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HMS Warspite (1913)
Encyclopedia
HMS Warspite (pennant number
Pennant number
In the modern Royal Navy, and other navies of Europe and the Commonwealth, ships are identified by pennant numbers...
03) was a Queen Elizabeth-class
Queen Elizabeth class battleship
The Queen Elizabeth-class battleships were a class of five super-dreadnoughts of the Royal Navy. The lead ship was named after Elizabeth I of England...
battleship of the British Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
Warspite gained the nickname "The Grand Old Lady" after a comment made by Admiral Sir Andrew Cunningham
Andrew Cunningham, 1st Viscount Cunningham of Hyndhope
Admiral of the Fleet Andrew Browne Cunningham, 1st Viscount Cunningham of Hyndhope KT, GCB, OM, DSO and two Bars , was a British admiral of the Second World War. Cunningham was widely known by his nickname, "ABC"....
in 1943.
Warspite and the other vessels in her class were advocated by Admiral Sir John 'Jackie' Fisher, and Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
, then First Lord of the Admiralty. She served in both World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and World War II, earning the most battle honours ever awarded to an individual ship in the Royal Navy, including the most awarded for actions in the Second World War.
Design
Upon her completion, Warspite displaced 33,410 tons. She was 639 in 5 in (194.89 m), had a beam of 90 in 6 in (27.58 m) and a draught of 30 in 6 in (9.3 m). Her initial armament was 8 Mk I 15-inch/42 gunsBL 15 inch /42 naval gun
The BL 15 inch Mark I succeeded the gun. It was the first British 15 inch gun design and the most widely used and longest lasting of any British designs, and arguably the most efficient heavy gun ever developed by the Royal Navy...
placed in four twin turrets, 14 single Mk XII 6-inch guns
BL 6 inch Mk XII naval gun
The BL 6 inch Gun Mark XII was a British 45 calibres naval gun which was mounted as primary armament on light cruisers and secondary armament on dreadnought battleships commissioned in the period 1914 - 1926, and remained in service on many warships until the end of World War II.-Design:This was a...
, two single 3-inch anti-aircraft guns
QF 3 inch 20 cwt
The QF 3 inch 20 cwt anti-aircraft gun became the standard anti-aircraft gun used in the home defence of the United Kingdom against German airships and bombers and on the Western Front in World War I. It was also common on British warships in World War I and submarines in World War II...
and four single 3-pdr (47 mm) saluting guns. Along with that, she had 4 21 inch submerged torpedo tubes
British 21 inch torpedo
There have been several British 21-inch diameter torpedoes used by the Royal Navy since their first development just before the First World War.They were the largest size of torpedo in common use in the RN...
.
Commissioning (1912-1916)
Warspite's first commanding officer upon being commissioned in 1915 was Captain Edward Phillpotts. Warspite joined the 2nd Battle Squadron2nd Battle Squadron (United Kingdom)
The British Royal Navy 2nd Battle Squadron was a naval squadron consisting of battleships. The 2nd Battle Squadron was initially part of the Royal Navy's Grand Fleet. After World War I the Grand Fleet was reverted back to its original name, the Atlantic Fleet...
of the Grand Fleet following a number of acceptance trials, including gunnery trials, which saw Churchill present when she fired her 15 inch (381 mm) guns. Churchill was suitably impressed with their accuracy and power. In late 1915, Warspite was grounded in the River Forth
River Forth
The River Forth , long, is the major river draining the eastern part of the central belt of Scotland.The Forth rises in Loch Ard in the Trossachs, a mountainous area some west of Stirling...
causing some damage to her hull; she had been led by her escorting destroyers down the small ships channel. After repairs, she rejoined the Grand Fleet, this time as part of the newly formed 5th Battle Squadron
British 5th Battle Squadron
The British 5th Battle Squadron was a squadron consisting of battleships. The 5th Battle Squadron was initially part of the Royal Navy's Home Fleet. During the First World War, the Home Fleet was renamed the Grand Fleet.-August 1914:...
which had been created for Queen Elizabeth class ships. In early December, Warspite was involved in another incident when, during an exercise, she collided with her sister-ship Barham
HMS Barham (1914)
HMS Barham was a Queen Elizabeth-class battleship of the Royal Navy named after Admiral Charles Middleton, 1st Baron Barham, built at the John Brown shipyards in Clydebank, Scotland, and launched in 1914...
, which caused considerable damage to Warspite.
