HMS Queen Elizabeth, Flagship of Admiral of the Fleet David Beatty, 1st Earl Beatty, GCB OM GCVO DSO PC (1871 - 1936). A Rocker Blotter Made From Salvaged Teak when the Battleship was Broken Up in 1948.
Built at Portsmouth, ‘Queen Elizabeth’ was a Dreadnought Class Battleship and was the lead ship of her class. She measured 650 feet in length by 94 feet in the beam, displacing 27500 tons (31000 tons fully laden). She carried 1234 men and was armed with eight 15-inch guns, twelve 6-inch guns, two 13-pounders and four 21-inch torpedo tubes.
Completed in January 1915 ‘Queen Elizabeth’ first saw action in March of that year with the bombardment of the forts at the Dardanelles. In February 1917 she became the Flagship of the Commander of the Fleet Sir David Beatty who had previously used the Dreadnought Battleship HMS 'Iron Duke' as his flagship. In 1919 ‘Queen Elizabeth’ became Flagship of Sir Charles Madden as Commander of the newly constituted Atlantic Fleet.
During World War Two she took part in Operation Tiger for the Malta Convoys, the evacuation of Crete and action in the Pacific, as part of the 3rd Battle Squadron. In 1941 she became Flagship of the 1st Battle Squadron and Flagship of the 2nd Fleet. She was broken up in 1948.
At Beatty's funeral the Union Flag flown by HMS Queen Elizabeth was draped over his coffin.
Approximate weight is 146 grams.
Approximate dimensions are 12.7 cm length, 5.4 cm width and 7 cm height.
In good condition with age related wear and a capstan style handle which unscrews to allow for blotting paper to be inserted.
