10cm (4in) x 10cm (4in) x 12cm (4.7in)
Shrapnel fragment which struck the flagship of Admiral Beatty’s battlecruiser squadron during the Battle of Dogger Bank. Mounted on a period brass plate raised on a composite and wood stepped base, applied with a plaque inscribed 'H.M.S. LION DOGGER BANK, / Jan 24th, 1915’.
On 24 January 1915 a British squadron under Admiral Beatty in HMS Lion surprised a German raiding force near Dogger Bank, North Sea, which fled for home. During a stern chase lasting several hours, Beatty disabled Blücher, the rearmost German ship, but Lion was heavily damaged. She was first hit on the waterline with a shell that flooded a coal bunker. Shortly afterwards a 8.3-inch shell from Blücher hit the roof of 'A' turret, denting it and knocking out the left gun for two hours. However, Lion responded by penetrated the working chamber of Seydlitz's rear barbette igniting propellant and killing 159 men. Seydlitz returned by pierceing Lion's five-inch armour aft. Derfflinger added to chaos by firing two 12-inch shells in to port side below the waterline. In all Lion was hit fourteen times, and took on some 3,000 tons of water and a list to port of 10 degrees..
