British battleship HMS Centurion bound homeward according to the Weekly Intelligence Summary No. 19 for the week ending19 March 1921

King George V-class

Centurion as target ship

The New York Public Library Digital Collections George Arents Collection-cigarette cards-British warships

An item reported that the British battleship HMS Centurion (1) would return on relief by the British battleship HMS Iron Duke.(2)

Notes

1. Part of the King George V-class consisting of the King George V (ex-Royal George), Audacious, Centurion and Ajax, preceded by the Orion-class and succeeded by the Iron Duke-class. Laid down at the navy yard Portsmouth, England on 16 January 1911, launched in 18 November 1911, completed in May 1913, converted into a target ship in 1924, ideas to used her as block ship in the harbour of Tripoli, Libya declined in April 1941, converted with a false superstructure into a decoy for the HMS Anson in April 1941-1942 and finally sunk as a breakwater off Normandy in June 1944.

2. Of the Iron Duke-class consisting of the Iron Duke, Marlborough, Benbow and Emperor of India. Preceded by the King George V-class and succeeded by the Queen Elizabeth-class. Laid down at the Portsmouth Dockyard on 12 January 1912, launched on 12 October 1912, completed in March 1914, removed from active service becoming a training ship in 1929, depot ship at Scapa Flow since 1939, damaged during an German air attack on 17 October 1939, after repairs beached still in service, sold to the Metal Industries be broken up in 1946. Resold in September 1948 brought towards Glasgow, Scotland and arrived there on 30 November 1948.

Source

The National Archives, Kew Gardens, England CAB-24-121-62