HMS THUNDERER ENTERING PORTSMOUTH 1921; HMS VICTORY IN THE BACKGROUND.

The last warship of any size to be built on the River Thames THUNDERER commissioned in June 1912. Together with her sisters of the Orion Class (ORION, CONQUEROR and MONARCH) she carried ten 13.5inch guns. The class were 581 feet long overall, displaced 22,500 tons and at full power could manage a good 21.5 knots. Commanded by Captain J A Fergusson RN at Jutland, THUNDERER was part of Vice Admiral Sir Martyn Jerram's 2nd Battle Squadron: she gave a good account of herself and survived the battle unscathed. In 1919 she and TEMERAIRE became training ships for cadets, a role they performed until 1924, THUNDERER being paid off and sold in 1926. VICTORY, shown here in the background as she lay off Gosport, was in her final months afloat: in December 1921 she was moved across the harbour and into the dockyard before being dry docked on 12 January 1922.