HMS Lion at War

HMS Lion at War

The information in this section has been taken from the Log Books of HMS Lion, and can be consulted at the National Archives, Kew. (See References)

This page is indexed by years.

1914
1915
1916
1917
1918
1919

...

OUTBREAK OF FIRST WORLD WAR, 4th AUGUST 1914

1914

Friday 6th August 1914

p.m. War Routine.

3.00p.m. As required took station ahead of Battle Fleet.

Friday 28th August 1914

Still at sea off Scapa Flow.

12.37p.m. Opened fire on German cruiser.
1.00p.m. Opened fire on 2nd German cruiser.
1.35p.m. 1st German cruiser sunk, long 7.8E lat 54.10N.
2nd cruiser disappeared in mist to eastward, body on fire and in sinking condition.

Click here for a description of The Battle of Heligoland.

Monday 26th October

Moored at Invergordon [Cromarty Firth].

12.57p.m. Opened fire with 4" guns at an object which appeared to be a submarine.
1.03p.m. Ceased fire.

Wednesday 16th December

At sea.

11.00a.m. Took up position for intercepting enemy's battle cruisers returning from British coast.
11.30a.m. Southampton and Birmingham opened fire on enemy's light cruiser and destroyers.
12.55p.m. Endeavouring to intercept enemy's battle cruisers reported moving to eastward.
3.45p.m. Abandoned chase.

...

1915

1st January 1915

Moored at Rosyth.

4th January

At sea.

5th January

Moored at Rosyth.

18th January

Again at sea.

Tuesday 19th January

8.55a.m. Sighted zeppelin steering SE'ly.
9.00a.m. Engaged seaplane which made off in SE'ly direction.

21st January

Moored at Rosyth.

Sunday 24th January 1915

5.30a.m. Sighted vessels without lights on Port bow steering opposite course.
6.10a.m. Sighted vessels on Port quarter without lights steering parallel course.
7.00a.m. 1st Light Cruiser squadron Arethusa, Aurora, Undaunted and destroyers joined flag.
7.24a.m. Sighted gunflashes to S.E.
7.36a.m. SSE as required to engage enemy consisting of 4 battle cruisers, 5 light cruisers and 16 destroyers. Commenced working up to full speed.
8.45a.m. Enemy ships opened fire on our light cruisers.
8.58a.m. Opened fire on rear enemy ship.
9.05a.m. Battle cruisers brng. S60E and other enemy's ships sighted to south.
9.18a.m. Rear ship of enemy on fire.
11.00a.m. Ship severely damaged by gunfire and port engines disabled. Hauled out of line and steering North. Starb engine 140 revs.
11.40a.m. Stopped. Vice Admiral [Beatty] transferred his flag to TBD Attack and thence Princess Royal.
11.50a.m. Proceeded at 180 revs starb engine NW. Aurora and destroyers accompanying.
1.18p.m. Sighted Argyll and Devonshire. Hands employed stopping leaks and shoring bulkheads.
2.30p.m. Boilers priming and speed reduced.
4.08p.m. Stopped and worked engines as required for taking wire hawsers from Indomitable and shackling on to starb cable. Veered cable to 4 shackles.
5.15p.m. Proceeded in tow of Indomitable.

Tuesday 26th January

3.05a.m. Arrived Rosyth.
7.00a.m. Hoisted flag of V/Admiral.
3.20p.m. Discharged 9 wounded men to hospital.

Click here for a description of the Battle of Dogger Bank.

Tuesday 9th February

Left Rosyth for River Tyne.

28th March

Moored at Invergordon.

6th April

Moved to Cromarty.

Between 12th April and 15th June

Alternated between two or three days at sea and two or three days moored at Rosyth. Routine broken by a visit to Scapa Flow between 19th and 21st May.

22nd June

Moored at Rosyth.

9.00a.m. Landed 50 stokers for R.M. [Route March].

27th June

11.40a.m. V.A. presented DSM medals to men awarded them after the action of the 24th Jan.

21st August

Moored at Scapa Flow.

Between 23rd August and 8th November

Routine again alternating with duties at sea and moorings at Rosyth.

24th November

Visited Jarrow-on-Tyne.

1st December

Returned to Rosyth moorings.

...

1916

5th January 1916

At sea.

9th January

Returned to Rosyth.

29th January

Visited Cromarty.

1st February

Moved to Scapa Flow.

Between 3rd February and 25th April

Routine alternating again between duties at sea and moored at Rosyth, with a visit to Scapa Flow between 16th and 21st April.

26th April

Moored at Rosyth.

