Built at Devonport Royal Dockyard in 1912. The year is now 2024 & I’m proud to say that I’ve been working there since 2002 maintaining the UK’s nuclear deterrent, the Vanguard Class submarines. 🇬🇧
Your point about Britain needing its money to rebuild the country after the war is well made. Britain was broke and there really was nothing left over for 'luxuries' like museum ships. Many years later, BELFAST was sold for £1 to get it off the Royal Navy's books, which allowed it to become a museum ship (thank goodness!). At the time of WARSPITE's demise, this kind of sale was not an option. This is not to say that the Royal Navy has not sentiments for its ships; rather, their Lordships have to fight the Treasury for every penny to crew and build its ships and there is no fat left over for historical endeavours. You might be surprised how much work is done by all the forces 'off the books' and individually-funded to preserve their histories. Onward.
"The Subject - Lieutenant-Commander R.A.B.Mitchell" You say you have no subject And your brushes all have dried; But come to Marazion At the ebbing of the tide. And look you out to seaward, Where my Lady battle scarred Hugs the rock that is more welcome, Than the shameful breakers yard. Paint her there upon the sunset In her glory and despair, With the diadem of victory Still in flower upon her hair. Let her whisper as she settles Of her blooding long ago, In the mist than mingles Jutland With the might of Scapa Flow. Let her tell you, too, of Narvick With its snowy hills, and then Of Matapan, Salerno And the shoals of Walcheren; And finally of Malta, When along the purple street Came in trail the Roman Navy To surrender at her feet. Of all these honours conscious, How could she bear to be Delivered to the spoiler Or severed from the sea ? So hasten then and paint her In the last flush of her pride On the rocks of Marazion, At the ebbing of the tide.
Instead of stubborn to the last, the Royal Navy should just admit, “Charming to the last. You don't know how hard I found it, signing the order to terminate your life.” She tried to break away from the foul stench of being broken up.
Last year I purchased a 1/1250 model of a Tug, whose significance was not apparent - HMS Bustler. Thanks for the Video explaining Her role in the`Grand Old Lady`s` Fate.
It's a real pity and tragic that Britain was so cash strapped that the Royal Navy had no means to even fund her as a hulk. Then the cost of restoration would have been enormous. That said, if any ship in the Royal Navy ought to have been preserved, it was HMS Waspite. She is my favorite battleship and over the course of 60 years, I have built no less than 5 models of the ship. From the 1/600 scale Airfix model to the 1/250 scale example. As an aside, Waspite had earned 15 battle honours, and her crest was a woodpecker. You may have seen it on her 15 inch gun tompions in some photos.
"Her oldest loves, the wind and the sea, have helped the Old Lady of the Fleet to cheat the executioner. She is ashore, apparently for good..." After she broke away from her tugs to ram Prussia Cove, Warspite had at least 4 more casualties, which is more than what many ships could claim in their entire careers: Barnet (trawler), found with a huge hole after spending a night tied up next to Warspite's wreck. She was allowed to drift off and sank 5 July 1950. Masterman (tugboat used in salvage operation), struck rocks. Survived until 1973. Tradesman (tugboat, sister to Masterman), had her propellers tangled in ropes trying to pull her sister free and damaged. Survived until 1974. Albatros (Dutch steamship carrying scrap metal from Warspite), ran aground in thick fog and had to be scrapped on the shore 23 December 1952.
Portsmouth is my hometown, and the entrance to the harbour is very narrow: 200m (!) This, combined with the sheltering presence of the Isle of Wight, around 6-8 km across from Portsmouth and the double tides and consequent fast currents, made Portsmouth especially unapproachable to any enemy right up until the advent of long range guns and aircraft, and still provides shelter from the unpredictable Channel. Also, as a main base of the RN and a commercial port, even the extensive harbour (with many tidal mudflats)could get crowded, and access easily blocked - thus the need to anchor at Spithead and take cutters into the town.
My dad was a radio op on HMS Gazelle, a minesweeper which escorted HMS Warspite while she bombarded Le Havre. Several shell passed over Gazelle trying to get at the grand old lady, but no hits were scored!
