Cressy-class cruiser explained

The Cressy-class cruiser was a class of six armoured cruisers built for the Royal Navy around 1900. Their design's incorporation of a pair of 9.2-inch guns and armoured sides served to address criticism directed against the previous — advances made possible by their 1,000 ton increase in displacement over their predecessors. The ships were notably stable, except for a susceptibility to pitching.[1]

Service

Until 1908, the ships served in Home waters, the Mediterranean and the Far East. On the outbreak of the First World War Cressy, Aboukir, Hogue, Bacchante and Euryalus formed the Seventh Cruiser Squadron. Due to the obsolescence of the ships and because they were crewed by inexperienced reservists the squadron was known as the "Live Bait Squadron". This epithet proved prophetic when Cressy, Hogue and Aboukir were sunk in a single action on 22 September 1914 by the German submarine U-9 near the Dutch coast. After the first cruiser had been hit, the following cruisers both came to a dead halt to pick up survivors, making themselves easy targets for torpedoes.[2]

Ships

launched 4 December 1899, torpedoed and sunk 22 September 1914

launched 18 November 1899, scrapped 9 May 1921

launched 16 May 1900, torpedoed and sunk 22 September 1914

launched 13 August 1900, torpedoed and sunk 22 September 1914

launched 21 February 1901, scrapped 1 July 1920

launched 20 May 1901, scrapped 1 July 1920

Building Programme

The following table gives the build details and purchase cost of the members of the Cressy class. Standard British practice at that time was for these costs to exclude armament and stores. The compilers of The Naval Annual revised costs quoted for British ships between the 1905 and 1906 editions.

width=120 rowspan=2 Shipalign = center rowspan=2 Builderalign = center rowspan=2 Engine
Maker		Date ofCost according toFate
align = center width = 74 Laid Downalign = center width = 74 Launchalign = center width = 74 Completionalign = center (BNA 1904)[3] align = center (BNA 1906)[4] align = center
align=center Fairfield, Govanalign=center Fairfieldalign=right 12 October 1898align=right 14 December 1899align=right 28 May 1901align=right £780,110align=right £749,324align=right
align=center J Brown Clydebankalign=center Clydebank
Company		align=right 15 August 1898align=right 18 November 1899align=right 6 May 1902align=right £790,706align=right £755,690align=right scrapped 9 May 1921
align=center Fairfield, Govanalign=center Fairfieldalign=right 9 November 1898align=right 16 May 1900align=right 3 April 1902align=right £783,883align=right £751,118align=right
align=center Vickers, Barrowalign=center Vickersalign=right 14 July 1898align=right 13 August 1900align=right 19 November 1902align=right £787,507align=right £749,809align=right
align=center John Brown Clydebankalign=center John Brownalign=right 15 February 1899align=right 21 February 1901align=right 25 November 1902align=right £787,230align=right £787,230align=right scrapped 1 July 1920
align=center Vickers, Barrowalign=center Vickersalign=right 18 July 1899align=right 20 May 1901align=right 5 January 1904align=right £817,880align=right £782,901align=right scrapped 1 July 1920

Notes

1. All three ships Cressy, Hogue and Aboukir were sunk under an hour by the German submarine SM U-9.

Bibliography

External links

Notes and References

  1. Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905, pp. 68–69
  2. Web site: Time Team s20. Channel 4. Channel 4. 18 May 2015.
  3. Brassey's Naval Annual 1904, p212-219
  4. Brassey's Naval Annual 1906, p208-215

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