Royal Navy) 33 km
- The Grove 2.1 km
- Portland Harbour 2.3 km
- Bumpers Lane Quarry 2.7 km
- Easton 3.1 km
- Isle of Portland 3.3 km
- Southwell 4.5 km
- Portland Bill 6 km
- Chesil Beach 10 km
- Chesil Beach 13 km
- Dorset 26 km
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