The Grand Old Lady. The spirit of defiance, and even mother nature sought to free her from her fate. It is a shame that she was never preserved but anyone who looks into the finances of the foundation for USS Texas, knows just how probitively expensive maintaining an aged and worn out battleship is. Though i have no personal connections to her myself as far as i know, i do wish to visit that memorial and see just how much of her left, still defying her fate.
My all-time favorite British warships will always be spread amongst first and foremost, HMS Rodney and Nelson due to their layout (definitely NOT their speed capabilities), also HMS Prince of Wales, HMS King George V, and HMS Ark Royal. There were also some small and heavy cruisers spread out among the Home Fleet that deserve mention due to the sinking of the Bismarck and other battles (like the scuttling of the Graf Spee in Montevideo Harbor).
She was full of concrete,patched up and a worn out hulk. If you were to pick a WW1 / 2 battleship then HMS Queen Elizabeth was in far,far better condition. But didn’t have the history.
She should have been preserved she was the most decorated non-American warship of all time. It should have been warspite not Belfast that was preserved 😭
Shame on the UK and crown for destroying the most decorated warship they had in the modern era. She outclassed the Rodney and KGV classes by a mile. This even though she was much older.
She was worn out, badly damaged and 30 years old. Britain was flat broke (not as badly as now) and rebuilding battered and bombed towns for the future was far more important than preserving an obsolete old wreck. Personally I would have liked to see The Grand Old Lady survive but it never happened for millions of pounds worth of reasons. At least Belfast is still with us.
@@philhawley1219 Then stick her on a sandbar somewhere until you have the means. The British people should never forget how much this one old battleship and her crew did to turn the tide of the war. It would make a people proud to have her sitting right next to the Golden Hinde (even though she is a replica) on the Thames. For Belfast, I'm glad she survived. She was not quite as decorated and only a cruiser. It really doesn't matter as the choice was made several years ago and you can never go back and undo the past.
Probably a mercy for the Japanese that Warspite never joined the British Pacific Fleet. As I suspect that had the Atomic bombs and Soviets not persuaded them to surrender. The next plan before Operation Downfall would have been her and Enterprise joining forces.
In the Royal Navy, in 1945, WW1 Battleships alone there were -- 1, HMS Queen Elizabeth (QE Class) 2, HMS Warspite (Obviously) (QE Class) 3, HMS Valiant (QE Class) 4, HMS Malaya (QE Class) 5, HMS Revenge (R Class) 6, HMS Resolution (R Class) 7, HMS Royal Sovereign (R Class) 8, HMS Ramillies (R Class) And one and a half Battlecruiser, HMS Renown. (Renown Class), HMS Furious (Courageous class), half as Furious wasn't reclassified as an Aircraft Carrier until 1925. Hope this helps.......
That still takes money. What the video didn't say was that they used concrete, not steel, to patch the underwater damage and keep her afloat. To keep her in storage they would have had to dry dock her, remove the concrete patch and repair the underwater damage just to keep her afloat long enough to become a museum.
So little of the RN of this period remains, a pity. Post war Britain had rationing and bombed out areas, that remain a childhood memory. No money or thoughts for posterity.
Thanks for watching everyone! I hope you found the video interesting, I won’t be at the premiere unfortunately as I’ll be in the air.
My dad served on Warspite from early 41 till mid 43.
Built at Devonport Royal Dockyard in 1912. The year is now 2024 & I’m proud to say that I’ve been working there since 2002 maintaining the UK’s nuclear deterrent, the Vanguard Class submarines. 🇬🇧
Scrapping the Warspite was unforgivable, who ever was responsible may there soul forever get it's ass kicked by those that served on her.