Jutland (1916)
In 1916, Warspite and the 5th Battle Squadron temporarily augmented Vice-Admiral David Beatty'sDavid Beatty, 1st Earl Beatty
Admiral of the Fleet David Richard Beatty, 1st Earl Beatty, GCB, OM, GCVO, DSO was an admiral in the Royal Navy...
Battlecruiser
Battlecruiser
Battlecruisers were large capital ships built in the first half of the 20th century. They were developed in the first decade of the century as the successor to the armoured cruiser, but their evolution was more closely linked to that of the dreadnought battleship...
Force. Between 31 May and 1 June 1916, Warspite fought with the squadron in the Battle of Jutland
Battle of Jutland
The Battle of Jutland was a naval battle between the British Royal Navy's Grand Fleet and the Imperial German Navy's High Seas Fleet during the First World War. The battle was fought on 31 May and 1 June 1916 in the North Sea near Jutland, Denmark. It was the largest naval battle and the only...
- the largest encounter between Britain and Germany during the war. Warspite sustained fifteen hits, incurring such considerable damage that she almost foundered. Her steering jammed while attempting to avoid her sister-ship Valiant
HMS Valiant (1914)
HMS Valiant was a Queen Elizabeth-class battleship of the British Royal Navy. She was laid down at the Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company, Govan on 31 January 1913 and launched on 4 November 1914...
. Warspite’s captain decided to maintain course, in effect circling, rather than come to a halt and reverse. This decision exposed Warspite. The manoeuvres made Warspite a tempting target and inadvertently diverted attention from the badly-damaged cruiser, Warrior. This gained her the admiration of Warriors crew, who believed Warspite's movement had been intentional.
The crew regained control of Warspite after two full circles. Their efforts to end the circular motion had the consequence of placing her on a course towards the German fleet. The rangefinders and the transmission station were non-functional and only "A" turret could fire, albeit under local control with 12 salvos falling short of their target. Sub Lieutenant Herbert Annesley Packer
Herbert Annesley Packer
Admiral Sir Herbert Annesley Packer KCB, CBE was an officer in the British Royal Navy and ended his career as an Admiral and Commander-in-Chief, South Atlantic.-Family background:The only son of Dr...
was promoted and mentioned in dispatches for his command of "A" turret. Due to her condition, Warspite was ordered to halt and make necessary repairs. Warspite would be plagued with steering irregularities for the rest of her service life.
Plastic surgery
Plastic surgery is a medical specialty concerned with the correction or restoration of form and function. Though cosmetic or aesthetic surgery is the best-known kind of plastic surgery, most plastic surgery is not cosmetic: plastic surgery includes many types of reconstructive surgery, hand...
. Although extensively damaged, Warspite could still sail under her own volition, and was ordered home by Rear-Admiral Hugh Evan-Thomas
Hugh Evan-Thomas
Vice Admiral Sir Hugh Evan-Thomas GCB, KCMG, MVO was a British Royal Navy officer.During World War I he commanded the 5th Battle Squadron of the Grand Fleet, flying his flag in HMS Barham, and fought at the Battle of Jutland on 31 May – 1 June 1916.-Background:Evan-Thomas' family came from...
, commander of the 5th Battle Squadron. While on her journey to Rosyth
Rosyth
Rosyth is a town located on the Firth of Forth, three miles south of the centre of Dunfermline. According to an estimate taken in 2008, the town has a population of 12,790....
, Warspite came under attack from a German U-boat
U-boat
U-boat is the anglicized version of the German word U-Boot , itself an abbreviation of Unterseeboot , and refers to military submarines operated by Germany, particularly in World War I and World War II...
. The U-boat fired three torpedoes, all of which missed their target. Warspite later attempted to ram a surfaced U-boat. She reached Rosyth, where her damage was repaired.
1916-1918
Upon the completion of her repairs, Warspite rejoined the 5th Battle Squadron. Further misfortune struck soon afterwards, when she again collided with a sister-ship, this time Valiant. The incident necessitated repairs. In June 1917, Warspite collided with HMS Destroyer. In the following month, Warspite was rocked at her moorings in Scapa FlowScapa Flow
right|thumb|Scapa Flow viewed from its eastern endScapa Flow is a body of water in the Orkney Islands, Scotland, United Kingdom, sheltered by the islands of Mainland, Graemsay, Burray, South Ronaldsay and Hoy. It is about...
when Vanguard
HMS Vanguard (1909)
The eighth HMS Vanguard of the British Royal Navy was a St Vincent-class battleship, an enhancement of the "" design built by Vickers at Barrow-in-Furness...
