Memorial Ships
Muster

HMS Belfast

Identification

• British WWII light cruiser, Town class
• Pennant No.: C 35
• Photo page

Significance

• Battle of North Cape, 1943 Dec 26. Radar of HMS Belfast was instrumental in detecting and tracking the German battlecruiser Scharnhorst, leading to her destruction.
• Flagship of Eastern Task Force ("Sword" beach) during Normandy invasion, 1944 Jun 6.
• First British ship to be preserved since HMS Victory.

Location and Current Status

• Location
  Imperial War Museum
  Morgans Lane, Tooley Street
  Bermondsey, London, SE1 2JH, England

• Status: Open to the public

Ship Characteristics

• As Completed, 1939:
  • Dimensions: 613'6"(loa), 606'(lwl) x 63'4"(b) x 17'3"(t)
  • Displacement: 10550 ton (std), 13175 ton (full load)
  • Payload:
    • Guns: 12-6", 12-4", 8-quad 2pdr, 8-quad 0.5"
    • Torpedoes: 3-triple 21" tubes
    • Armor: 4.5" belt, 4" turret front, 2" turret sides & tops, 2" decks, 4.5" magazine sides, 3" magazine tops
  • Propulsion:
    • Boilers: Admiralty 3-drum oil-fired, 1,970 tons oil
    • Engines: Parsons geared turbines
    • Screws: 4
    • Speed: 32.5 kts (std), 31 kts (full load)
  • Endurance: 10,000 nm (at 16 kts)
  • Complement: 700 (as flagship)

• After 1955-1959 Reconstruction:
  • Dimensions: 613'6"(loa), 606'(lwl) x 69'(b) x 23'(t)
  • Displacement: 11550 ton (std), 14930 ton (full load)
  • Payload:
    • Guns: 12-6", 8-4", 8-40 mm
    • Torpedoes: removed
    • Armor: assumed unchanged
  • Propulsion:
    • Boilers: Admiralty 3-drum oil-fired, 2,260 tons oil
    • Engines: Parsons geared turbines
    • Screws: 4
    • Speed: 32.5 kts (std), 31 kts (full load)
  • Endurance: 8,000 nm (at 14 kts)
  • Complement: 52 officers + 658 enlisted = 710

Historical Summary

• 1936 Dec 10 Laid down
• 1938 Mar 17 Launched
• 1939 Aug 03 Completed
• 1939 Sep 03 With Home Fleet
• 1939 Sep .. Northern patrols, to 1939 Nov
• 1939 Nov 21 Damaged by magnetic mine under 'A' boiler room, back broken
• 1939 Nov .. Rosyth, temporary repairs, to 1940 Jun
• 1940 Jun .. Devonport, first reconstruction started
• 1942 ... .. Devonport, first reconstruction completed
• 1942 ... .. Rejoined Home Fleet, Scapa Flow
• 1943 Feb .. Russian convoy escort, to 1943 Mar
• 1943 Mar .. Northern patrols, to 1943 Jul
• 1943 Aug .. Russian convoy escort, to 1944 Apr
• 1943 Dec 26 Battle of North Cape v.s. Scharnhorst
• 1944 Apr .. Refit prior to Normandy landings
• 1944 Jun 06 Normandy invasion, HQ ship of Eastern Task Force, to 1944 Jul
• 1944 Jul .. Refit prior Pacific duty, to 1945 Apr
• 1945 Aug .. Arrived Sydney, Australia
• 1955 ... .. Second reconstruction started
• 1959 May 12 Second reconstruction completed
• 1963 ... .. Refitted at Devonport
• 1965 ... .. Placed in reserve
• 1971 ... .. Preserved as war monument in London

See Also

• Origins of the Cruiser

Sister Ships

• HMS Edinburgh -- sunk by torpedo from HMS Foresight near Bear Island, 1942 May 5, following fatal torpedo damage from U 456 and German destroyers

Copyright (C) 1998 LDJ Trust