HMS Ramillies (07) - Old Empire, Old Ship

Old Empire, Old Ship

During 1937 Ramillies had her anti-aircraft batteries changed to 8 × 4-inch (102 mm) quick-fire Mark XVI arranged in dual mountings. Two eight barrelled 2 pdr "pom-poms" anti-aircraft gun mounts were added as well.

Ramillies lost her torpedo tubes before the outbreak of World War II and had her aircraft catapult removed.

It was found more difficult to modernise the Revenge class battleships than the Queen Elizabeth class (e.g. HMS Valiant), since the smaller displacement and narrower hull prevented the installation of larger machinery to increase speed, perhaps the greatest need.

The new and the modernised Japanese battleships under construction in the 1930s made 24 to 27 knots (44 to 50 km/h), while the modernised Italian ships made 26 to 28 knots (48 to 52 km/h) and the new Littorio class made 30 knots (56 km/h). The German pocket battleships could achieve 28 knots (52 km/h), while the battleships/battlecruisers Scharnhorst and the Gneisenau made 32 knots (59 km/h) and the Bismarck and the Tirpitz made 29 knots (54 km/h). By 1939, Ramillies' design speed of 23 knots (43 km/h) could no longer be achieved with her old machinery. Often 18 knots (33 km/h) was her top speed, though in an emergency she could sometimes make 20 knots (37 km/h).

This put the Royal Navy in a difficult spot. When Ramillies and her sisters were in a battle fleet, the entire group was reduced to their top speed. This enabled faster Italian fleets to choose whether to engage and, if battle loomed, to manoeuvre to advantage. Had they been faced by superior Japanese forces, the British would have been too slow to get away.

When on convoy protection duty and attacked by enemy battleships, Ramillies was too slow to pursue or to gain the most favourable position. However, her 15-inch (381 mm) guns were still lethal, and changed the course of events on several occasions.