, a St Vincent-class
St. Vincent class battleship
The St. Vincent class battleships consisted of three ships of the Royal Navy laid down in 1908, and completed between May 1909 and April 1910. They were St. Vincent, Collingwood, and Vanguard. Vanguard was destroyed in an ammunition explosion, probably due to bagged cordite.Visually, they were very...
battleship, exploded with the loss of hundreds of her crew when an ammunition magazine detonated. In 1918, Warspite had to be repaired after a boiler room caught fire. On 21 November, Warspite, under the command of Hubert Lynes
Hubert Lynes
Rear Admiral Hubert Lynes CB, CMG was a British admiral whose First World War service was notable for his direction of the Zeebrugge and Ostend raids designed to neutralise the German-held port of Bruges, which was used as a raiding base against the British coastline by German Navy surface and...
, set sail to receive the German High Seas Fleet into internment at Scapa Flow following the signing of the Armistice.
Interbellum (1919-1939)
In 1919, Warspite joined the 2nd Battle Squadron, part of the newly-formed Atlantic FleetBritish Atlantic Fleet
The Atlantic Fleet was a major fleet formation of the Royal Navy.There have been two main formations in the Royal Navy officially called the Atlantic Fleet. The first was created in 1909 and lasted until 1914...
. She served in the Mediterranean for the majority of her assignment to the fleet. In 1924, Warspite attended a Royal Fleet Review at Spithead
Spithead
Spithead is an area of the Solent and a roadstead off Gilkicker Point in Hampshire, England. It is protected from all winds, except those from the southeast...
, presided over by King George V
George V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
. Later in the year year, Warspite underwent a partial modernisation that altered her superstructure, enhanced her armour protection, and supplemented her armament with small calibre guns. After the process finished, Warspite assumed the role of flagship of the Commander-in-Chief and Second-in-Command, Mediterranean Fleet.
In 1930, Warspite rejoined the Atlantic Fleet. She was at sea when the crews of a number of warships mutinied at Invergordon
Invergordon Mutiny
The Invergordon Mutiny was an industrial action by around 1,000 sailors in the British Atlantic Fleet, that took place on 15–16 September 1931...
in September 1931. Warspite later became the subject of newspaper reports of crew disaffection, which dismayed Admiral Dudley Pound
Dudley Pound
Admiral of the Fleet Sir Alfred Dudley Pickman Rogers Pound GCB OM GCVO RN was a British naval officer who served as First Sea Lord, professional head of the Royal Navy from June 1939 to September 1943.- Early life :...
.
The battleship was refitted at Portsmouth between 1934 and 1937 at an estimated cost of more than £2 million (equivalent to £641 million in 2008, using a share of GDP), with her internal components being extensively modernised. The project replaced her propulsion machinery and installed six individual boiler rooms, with Admiralty three-drum boilers, in place of 24 Yarrow boilers; geared Parsons turbines were fitted in four new engine rooms and gearing rooms. This increased fuel efficiency, reducing fuel consumption from 41 tons per hour to 27 at almost 24 knots, and gave the warship 80,000 shp. The weight saving on the lighter machinery was used in increasing protection and armament changes. Deck armour improvements were similar to those in Malaya except the 1,100 tons of armour added covered the boiler rooms as well. The 6 inch guns had their protection reduced - four guns were removed as well in widening the forecastle - and the conning tower (200 tons weight) was removed. Four twin 4 inch guns and four octuple 2 pdr pom-poms were added for her A/A defences. The turrets were removed and altered to increase elevation of the guns. This gave them a further 6,000 yards of range - a maximum of 32000 yd (29.3 km) with a 6crh shell. Deck armour was increased to 5 inches over the magazines and 3.5 inches over the machinery. Her superstructure was radically altered, allowing an aircraft hangar to be fitted. The fire control was also modernized to include the HACS
HACS
HACS, an acronym of High Angle Control System, was a British anti-aircraft fire-control system employed by the Royal Navy from 1931 onwards and used widely during World War II...
MkIII* AA fire control system and the Admiralty Fire Control Table
Admiralty Fire Control Table
thumb|Admiralty Fire Control Table in the transmitting station of [[HMS Belfast |HMS Belfast]].The Admiralty Fire Control Table was an electromechanical analogue computer fire-control system that calculated the correct elevation and deflection of a Royal Navy cruiser or battleships' main armament,...
