H.M.S. Centurion of the King George V class was one of the few pre-1914 battleships to take part in the Second World War. She was at Jutland and in 1919 served with the Mediterranean Fleet, going into reserve in 1924. Two years later she was converted into a radio-controlled target ship, a role in which she served for many years. In 1941 she became a dummy battleship representing H.M.S. Anson and the following year was used as an anti-aircraft ship at Suez. Her career was brought to a sudden end when she was sunk as a block-ship at the Normandy landings in 1944. Battleships of her class had a displacement tonnage of 23,000 on dimensions 598 ft. by 89 ft. and a speed of 21 knots. Armament comprised 10, 13.5-in. and 16, 4-in, guns with three 21-in, torpedo tubes. H.M.S. Centurion was laid down at Devonport Dockyard on January 16, 1911, launched on November 18, 1911 and commissioned for service on May 22, 1913. She was the 11th ship to carry the name in the Royal Navy, the first Centurion going back as far as 1650.
Sea Breezes Aug 1962 Ernest Argyle.