HMS Belfast facts for kids
HMS Belfast at her London berth, painted in Admiralty pattern Disruptive Camouflage
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Quick facts for kids History |
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 United Kingdom |
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| Name | HMS Belfast |
| Ordered | 21 September 1936 |
| Builder | Harland and Wolff shipyard, Belfast, Northern Ireland |
| Yard number | 1000 |
| Laid down | 10 December 1936 |
| Launched | 17 March 1938 |
| Completed | 3 August 1939 |
| Commissioned | 5 August 1939 |
| Decommissioned | 24 August 1963 |
| Identification | Pennant number C35 |
| Motto |
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| Honours and awards |
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| Status | Museum ship since 21 October 1971 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Town-class light cruiser |
| Displacement | 11,550 tons |
| Length | 613 ft 6 in (186.99 m) overall |
| Beam | 63 ft 4 in (19.3 m) |
| Draught |
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| Installed power | 80,000 shp (60,000 kW) |
| Propulsion |
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| Speed | 32 knots (59 km/h) |
| Complement | 781–881 (as flagship, 1939) |
| Armament |
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| Armour |
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| Aircraft carried | 2 × Supermarine Walrus (disembarked June 1943) |
| Aviation facilities |
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HMS Belfast is a famous light cruiser that was built for the Royal Navy. Today, she is a museum ship on the River Thames in London. The Imperial War Museum takes care of her.
Belfast was one of ten Town-class cruisers. Her construction started in December 1936. She was launched on St Patrick's Day 1938. She joined the navy in August 1939, just before World War II began.
Early in the war, Belfast helped block German ships. In November 1939, she hit a German mine. Many thought she would be scrapped, but she was repaired for over two years. Belfast returned to duty in November 1942. She had better weapons, radar, and armor.
In 1943, Belfast protected Arctic convoys going to the Soviet Union. In December 1943, she played a key role in the Battle of North Cape. She helped destroy the German warship Scharnhorst. In June 1944, Belfast supported the Normandy landings during Operation Overlord.
In June 1945, she moved to the Far East to join the British Pacific Fleet. She arrived just before World War II ended. Belfast fought again in the Korean War from 1950 to 1952. She was greatly updated between 1956 and 1959. After more missions, she was put into reserve in 1963.
In 1967, people started trying to save Belfast from being scrapped. A group from the Imperial War Museum, the National Maritime Museum, and the Ministry of Defence said it was possible. In 1971, the government decided not to save her. So, a private group called the HMS Belfast Trust was formed.
The Trust worked hard, and the government gave the ship to them in July 1971. Belfast was moved to London, near Tower Bridge. She opened to the public in October 1971. In 1978, Belfast became part of the Imperial War Museum. She is a popular tourist spot, with over 327,000 visitors in 2019.
Contents
- HMS Belfast: A Powerful Warship Design
- HMS Belfast in World War II
- Post-War Service (1945-1950)
- HMS Belfast in the Korean War (1950-1952)
- Modernization and Final Missions (1955-1963)
- Becoming a Museum Ship (1963-Present)
- Images for kids
- See also
HMS Belfast: A Powerful Warship Design
Belfast is a Town-class cruiser. These ships were designed in 1933 by the British Admiralty. They wanted a cruiser that could fight powerful Japanese ships. The Admiralty asked for a 9,000-ton ship. It needed strong armor to survive a hit from a large shell. It also had to be fast and carry twelve 6-inch guns.
The design also included space for seaplanes. These planes would help patrol shipping lanes. The ship also needed good anti-aircraft defenses. The first ships of this class were HMS Southampton and HMS Newcastle.
How the Design Evolved
By 1935, the Admiralty wanted even more firepower. They aimed to match Japanese and American cruisers with fifteen 6-inch guns. They tried different designs for more guns. Finally, they decided on improved triple gun turrets. These new turrets allowed for stronger deck armor.
This updated design led to the 10,000-ton Edinburgh subclass. Belfast was part of this group. She was ordered on September 21, 1936, from Harland and Wolff. Her construction began on December 10, 1936.
Building and Launching HMS Belfast
Belfast was expected to cost about £2.1 million. Her guns cost £75,000, and her two Supermarine Walrus aircraft cost £66,500. She was launched on Saint Patrick's Day, March 17, 1938. Anne Chamberlain, the Prime Minister's wife, launched the ship. Her launch was even filmed by Pathé News. From March to August 1939, Belfast was fitted out and tested at sea.
Key Features of the Ship
When finished, Belfast was 613 feet 6 inches (187.0 m) long. She was 63 feet 4 inches (19.3 m) wide. Her standard weight was 10,420 long tons (10,590 t). Four oil-fired boilers powered her. These boilers drove steam turbines, which turned four propellers.
