HMS Galatea (1914)

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HMS Galatea was an Arethusa-class light cruiser launched on May 14, 1914 at William Beardmore and Company shipyard.

At the battle of Jutland, she was the flagship of the First Light Cruiser Squadron under Commodore E.S. Alexander-Sinclair. She was the first ship to report the presence of German ships, triggering the battle. The Galatea was also the first to receive a hit by the German light cruiser SMS Elbing, but no explosion ever occurred.

Galatea was part of the screen around the Battle Cruiser Force under Admiral Beatty which was on a sweep across the North Sea on May 31, 1916. She was sent in company with HMS Phaeton to investigate a stopped merchant vessel, the Danish N J Fiord. At the same time, two destroyers, B-109 and B-110 from the German battlecruiser and cruiser Scouting Groups under Admiral Franz von Hipper, were sent to investigate the ship. The two fleets were previously unaware that they were less than 50 miles (80 km) apart.

She was sold for scrapping in October, 1921.

See HMS Galatea for other ships of this name.

[edit] General characteristics

Displacement: 3720 tons
Length: 410 ft (125 m)
Beam: 39 ft (12 m)
Draft: 13.5 ft (4 m) mean
Complement: 318
Armament: 3 x 6 in (152 mm), 4 x 4 in (102 mm), 2 x 3 in (76 mm) guns, 8 x 21 in (533 mm) torpedo tubes
Armour: 3 in (76 mm) amidships, 2 in (51 mm) at ends, 1 in (25 mm) deck, 6 in (152 mm) conning tower
Propulsion: oil fired steam turbine, 40,000 shp (30 MW)
Speed: 28.5 knots (53 km/h) maximum