This is the only ship Britain saved for the nation post war. The pictures attached are 5 years old, she’d been towed to Portsmouth and was re-painted by the navy, she looks good!
Odd that, I’d have said it was arguably more famous for it’s participation in sinking the Bismark, the Scharnhorst and the Tirpitz but that’s not mentioned on the page.
Been trying to add pics to the post but as a techno spaz it’s not working. Ho-hum.
She wasn’t involved in sinking of the Bismark think she was in dock after hitting a mine at the time. The Turpitz of course never fired her big guns in anger. The Germans cleverly kept her in the Fjords in Norway keeping a lot of the British home fleet tied up in Scapa Flow. She was sunk by Lancasters dropping Grand Slam bombs designed by Barns Wallace (wot a name) of Dam Busters fame.
Youre right about the Scharnhorst though, this was her main claim to fame and her sinking is a main part of the ships interactive tour.
Ship we shouldve had tied up in the pool of London is HMS Warspite. Given what she’d done and suffered she was a true example of what the navy went through. Unfortunatly at the end of WW2 we, as a country, were so busted we needed all the steel we could get so she paid the ultimate sacrifice.
You’re quite right reference Bismark, my apologies.
I had a sudden and serious attack of brain fade there, possibly just thinking of the more famous ships.
Belast was escorting the carriers as part of the fleet sent to take out Tirpitz in '44. The plan was for Air Arm to hit the German vessel skulking in the Altenfjord and while 'Cudas didn’t manage to sink her they did inflict enough serious damage to send the message “for you ze var ist ofer !”
Nitpick - it’s Barnes Wallis.
Ship we shouldve had tied up in the pool of London is HMS Warspite. Given what she’d done and suffered she was a true example of what the navy went through.
I entirely agree. Definitely the 20th Century RN ship most worth keeping.
Tony Williams: Military gun and ammunition website and discussion forum
Thanks, nothing worse than a pedant being out pedanted ed ed. There would’ve been a winking icon if I could work it out so you’ll have to take it as read.
Warspite was one of the greatest ships in the navy. She went through so much but survived to the end. Don’t think there’s any ship that we had that suffered so and the crews were heroic.
Far braver than me anyhow.
Stumpy
the lancasters were carring the tall boy bomb and not the grand slam i know this cos i made the same mistake just a couple of days ago, just thought you would like to know
here she is guys, the bismarck in all her glory , date of the photo unknown.
