Without the First World War, when would the Royal Navy have retired its remaining pre-dreadnought battleships?
Short answerThe estimate is roughly 1921-23, possibly earlier if replacement dreadnought construction moved quickly.
NotesThe likely end of Royal Navy pre-dreadnought service falls in the early 1920s. The estimate centers on 1921-23 rather than assuming that peace would preserve old battleships indefinitely. Faster dreadnought construction could move the date forward because replacement capacity, not sentiment, would determine how quickly the older fleet disappeared. The date helps frame peacetime fleet renewal after the dreadnought revolution.