Mk VII for surface fire control of the main armament.
After the refit's completion, Warspite recommissioned to become the flagship of the Mediterranean Fleet under the command of Captain Victor Crutchley
Victor Alexander Charles Crutchley
Admiral Sir Victor Alexander Charles Crutchley VC, KCB, DSC, DL, RN was a British admiral in World War II and a hero of the First World War...
. Problems with propulsion machinery and steering, a legacy of Jutland, continued to beset Warspite. While on exercise in the English Channel
English Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
, the battleship narrowly missed hitting a passenger liner with shells from her 15-inch guns. Warspite entered Grand Harbour
Grand Harbour
Grand Harbour is a natural harbour on the island of Malta. It has been used as a harbour since at least Phoenician times...
, in Malta, on 14 January 1938 and continued gunnery practice and training. At the end of one anti-aircraft exercise, a junior midshipman independently discharged his pom-pom
QF 2 pounder naval gun
The 2-pounder gun, officially designated the QF 2-pounder and universally known as the pom-pom, was a 1.575 inch British autocannon, used famously as an anti-aircraft gun by the Royal Navy. The name came from the sound that the original models make when firing...
gun after a towing aircraft flew low overhead to display its attached target to the crew. Warspite had turned towards Valletta on the exercise's conclusion and the shells hurtled towards the city. The shells landed harmlessly at a gunnery range where a platoon of the Green Howards was exercising.
Atlantic and Narvik (1939-1940)
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Warspite reinforced the Home Fleet and supported operations in pursuit of a number of German capital ships without contact being made.
In April 1940, Warspite provided support during the Norwegian Campaign
Norwegian Campaign
The Norwegian Campaign was a military campaign that was fought in Norway during the Second World War between the Allies and Germany, after the latter's invasion of the country. In April 1940, the United Kingdom and France came to Norway's aid with an expeditionary force...
, engaging German shore batteries and warships in the Second Battle of Narvik. In the battle, Warspite, which had Vice-Admiral William Whitworth
William Whitworth
Admiral Sir William Jock Whitworth KCB DSO was a senior Royal Navy officer who went on to be Second Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Personnel.-Naval career:...
embarked, and accompanying escorts destroyers sought to neutralise a force of eight German destroyers trapped in Ofotfjord
Ofotfjord
Ofotfjord or Narvik Fjord, an inlet of the Norwegian sea north of the Arctic circle, is Norway's 12th longest fjord, long, and the 18th deepest, with a maximum depth of . Along the shores of this fjord is the major town of Narvik...
, near the port of Narvik
Narvik
is the third largest city and municipality in Nordland county, Norway by population. Narvik is located on the shores of the Narvik Fjord . The municipality is part of the Ofoten traditional region of North Norway, inside the arctic circle...
. Warspite's Fairey Swordfish
Fairey Swordfish
The Fairey Swordfish was a torpedo bomber built by the Fairey Aviation Company and used by the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy during the Second World War...
torpedo-bomber sank the German U-boat U-64
German submarine U-64 (1939)
German submarine U-64 was a Type IXB U-boat of the German Kriegsmarine during World War II. U-64 was ordered by the Kriegsmarine on 16 July 1937 in violation of the Treaty of Versailles and as part of the German naval rearmament program Plan Z. Her keel was laid down by AG Weser in Bremen on 15...
, becoming the first aircraft to sink a U-boat in the war. The British destroyers soon opened fire on their counterparts, which had almost exhausted their fuel and ammunition. All were sunk. The Warspite destroyed the heavily-damaged Erich Koellner
German destroyer Z13 Erich Koellner
Z13 Erich Koellner was a built for the German Navy in the late 1930s. At the beginning of World War II, the ship was still working up. In early 1940 she made two successful minelaying sorties off the English coast that claimed six merchant ships...
with broadsides, while damaging the Diether von Roeder
German destroyer Z17 Diether von Roeder
Z17 Diether von Roeder was a built for the Kriegsmarine in the late 1930s.-External links:*...
and Erich Giese
German destroyer Z12 Erich Giese
Z12 Erich Giese was a built for the German Navy in the late 1930s. At the beginning of World War II, the ship was used in the German Bight to lay minefields in German waters. In late 1939 the ship made one successful minelaying sortie off the English coast that claimed two merchant ships...
. The Diether von Roeder had to be scuttled while the Erich Giese was sunk in conjunction with destroyers. Warspite was also used in several shore bombardments later in this campaign.