Your point about Britain needing its money to rebuild the country after the war is well made. Britain was broke and there really was nothing left over for 'luxuries' like museum ships. Many years later, BELFAST was sold for £1 to get it off the Royal Navy's books, which allowed it to become a museum ship (thank goodness!). At the time of WARSPITE's demise, this kind of sale was not an option. This is not to say that the Royal Navy has not sentiments for its ships; rather, their Lordships have to fight the Treasury for every penny to crew and build its ships and there is no fat left over for historical endeavours. You might be surprised how much work is done by all the forces 'off the books' and individually-funded to preserve their histories. Onward.
Hard nosed Whitehall Civil Servants who have never put their life in danger are the people who let Warspite go.
"The Subject - Lieutenant-Commander R.A.B.Mitchell"
You say you have no subject And your brushes all have dried;
But come to Marazion At the ebbing of the tide.
And look you out to seaward, Where my Lady battle scarred
Hugs the rock that is more welcome, Than the shameful breakers yard.
Paint her there upon the sunset In her glory and despair,
With the diadem of victory Still in flower upon her hair.
Let her whisper as she settles Of her blooding long ago,
In the mist than mingles Jutland With the might of Scapa Flow.
Let her tell you, too, of Narvick With its snowy hills, and then
Of Matapan, Salerno And the shoals of Walcheren;
And finally of Malta, When along the purple street
Came in trail the Roman Navy To surrender at her feet.
Of all these honours conscious, How could she bear to be
Delivered to the spoiler Or severed from the sea ?
So hasten then and paint her In the last flush of her pride
On the rocks of Marazion, At the ebbing of the tide.
Thanks!
Thank you!
Interesting as always! Thank you.
Instead of stubborn to the last, the Royal Navy should just admit, “Charming to the last. You don't know how hard I found it, signing the order to terminate your life.” She tried to break away from the foul stench of being broken up.
Last year I purchased a 1/1250 model of a Tug, whose significance was not apparent - HMS Bustler. Thanks for the Video explaining Her role in the`Grand Old Lady`s` Fate.
It's a real pity and tragic that Britain was so cash strapped that the Royal Navy had no means to even fund her as a hulk. Then the cost of restoration would have been enormous. That said, if any ship in the Royal Navy ought to have been preserved, it was HMS Waspite. She is my favorite battleship and over the course of 60 years, I have built no less than 5 models of the ship. From the 1/600 scale Airfix model to the 1/250 scale example. As an aside, Waspite had earned 15 battle honours, and her crest was a woodpecker. You may have seen it on her 15 inch gun tompions in some photos.
"Her oldest loves, the wind and the sea, have helped the Old Lady of the Fleet to cheat the executioner. She is ashore, apparently for good..."
After she broke away from her tugs to ram Prussia Cove, Warspite had at least 4 more casualties, which is more than what many ships could claim in their entire careers:
Barnet (trawler), found with a huge hole after spending a night tied up next to Warspite's wreck. She was allowed to drift off and sank 5 July 1950.
Masterman (tugboat used in salvage operation), struck rocks. Survived until 1973.
Tradesman (tugboat, sister to Masterman), had her propellers tangled in ropes trying to pull her sister free and damaged. Survived until 1974.
Albatros (Dutch steamship carrying scrap metal from Warspite), ran aground in thick fog and had to be scrapped on the shore 23 December 1952.
Portsmouth is my hometown, and the entrance to the harbour is very narrow: 200m (!) This, combined with the sheltering presence of the Isle of Wight, around 6-8 km across from Portsmouth and the double tides and consequent fast currents, made Portsmouth especially unapproachable to any enemy right up until the advent of long range guns and aircraft, and still provides shelter from the unpredictable Channel. Also, as a main base of the RN and a commercial port, even the extensive harbour (with many tidal mudflats)could get crowded, and access easily blocked - thus the need to anchor at Spithead and take cutters into the town.
My dad was a radio op on HMS Gazelle, a minesweeper which escorted HMS Warspite while she bombarded Le Havre. Several shell passed over Gazelle trying to get at the grand old lady, but no hits were scored!
The Grand Old Lady. The spirit of defiance, and even mother nature sought to free her from her fate. It is a shame that she was never preserved but anyone who looks into the finances of the foundation for USS Texas, knows just how probitively expensive maintaining an aged and worn out battleship is.
