Warships of the Royal Navy in the Second World War: Battleships, Nelson-class, HMS Nelson, HMS Rodney

Nelson-class battleships of the Royal Navy in the Second World War

The Nelson class was a class of two battleships (Nelson and Rodney) of the British Royal Navy, built shortly after, and under the terms of, the Washington Naval Treaty of 1922. They were the only British battleships built between the Revenge class, ordered in 1913, and the King George V class, ordered in 1936.The ships were named after famous British admirals: George Brydges Rodney, 1st Baron Rodney, victor of the Battle of Cape St. Vincent and the Battle of the Saintes, and Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson, who won the Battles of the Nile and Trafalgar.To comply with the limitations of the Washington Treaty, these ships were of an unusual design with many novel features. They are often referred to as the first treaty battleships. The Nelsons were unique in British battleship construction, being the only ships to carry a main armament of nine 16-inch (406 mm) guns. The most unusual feature however, and one that is immediately noticeable, is that these were all carried forward of the bridge.Commissioned in 1927–29, the Nelsons served extensively in the Atlantic, Mediterranean, and Indian oceans during World War II. Rodney was made famous by her role in the sinking of the Bismarck in May 1941. At the climax of the battle Rodney, in conjunction with King George V, closed on Bismarck to bombard her at short range. Rodney's main guns were credited with an estimated 100 to 130 hits, contributing greatly to Bismarck's final destruction.Nelson and Rodney participated in the bombardment of targets in northern France during and after D-Day. In particular, during the Caen campaign Nelson was credited with destroying a group of five Tiger tanks which ventured into a red zone [within 40 km (25 mi) of the coast] deemed by the German command to be in range of Allied battleships.[citation needed]Both ships of the class survived the war, but were scrapped in 1948–1949 along with all other British battleships except the four remaining King George V–class battleships and Vanguard. (Wikipedia)

(IWM Photo, MH 4)

HMS Nelson, 1937.

HMSNelson(pennant number: 28) was thename shipofher classof two battleships built for theRoyal Navyin the 1920s. They were the first battleships built to meet the limitations of theWashington Naval Treatyof 1922. Entering service in 1927, the ship spent her peacetime career with theAtlanticandHome Fleets, usually as the fleetflagship. During the early stages ofWorld War II, she searched for Germancommerce raiders, missed participating in theNorwegian Campaignafter she was badly damaged by aminein late 1939, and escorted convoys in theAtlantic Ocean.In mid-1941Nelsonescorted severalconvoys to Maltabefore being torpedoed in September. After repairs she resumed doing so before supporting the British invasion ofFrench AlgeriaduringOperation Torchin late 1942. The ship covered the invasions ofSicily(Operation Husky) and Italy (Operation Avalanche) in mid-1943 while bombarding coastal defences duringOperation Baytown. During theNormandy landingsin June 1944,Nelsonprovidednaval gunfire supportbefore she struck a mine and spent the rest of the year under repair. The ship was transferred to theEastern Fleetin mid-1945 and returned home a few months after the Japanese surrender in September to serve as the flagship of the Home Fleet. She became atraining shipin early 1946 and was reduced toreservein late 1947.Nelson was scrapped two years later after being used as a target for bomb tests. (Wikipedia)

(Royal Navy Photo)

HMS Rodney.

HMS Rodney was one of two Nelson-class battleships built for the Royal Navy in the mid-1920s. The ship entered service in 1928, and spent her peacetime career with the Atlantic and Home Fleets, sometimes serving as a flagship when her sister ship, Nelson, was being refitted. During the early stages of the Second World War, she searched for German commerce raiders, participated in the Norwegian Campaign, and escorted convoys in the Atlantic Ocean. Rodney played a major role in the sinking of the German battleship Bismarck in mid-1941.After a brief refit in the United States, she escorted convoys to Malta and supported the Allied invasion of French Algeria during Operation Torch in late 1942. The ship covered the invasions of Sicily (Operation Husky) and Italy (Operation Baytown) in mid-1943. During the Normandy landings in June 1944, Rodney provided naval gunfire support and continued to do so for several following offensives near the French city of Caen. The ship escorted one convoy through the Arctic to the Soviet Union in late 1944. In poor condition from extremely heavy use and a lack of refits, she was reduced to reserve in late 1945 and was scrapped in 1948. (Wikipedia)

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