HMS King Edward VII

The design was a direct descendent of the Majestic-class, and that class, as well as the Canopus, Formidable and Duncan-class all had 6-inch secondary armamant. The King Edward's though, mounted an impressed 4 x 9.2-inch guns that could prove a formidable and potent weapon during any type of engagement, due to it's heavier shells compared to the shells of the standard 6-inch guns with the additional advantage of it retaining it's ability to quick-fire.

The King Edward's were made quickly obsolete by 1906, with the launch of the revolutionary HMS Dreadnought, from which derives the 'dreadnought' type of battleship.

Ships of the Class

• HMS Africa - In August 1914 she was part of the 3rd Battle Squadron of the huge Grand Fleet, and then in November 1918 joined the 9th Cruiser Squadron, before becoming an accomodation ship in 1919. She was scrapped the following year.

• HMS Britannia - She was torpedoed and sunk just two days before the armistice, on 9th November 1918 by U-50 off Cape Trafalgar.

• HMS Commonwealth - She participated in WWI, surviving the war, and being broken up in 1921.

• HMS Dominion - She was the third ship of the class to be launched in 1903. She participated in WWI and was broken up in 1921 like many of her sister-ships.

• HMS Hibernia - She was the last of the class to be launched, on the 17th June 1905. She was involved in WWI and was broken up in 1921.

• HMS Hindustan - She, like the rest of the class participated in WWI and like some, was broken up in 1921.

• HMS King Edward VII - The name-ship of the class had a far shorter career than her sister-ships. In 1916 she was mined off Cape Wrath. Her engine rooms flooded and she subsequently capsized twelve hours later.

• HMS New Zealand/Zealandia - She was renamed Zealandia to allow a Battlecruiser to use the original name. She took part in WWI and was broken up in 1921.