DREADNOUGHTS OF THE IRON DUKE CLASS AT SEA

Another beautiful etching from the stable of WLW, this is a well known image which well captures what must have been a dramatic sight as a squadron of dreadnoughts, with outriding flotillas and escorting aeroplanes, ploughed majestically past…

The Iron Dukes (IRON DUKE, MARLBOROUGH, BENBOW and EMPEROR OF INDIA) were regarded as successful ships and although not as capable as the classes that succeeded them (inevitably), they were state of the art for their day and Jellicoe was happy to make IRON DUKE his flagship for the twenty eight months he commanded the Grand Fleet. The four ships survived the Great War and went on to give hard service in the Mediterranean and at home before they fell victim to Treaty reductions and were paid off in the late 1920s, only IRON DUKE remaining in commission as a Boys’ Training Ship with her main armament much reduced.