Portsmouth Harbour with HMS 'Bonaventure' and submarine 'D2' RMG PU8353

Portsmouth Harbour with HMS 'Bonaventure' and submarine 'D2'
Signed by artist, lower left. 'Bonaventure' was an Astraea-class second-class protected cruiser launched in 1892. She was a used as a submarine depot ship from 1910 and was broken up in 1920. In 1911-12 'Bonaventure' was the depot ship for five C-class and three D-class submarines based in Portsmouth. In October 1912 her brood changed to twelve C-class boats and she was based in Harwich. ' D2' was a British D-class submarine built by Vickers, at Barrow: she was laid down on 10 July 1909 and commissioned on 29 March 1911. After being in the North Sea patrol and at the Battle of the Heligoland Bight on 28 August 1914, she lost her commander on 23 November 1914 when he was washed overboard off Harwich: two days later, on 25th, she was rammed and sunk with all hands, including his replacement, by a German patrol boat off Borkum. The view is apparently into Portsmouth Harbour, with Gosport to the left, HMS 'Victory' saluting in the background - though firing more guns than would really be the case - and the Semahore Tower to the right. Other submarines are present, presumably those also under charge of the 'Bonaventure', all leaving harbour with her. While the etching could have been done any time after 1911 it is perhaps more likely to be a tribute to 'D2', following her sinking and looking back to pre-war days or at least when she and her consorts left Portsmouth for the North Sea patrol at the start of the war. The salute from 'Victory' also suggests this, however unrealistic (or unconnected with the departure) such a display might have been.