Mediterranean (1940-1941)
Battle of Calabria
The Battle of Calabria, was a naval battle during the Battle of the Mediterranean in World War II. It was fought between the Italian Royal Navy and the British Royal Navy and the Royal Australian Navy. The battle occurred 30 miles to the east of Punta Stilo, the "toe" of Italy , on 9 July 1940...
she was credited with achieving one of the longest range gunnery hits from a moving ship to a moving target in history. This was a hit on the Giulio Cesare
Italian battleship Giulio Cesare
Giulio Cesare , motto Caesar Adest was a Conte di Cavour-class battleship that served in the Regia Marina in both World Wars before joining the Soviet Navy as the Novorossiysk. Her keel was laid down on 24 June 1910 at Cantieri Ansaldo, Genoa...
at a range of approximately 26,000 yards (The other was by the Scharnhorst, which scored a hit on the Glorious
HMS Glorious (77)
HMS Glorious was the second of the cruisers built for the British Royal Navy during the First World War. Designed to support the Baltic Project championed by the First Sea Lord, Lord Fisher, they were very lightly armoured and armed with only a few heavy guns. Glorious was completed in late 1916...
at approximately the same distance in June 1940).
On 27 March 1941 Admiral Cunningham, flying his flag on Warspite, exited Alexandria harbour with his capital ships after being notified that an Italian battle fleet was at sea. In the ensuing Battle of Cape Matapan
Battle of Cape Matapan
The Battle of Cape Matapan was a Second World War naval battle fought from 27–29 March 1941. The cape is on the southwest coast of Greece's Peloponnesian peninsula...
, Warspite, Valiant, and Barham, aided by radar, destroyed the heavy cruisers Fiume
Italian cruiser Fiume
The Fiume was a Zara class heavy cruiser of the Italian Regia Marina. Her name derives from the city of Fiume and her motto Sic indeficienter virtus derived from the city's motto since 1659, Indeficienter-Service:...
and Zara
Italian cruiser Zara
Zara was an Italian Zara class heavy cruiser, which served in the Regia Marina during World War II. The cruiser was named after the Adriatic city of Zara ....
at night in a devastating barrage. Another heavy cruiser, the Pola
Italian cruiser Pola
The Pola was a Zara class heavy cruiser of the Italian Regia Marina. She was built in the OTO shipyard at Livorno and entered service in 1932...
, had been crippled by torpedoes, while two destroyers were sunk.
On 21 April 1941, still under Cunningham's command, Warspite attacked the harbour of Tripoli
Tripoli
Tripoli is the capital and largest city in Libya. It is also known as Western Tripoli , to distinguish it from Tripoli, Lebanon. It is affectionately called The Mermaid of the Mediterranean , describing its turquoise waters and its whitewashed buildings. Tripoli is a Greek name that means "Three...
in company with her sister-ships Barham and Valiant
HMS Valiant (1914)
HMS Valiant was a Queen Elizabeth-class battleship of the British Royal Navy. She was laid down at the Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company, Govan on 31 January 1913 and launched on 4 November 1914...
, the cruiser Gloucester. and various destroyers. She suffered damage from German air attack during the Battle of Crete
Battle of Crete
The Battle of Crete was a battle during World War II on the Greek island of Crete. It began on the morning of 20 May 1941, when Nazi Germany launched an airborne invasion of Crete under the code-name Unternehmen Merkur...
.
Indian Ocean (1941-1943)
In 1941, Warspite departed Alexandria for the Puget Sound Naval ShipyardPuget Sound Naval Shipyard
Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility is a United States Navy shipyard covering 179 acres on Puget Sound at Bremerton, Washington...
, Bremerton, in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Repairs and modifications there began in August and ended in December, and included the replacement of her deteriorated 15 in guns. Warspite was still at the shipyard when the Japanese Navy attacked Pearl Harbor
Attack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on the morning of December 7, 1941...
. After working-up around the west coast of North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, Warspite departed the area to join the Eastern Fleet
British Eastern Fleet
The British Eastern Fleet was a fleet of the Royal Navy which existed from 1941 to 1971...
in the Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
.
In January 1942, Warspite joined the Eastern Fleet as flagship of Admiral Sir James Somerville, who had commanded Warspite in 1927. As part of the Eastern Fleet, Warspite, based in Ceylon, formed a fast group with the aircraft carriers Formidable
HMS Formidable (R67)
HMS Formidable was an Illustrious class aircraft carrier of the Royal Navy during World War II. She was constructed by Harland & Wolff, Belfast, and launched on 17 August 1939...
and Indomitable
HMS Indomitable (R92)
HMS Indomitable was a modified Illustrious class aircraft carrier of the British Royal Navy. The Illustrious class came about due to the 1937 Naval Programme...