Wednesday 31st May 1916

3.44p.m. Action Stations - enemy reported.
4.25p.m. HMS New Zealand reported enemy on Starboard bow.
4.40p.m. Sighted 5 German battle cruisers.
4.47p.m. Opened fire on leading German battle cruiser on Port bow (1800 yards).
5.01p.m. HMS Indefatigable sunk.
5.08p.m. 5th B.S. opened fire.
5.26p.m. HMS Queen Mary sunk.
5.36p.m. Sighted enemy battle fleet ahead 16pts to north-
ward.
5.48p.m. Re-opened fire on starb. beam.
3rd B.C.S. joined and took station ahead and engaged enemy.
6.36p.m. HMS Invicible sunk.
Continued the action (visibility decreasing).
8.25p.m. Check fire - enemy obscured by smoke screen.
9.22p.m. Opened fire on left hand German battle cruiser on starb. beam.
9.30p.m. Check fire. Enemy retiring into mist.

Thursday 1st June

6.40p.m. Held burial service. Committed to the deep bodies of 66 officers and 89 men killed in action.

Click here for a description of the Battle of Jutland.

Friday 2nd June

Entered Rosyth.

Friday 16th June

9.30a.m. Hands fell in by Divisions in the dockyard for marching past the King.
10.30a.m. HM the King inspected the ships' companies of Battle Cruiser Fleet and 5th B.S.
2.30p.m. HM the King left the ship.

Friday 23rd June

9.28a.m. James Munday AB RNVR (O/No CZ5872) was accidentally killed when hoisting out cutters david with port stump derrick.

Monday 26th June

8.00a.m. Transferred flag to HMS Tiger.

Tuesday 27th June

Moved from Rosyth to Walker-on-Tyne.

Saturday 29th October

Returned to Rosyth.

9.30a.m. Divisions. V/A Sir David Beatty presented medals and commended officers and men recommended for services during the action on 31st May 1916.

...

1917

Between November 1916 and May 1917 the ship returned to the routine of several days at Rosyth, followed by a few days at sea. In addition, she visited Scapa Flow on 9th and 18th December, 30th January, 25th March and 22nd May, with one call at Cromarty on 17th December.

The whole of June and July 1917 were spent at Rosyth, and the ship then moved to Scapa Flow again on 21st August, returning to Rosyth on the 30th. September saw a return to alternate sea and moorings routine, whilst the whole of October was spent at Rosyth. November was again spent in the routine of sea duty and moored up at Rosyth, with one brief action:

Saturday 17th November 1917

At sea.

5.45a.m. Hands at battle stations.
7.50a.m. Enemy reported in sight.
8.00a.m. Observed cruisers and light cruisers open fire.
8.15a.m. Submarine reported ahead.
Hands at action stations.

...

1918

The ship returned to Rosyth after this action, on 19th November, and remained there until 14th January 1918, when once again the routine of sea duties and moorings was taken up. Scapa Flow was visited on 21st January for 10 days, and again on 19th March for 5 days. During the second visit an accident on board was recorded:

Friday 22nd March 1918

1.09p.m. Gun accident at P6 4" gun in after battery causing injuries to one officer and 7 men.
2.00p.m. Died Ply A/19355 Pte Reginald Harry Brine - result from shock and injuries sustained in 4" gun accident.
4.00p.m. Disembarked the body of late Pte Brine for transport to hospital ship Soudan and discharged 3 marines injured in gun accident in ditto.

The remaining few months of the War saw the ship once again following the routine of a few days at sea and several days at her moorings at Rosyth, with one final visit to Scapa Flow between 20th and 29th June. On 27th October 1918, the ship returned to Rosyth after her last period at sea, and remained there until the end of the War.

ARMISTICE DAY 11th NOVEMBER 1918

Monday 11th November 1918

11.15a.m. Cleared Lower Deck. C.W.C's signal read to Lower Deck.

Tuesday 12th November

a.m. Divisions. Prayers. King's message read to ship's company.

Wednesday 20th November

10.20a.m. Divisions manned ship.
HM the King passed down the line in HMS Oak.
p.m. Fell in for inspection by HM the King.
3.30p.m. His Majesty arrived on board.
3.55p.m. His Majesty left the ship.

...

1919

Ship remained at Rosyth until:

1st February 1919

Moved to Plymouth

18th February

Discharged Vice Admiral Sir William Packenham KCB KCMG KCVO to the Shore. Cheered ship.

9th March

Returned north to Scapa Flow.

2nd May

Returned to Rosyth.

23rd May

Renown arrived.
8.50 am. Vice Admiral Sir Roger Keyes KCB KCVO DSO, Paymaster General Haine and Sub-Lt Hall joined from Renown.
9.00 am. Hoisted flag of V.A. B.C.F. Renown Struck flag.

26th May