HMS EMPRESS OF INDIA Battleship [48M] – (Divers Guide; Weymouth & Portland Ed 5, p 32 No. 38) – 50 29.44N; 02 57.52W. (Details in LARN) – Lyme Bay. 14,300 tons, sunk “by accident” in November 1917 while being used by the Royal Navy as a target ship. She lies in the middle of Lyme Bay in 138 feet of water on a sandy bottom. More detail in Jane’s Fighting Ships, 1911, p80-81.
HMS Empress of India. Steel armoured pre dreadnought battleship built at Pembroke Dockyard as part of the Royal Sovereign class. Launched 7th May 1891 at Pembroke dockyard. She was initial to be called HMS Renown in1900 but changed before completion. She served in the Channel Squadron, HMS Empress of India was finally sunk as a target on 4th November 1913.
Displacement: 14,150 tons. Horse power: 13,000. Length: 380 ft. Beam: 75ft. Draught: 27′ 6″. Compliment: 712. Speed 18 knots.
Armament: four 67 ton in two armoured barbettes (13.5 inch). Ten 6-inch guns, 16 – 6 pounder QF, (this were distributed widely on two decks, with six mounted on main deck in casemates and the rest on upper deck with splinter shields. In the refits of 1902/1904 this upper deck guns had their splinter shields replaced with 5-inch KC armour casemates. ) Twelve 3 pounder guns and seven 18-inch torpedo tubes (5 aw and 2 submerged). Partial belt of 18 inch thick armour.
The wreck was salvaged by Mayer & Newman who removed much of her armour plating and the bronze propellers. She lies in the middle of Lyme Bay in 138 feet of water on a sandy bottom. More detail in Janes Fighting Ships, 1911, p80-81.
Day of Loss: 4
Month of Loss: 11
Year of Loss: 1913
Longitude: 50 29.44
Latitude: 02 57.52
Approximate Depth: 48
Aliases, aka: RENOWN