"Fleet Review - The Coronation Review of King George V; 1911"

Limited Edition Print on Paper

Edition of 250

Image size: 10 1/2 x 27 1/2 inches (26.5 x 70 cm)

Framed size: 18 1/2 x 35 1/2 inches (47 x 90 cm)

165 vessels anchored at Spithead for H.M. King George V's Coronation Review including 32 battleships and dreadnoughts, 24 armoured cruisers, 8 protected and 4 unarmoured cruisers, 67 destroyers, 12 torpedo boats and 8 submarines. In addition there were 18 foreign warships. The King and Queen arrived at the great naval dockyard of Portsmouth during the morning of Saturday 24 June and embarked in H.M. Yacht Victoria & Albert. As at Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee Review of 1887, ships were ordered to burn Welsh coal only, to reduce smoke and thus collisions.

The King steamed slowly down the lines of anchored men-of-war, receiving three rousing cheers as each ship was passed. Frank Wood's watercolour shows the Royal Yacht at the right of the picture passing up the starboard side of the French Cuirasse d'Escadre Danton. Starboard of Victoria & Albert in the near foreground is one of the last two pre-dreadnoughts, H.M.S. Lord Nelson. Over Lord Nelson's quarterdeck is H.M.S. Superb and in the centre of the painting is the world's first Dreadnought herself, the ship that revolutionised the Royal Navy and then the fleets of the rest of the world, H.M.S. Dreadnought, the Flag of the Commander-in-Chief Home Fleet.

Astern of Dreadnought lies H.M.S. King Alfred. From right to left are also seen: in the near distance H.M.S. Hibernia, (within 12 months to become the first ship to launch an aircraft whilst underway); the cruiser H.M.S. Carnarvon; H.M.S. Britannia; and to the very left H.M.S. Devonshire.