. Somerville decided to relocate his fleet to protect it from attack. He chose the Addu Atoll
Addu Atoll
Addu City is a city in Maldives consisting of the inhabited islands of the southernmost atoll of the archipelago....
, in the Maldives
Maldives
The Maldives , , officially Republic of Maldives , also referred to as the Maldive Islands, is an island nation in the Indian Ocean formed by a double chain of twenty-six atolls oriented north-south off India's Lakshadweep islands, between Minicoy Island and...
, as his new base.In early April, two Japanese naval groups sailed into the Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean raid
The Indian Ocean raid was a naval sortie by the Fast Carrier Strike Force of the Imperial Japanese Navy from 31 March-10 April 1942 against Allied shipping and bases in the Indian Ocean. It was an early engagement of the Pacific campaign of World War II...
to attack Allied shipping and bases in the Indian Ocean and the Bay of Bengal. The first sighting of the Japanese occurred on 4 April 1942. Soon afterwards, Warspites fast group set sail from its base with the objective of intercepting the Japanese, but an encounter did not take place. The remainder of Warspite's deployment was uneventful. She returned to the Mediterranean in 1943.
Mediterranean (1943-1944)
Force H
Force H was a British naval formation during the Second World War. It was formed in 1940 to replace French naval power in the western Mediterranean that had been removed by the French armistice with Nazi Germany....
, based in Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
, and took part in Operation Husky, the invasion of Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
, in July, along with the battleships Nelson, Rodney
HMS Rodney (1925)
HMS Rodney was one of two s built for the Royal Navy in the mid-1920s. She was named for Admiral Sir George Brydges Rodney...
and Valiant
HMS Valiant (1914)
HMS Valiant was a Queen Elizabeth-class battleship of the British Royal Navy. She was laid down at the Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company, Govan on 31 January 1913 and launched on 4 November 1914...
, and the carriers Formidable
HMS Formidable (R67)
HMS Formidable was an Illustrious class aircraft carrier of the Royal Navy during World War II. She was constructed by Harland & Wolff, Belfast, and launched on 17 August 1939...
and Illustrious
HMS Illustrious (R87)
HMS Illustrious , the fourth Illustrious of the British Royal Navy, was an aircraft carrier which saw service in World War II, the lead ship of the Illustrious-class of carriers which also included Victorious, Formidable, and Indomitable.-Construction:Illustrious was built by Vickers-Armstrongs at...
. Warspite began her bombardment of Sicily on 17 July, when she poured heavy fire onto German positions at Catania
Catania
Catania is an Italian city on the east coast of Sicily facing the Ionian Sea, between Messina and Syracuse. It is the capital of the homonymous province, and with 298,957 inhabitants it is the second-largest city in Sicily and the tenth in Italy.Catania is known to have a seismic history and...
.
Between 8 September and 9 September, Force H, covering the landings at Salerno, came under fierce German air-attack, but shot down many German planes. On 10 September Warspite led the Italian Fleet into internment at Malta after their surrender to the Allies.
Warspite, now commanded by her one-time midshipman Herbert Annesley Packer
Herbert Annesley Packer
Admiral Sir Herbert Annesley Packer KCB, CBE was an officer in the British Royal Navy and ended his career as an Admiral and Commander-in-Chief, South Atlantic.-Family background:The only son of Dr...
, returned to action on 15 September in support of Allied forces at Salerno
Salerno
Salerno is a city and comune in Campania and is the capital of the province of the same name. It is located on the Gulf of Salerno on the Tyrrhenian Sea....
. The American sector was in a precarious situation following German counter-attacks, although it had been augmented by airborne-dropped reinforcements on the 14th. After arriving off Salerno, Warspite bombarded German positions, with nine of her twelve salvoes accurately delivered to the battleship's targets in the vicinity of Altavilla
Altavilla
Altavilla is a village and former municipality in the district of See in the canton of Fribourg, Switzerland.-History:It was first recorded in 1340 as Alta villa. It has also had the German name Altenfüllen and the French Hauteville....
