File:HMS 'Orion' leading the 2nd Battle Squadron of the Home Fleet, 1912-14 RMG BHC1345.jpg

This painting came to the Museum with another (BHC0653) from the estate of the artist's widow, who died in 1954. At that time it either already had the inaccurate title of 'The 1st Battle-Cruiser Squadron' or was given it shortly afterwards. The error was only noticed late in 2012, since the subject is in fact the four 'Orion'-class battleships comprising the 2nd Battle Squadron on the Home Fleet (subsequently the Grand Fleet). Battle-cruisers of the time had a second mast aft: this class did not and was also distinguished by the fore-funnel being ahead of the tripod single mast. 'Orion' herself, launched in 1910, is in the lead as flagship of the rear-admiral commanding the squadron (signified by the white St George's flag with two red balls in the hoist quadrants), a role she fulfilled from January 1912 and through the First World War to well into 1918. The others following indistinguishably are 'Monarch', 'Conqueror', and 'Thunderer', all launched in 1911 and completed by December 1912. They are shown, at latest, in about mid-1914 since all had their topmasts lowered and their torpedo nets and booms removed at the start of the war. An unidentifiable fifth (twin-masted) warship in the far right distance, beyond the fishing boat, is probably a battle-cruiser. Exactly when Cull painted the picture is not known but all four of the 'Orions' survived the war and went out of service in 1922. It could either be one painted just pre-war or, given its elegaic quality, possibly as a post-war commemoration of the squadron in its early days. It is signed lower left 'A B Cull' in pencil, over a fainter original signature.