William Lionel Wyllie, RA (British, 1851-1931)HMS Shannon and the Second Battle Squadron signed and dated ' W L Wyllie/1911' (lower right); inscribed 'No2/W L Wyllie/Hoo Lodge/Rochester' (verso)oil on canvas68.6 x 109.2cm (27 x 43in).Footnotes:ProvenanceAnon. sale, Christie's, London, 22 November 1991, lot 54.Private collection, UK (purchased from the above).HMS Shannon was a Minotaur class armoured cruiser launched in 1906 and completed in 1908. First attached to the 5th Cruiser Squadron of the Home Fleet, she then served with the 2nd Cruiser Squadron from 1909 until 1912 and again from 1913-14. During World War 1 her service with the Grand Fleet included the action at Jutland, for which she received a Battle Honour, and at Murmansk in November 1916. When this picture was painted in 1911, the second Battle Squadron consisted of HMS Shannon, together with four other armoured cruisers Achilles, Cochrane, Natal and Warrior all of which were of the Warrior class completed in 1906-1907.