Though i have no personal connections to her myself as far as i know, i do wish to visit that memorial and see just how much of her left, still defying her fate.
My all-time favorite British warships will always be spread amongst first and foremost, HMS Rodney and Nelson due to their layout (definitely NOT their speed capabilities), also HMS Prince of Wales, HMS King George V, and HMS Ark Royal. There were also some small and heavy cruisers spread out among the Home Fleet that deserve mention due to the sinking of the Bismarck and other battles (like the scuttling of the Graf Spee in Montevideo Harbor).
So sad she wasn't preserved and we have no British WW2/WW1 battleship left. She was the obvious one to keep because of her history in both wars.
She was full of concrete,patched up and a worn out hulk.
If you were to pick a WW1 / 2 battleship then HMS Queen Elizabeth was in far,far better condition.
But didn’t have the history.
Thank You .
Fritz X was more dangerous than we thought.
How about Enterprise should have been a museum ship
I will cry watching this Vid
She should have been preserved she was the most decorated non-American warship of all time.
It should have been warspite not Belfast that was preserved 😭
grand old lady
I'm surprised that scraps aren't recovered and sold off
Someone in Gov should have overridden the Admiralty.
What? In a Labour government? Highly unlikely.
Shame on the UK and crown for destroying the most decorated warship they had in the modern era. She outclassed the Rodney and KGV classes by a mile. This even though she was much older.
She was worn out, badly damaged and 30 years old. Britain was flat broke (not as badly as now) and rebuilding battered and bombed towns for the future was far more important than preserving an obsolete old wreck.
Personally I would have liked to see The Grand Old Lady survive but it never happened for millions of pounds worth of reasons. At least Belfast is still with us.
@@philhawley1219 Then stick her on a sandbar somewhere until you have the means. The British people should never forget how much this one old battleship and her crew did to turn the tide of the war. It would make a people proud to have her sitting right next to the Golden Hinde (even though she is a replica) on the Thames. For Belfast, I'm glad she survived. She was not quite as decorated and only a cruiser. It really doesn't matter as the choice was made several years ago and you can never go back and undo the past.
Probably a mercy for the Japanese that Warspite never joined the British Pacific Fleet. As I suspect that had the Atomic bombs and Soviets not persuaded them to surrender. The next plan before Operation Downfall would have been her and Enterprise joining forces.
Now that would have been a war crime lol
Seeing that thumbnail hurts my soul and I'm American.
OOPS! You did a follow-up. OK, I'll let you 'orf' as Charles III would say.
How many WWI ships were still in service in 1945?
She was one!
In the Royal Navy, in 1945, WW1 Battleships alone there were --
1, HMS Queen Elizabeth (QE Class)
2, HMS Warspite (Obviously) (QE Class)
3, HMS Valiant (QE Class)
4, HMS Malaya (QE Class)
5, HMS Revenge (R Class)
6, HMS Resolution (R Class)
7, HMS Royal Sovereign (R Class)
8, HMS Ramillies (R Class)
And one and a half Battlecruiser, HMS Renown. (Renown Class), HMS Furious (Courageous class), half as Furious wasn't reclassified as an Aircraft Carrier until 1925.
Hope this helps.......
@@joewalker2152 more than I would've expeted!
Any preserved?
🛟⚓️🤗
You forgot
HMS CAROLINE ww1 ship
Don't forget the V & W class destroyers, a few of which dated from WW1.
Or the early C class cruisers. Or the monitor HMS Erebus.
They should have stored her until the economy was better.
That still takes money. What the video didn't say was that they used concrete, not steel, to patch the underwater damage and keep her afloat. To keep her in storage they would have had to dry dock her, remove the concrete patch and repair the underwater damage just to keep her afloat long enough to become a museum.
If ever a ship deserved better…
So little of the RN of this period remains, a pity. Post war Britain had rationing and bombed out areas, that remain a childhood memory. No money or thoughts for posterity.
The UK government had loads of money and misspent most of it.