. Disaster soon struck Warspite, for on the 16th she was attacked by a squadron of German aircraft, armed with an early guided missile, the Fritz X (FX-1400)
Fritz X
Fritz X was the most common name for a German guided anti-ship glide bomb used during World War II. Fritz X was a nickname used both by Allied and Luftwaffe personnel. Alternate names include Ruhrstahl SD 1400 X, Kramer X-1, PC 1400X or FX 1400...
. She was hit three times, one of them striking near her funnel, ripping through her decks and causing immense damage, making a large hole in the bottom of her hull, and crippling much of Warspite as it did so. Although the damage had been considerable, Warspites casualties amounted to nine killed and fourteen wounded.
She was soon on the journey to Malta, being towed by United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
(USN) tugs. The practicalities of towing a ship of Warspites dimensions proved difficult, and at one stage she broke all tow lines and drifted sideways through the Straits of Messina. She reached Malta on 19 September and undertook emergency repairs before being towed to Gibraltar. Warspite returned to Britain in March 1944 to continue her repairs at Rosyth
Rosyth
Rosyth is a town located on the Firth of Forth, three miles south of the centre of Dunfermline. According to an estimate taken in 2008, the town has a population of 12,790....
.
North-Western Europe (1944-1945)
On 6 June 1944, Warspite provided naval gunfire support for the Allies' Normandy landings. She formed part of the Eastern Task Force and concentrated her fire on German positions near Sword BeachSword Beach
Sword, commonly known as Sword Beach, was the code name given to one of the five main landing areas along the Normandy coast during the initial assault phase, Operation Neptune, of Operation Overlord; the Allied invasion of German-occupied France that commenced on 6 June 1944...
. Despite "X" turret still being inoperable, Warspite remained off Normandy in support of American forces and the British at Gold Beach
Gold Beach
Gold Beach was the code name of one of the D-Day landing beaches that Allied forces used to invade German-occupied France on 6 June 1944, during World War II....
. She later sustained heavy damage from a magnetic mine while steaming to Rosyth to have her guns replaced. Partial repairs, sufficient for her to return to action, enabled Warspite to resume her bombardment duties. Warspite bombarded Brest
Brest, France
Brest is a city in the Finistère department in Brittany in northwestern France. Located in a sheltered position not far from the western tip of the Breton peninsula, and the western extremity of metropolitan France, Brest is an important harbour and the second French military port after Toulon...
, Le Havre
Le Havre
Le Havre is a city in the Seine-Maritime department of the Haute-Normandie region in France. It is situated in north-western France, on the right bank of the mouth of the river Seine on the English Channel. Le Havre is the most populous commune in the Haute-Normandie region, although the total...
and Walcheren
Walcheren
thumb|right|250px|Campveer Tower in Veere, built in 1500Walcheren is a former island in the province of Zeeland in the Netherlands at the mouth of the Scheldt estuary. It lies between the Oosterschelde in the north and the Westerschelde in the south and is roughly the shape of a rhombus...
, the latter in support of an amphibious assault in November. Having been mostly inactive following Walcheren, Warspite was placed into Category C Reserve on 1 February 1945.
Decommissioning
Although there were proposals to retain her as a museum ship, the Admiralty approved Warspites scrapping in July 1946. On 19 April 1947, Warspite departed Portsmouth for scrapping at Faslane, on the River Clyde. On the way, she encountered a severe storm and the hawser of the tug Bustler parted, whilst the other tug Melinda III slipped her tow. In storm force conditions Warspite dropped one of her huge anchors in Mount's BayMount's Bay
Mount's Bay is a large, sweeping bay on the English Channel coast of Cornwall in the United Kingdom, stretching from the Lizard Point to Gwennap Head on the eastern side of the Land's End peninsula. Towards the middle of the bay is St Michael's Mount...
, which did not hold, and the storm drove her onto Mount Mopus Ledge near Cudden Point. Later refloating herself she went hard aground a few yards away in Prussia Cove
Prussia Cove
Prussia Cove , formerly called the King's Cove, is a small private estate on the coast of Mount's Bay and to the east of Cudden Point, west Cornwall, UK. Part of the area is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest , a Geological Conservation Review site and is in an Area of Outstanding...
. Her skeleton crew of seven was saved by the Penlee Lifeboat
Penlee Lifeboat Station
Penlee Lifeboat Station is the base for Royal National Lifeboat Institution search and rescue operations for Mount's Bay in Cornwall, United Kingdom. The lifeboat station was opened at Penlee Point in Mousehole in 1913 but was moved to Newlyn in 1983...
W. & S. There were several attempts to refloat her but the hull was badly damaged and Warspite was partially scrapped where she lay.
An attempt to refloat her in 1950, buoyed by 24 compressors pumping air into her tanks, and watched by a large crowd, the press and the BBC, failed. There was insufficient water to float her clear of the reef in a rising south westerly gale. The salvage boat Barnet, standing guard overnight under the Warspite’s bows was holed in the engine room, towed off and eventually drifted ashore at Long Rock, a few miles to the west. By August the battleship was finally beached off St Michael’s Mount and after further salvage another attempt was made to refloat her in November. The Falmouth tug Masterman spent the night on the Hogus Rocks after failing to tow Warspite; and her sister tug Tradesman had 60 foot of wire wrapped around her propeller when trying to haul Masterman off the rocks. Aided by her compressor and two jet engines from an experimental aircraft the hulk was finally moved 130 feet closer to shore and by the summer of 1955 she disappeared from view.
A memorial stone was placed near the sea wall at Marazion
Marazion
Marazion is a civil parish and town in Cornwall, United Kingdom. It is situated on the shore of Mount's Bay, two miles east of Penzance and one mile east of Long Rock.St Michael's Mount is half-a-mile offshore from Marazion...
and later moved a short distance. The stone was unveiled by Admiral Sir Charles Madden
Sir Charles Madden, 2nd Baronet
Admiral Sir Charles Edward Madden, 2nd Baronet, GCB , followed his father in a career with the Royal Navy that culminated in his serving as the Commander-in-Chief of the Home Fleet from 1963 to 1965....
and prayers were read by former crew member CPO S. J. ("Jeff") Barker, Hon Sec of HMS Warspite Association and a founder member of Winchester RNA. The remains of the masts lie in the yard at Porthenalls House, Prussia Cove and one portion was erected on a headland, overlooking Prussia Cove.
Battle honours
(First World War)- JutlandBattle of JutlandThe Battle of Jutland was a naval battle between the British Royal Navy's Grand Fleet and the Imperial German Navy's High Seas Fleet during the First World War. The battle was fought on 31 May and 1 June 1916 in the North Sea near Jutland, Denmark. It was the largest naval battle and the only...
1916;
(Second World War)
- Atlantic 1939;
- NarvikBattles of NarvikThe Battles of Narvik were fought from 9 April-8 June 1940 as a naval battle in the Ofotfjord and as a land battle in the mountains surrounding the north Norwegian city of Narvik as part of the Norwegian Campaign of the Second World War....
1940,Norway 1940; - CalabriaBattle of CalabriaThe Battle of Calabria, was a naval battle during the Battle of the Mediterranean in World War II. It was fought between the Italian Royal Navy and the British Royal Navy and the Royal Australian Navy. The battle occurred 30 miles to the east of Punta Stilo, the "toe" of Italy , on 9 July 1940...
1940, Mediterranean 1940-41-43,; - Malta Convoys 1941, MatapanBattle of Cape MatapanThe Battle of Cape Matapan was a Second World War naval battle fought from 27–29 March 1941. The cape is on the southwest coast of Greece's Peloponnesian peninsula...
1941, Crete 1941: - SicilyAllied invasion of SicilyThe Allied invasion of Sicily, codenamed Operation Husky, was a major World War II campaign, in which the Allies took Sicily from the Axis . It was a large scale amphibious and airborne operation, followed by six weeks of land combat. It launched the Italian Campaign.Husky began on the night of...
1943, Salerno 1943: - English Channel 1944, NormandyOperation OverlordOperation Overlord was the code name for the Battle of Normandy, the operation that launched the invasion of German-occupied western Europe during World War II by Allied forces. The operation commenced on 6 June 1944 with the Normandy landings...
1944, Walcheren 1944, Biscay 1944.
See also
- HMS WarspiteHMS WarspiteNine ships of the Royal Navy have been named HMS Warspite: was a 29-gun galleon, sometimes known as Warspight. She was launched in 1596 and sold in 1649. was a 70-gun third-rate ship of the line launched in 1666. She was renamed in 1721, rebuilt three times and broken up in 1771. was a 74-gun...
for other ships of this name. - Admiral Victor Alexander Charles CrutchleyVictor Alexander Charles CrutchleyAdmiral Sir Victor Alexander Charles Crutchley VC, KCB, DSC, DL, RN was a British admiral in World War II and a hero of the First World War...
, VCVictoria CrossThe Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
, captain 1937-1941 and notable British naval commander in the Pacific.