She could reach a speed of 32.5 knots (60.2 km/h; 37.4 mph). She carried 2,400 long tons (2,400 t) of fuel oil. This gave her a long range of 8,664 nautical miles (16,046 km; 9,970 mi) at 13 knots (24 km/h; 15 mph).
Weapons and Protection
Belfast had twelve 6-inch guns in four triple turrets. These guns could fire up to eight rounds per minute each. This meant she could fire 96 rounds per minute in total. She also had twelve 4-inch guns in six twin mounts.
For anti-aircraft defense, she had sixteen 2-pounder "pom-pom" guns. She also had two quadruple Vickers .50 machine guns. For underwater threats, she carried six 21-inch torpedo tubes and fifteen depth charges.
Belfast was well-protected. Her main armor belt was 4.5-inch (114 mm) thick. Her gun turrets had up to 4 inches (102 mm) of armor. Decks over her ammunition rooms had 3 inches (76 mm) of armor. Decks over her engines had 2 inches (51 mm) of armor.
Aircraft on Board
Belfast carried two Supermarine Walrus seaplanes. These planes could take off from a catapult on the ship. They could land on the water and be lifted back by cranes. The planes were stored in two hangars in the front part of the ship. These aircraft were operated by the Fleet Air Arm.
HMS Belfast in World War II
Starting Service and Early Incidents (1939-1942)
Belfast sailed to Portsmouth on August 3, 1939. She officially joined the navy on August 5, 1939. This was less than a month before World War II began. Her first captain was G A Scott, and she had a crew of 761. She joined the Home Fleet's 2nd Cruiser Squadron.
On August 14, Belfast took part in her first exercise. She pretended to be a German ship trying to escape into the Atlantic. She successfully avoided the Home Fleet.
Joining the Blockade
On August 31, 1939, Belfast moved to the 18th Cruiser Squadron. This squadron was based at Scapa Flow in the Orkney islands. Their job was to help block Germany by sea. Britain and France declared war on Germany on September 3.
Belfast took part in patrols to find German ships. She also helped rescue the submarine Spearfish. During this, German planes attacked her, but she was not damaged.
Capturing Enemy Ships
On October 9, Belfast stopped a German liner, the Cap Norte. This ship was disguised as a Swedish vessel. It was trying to return to Germany from Brazil with German reservists. Belfast's crew later received prize money for this capture. She also stopped and inspected other ships.
The Mine Incident
On November 10, Belfast was moved to the 2nd Cruiser Squadron. On November 21, she was leaving the Firth of Forth for a gunnery exercise. At 10:58 am, she hit a magnetic mine. The mine broke her keel and damaged an engine and boiler room.
Twenty officers and men were hurt, and one man later died. A tugboat towed Belfast to Rosyth for first repairs.
Long Repairs and Upgrades
The mine caused severe bending and damage to Belfast's hull. On January 4, 1940, she was taken out of service for major repairs. Her crew was sent to other ships. By June 28, she was ready to sail to Devonport for more work.
During these repairs, her hull was strengthened. Her armor was also made thicker. Her weapons were updated with newer 2-pounder guns. She also got eighteen 20 mm Oerlikon guns.
Belfast also received new radar systems. These radars helped direct her main, secondary, and anti-aircraft guns. Because she was heavier, her hull was made wider in the middle for better stability. Her weight increased to 11,550 tons.
Return to Action: Arctic Convoys and Battle of North Cape (1942-1943)
Belfast was ready for duty again on November 3, 1942. She became the flagship of the 10th Cruiser Squadron. This squadron had the dangerous job of escorting Arctic convoys to the Soviet Union. These convoys sailed from Scapa Flow and bases in Iceland.
Her new radar meant Belfast didn't need her aircraft as much. Her planes were removed in June 1943. Belfast spent 1943 escorting convoys and patrolling.
The Battle of North Cape
On December 26, 1943, Belfast fought in the Battle of North Cape. This battle happened during the dark Arctic night. Two strong Royal Navy groups were involved. Belfast was in Force One with two other cruisers and destroyers. Force Two had the battleship Duke of York and another cruiser.
On Christmas Day, 1943, the German battleship Scharnhorst left Norway. It planned to attack a convoy going to the Soviet Union. The next day, Force One, led by Belfast, met Scharnhorst. They stopped her from attacking the convoy and damaged her.
As Scharnhorst tried to escape, Force Two intercepted her. Belfast played a vital role. As the flagship, she was one of the first to find Scharnhorst. She used her radar to track the German ship from a distance. This allowed Duke of York to intercept and sink Scharnhorst.
Supporting D-Day and Far East Service (1944-1945)
After the Battle of North Cape, Belfast returned to the UK. She refuelled and her crew had leave. In February 1944, she went back to Arctic convoy duties. On March 30, 1944, Belfast was part of a force protecting an air attack. This attack targeted the German battleship Tirpitz.
Forty-two dive-bombers attacked Tirpitz. They hit her fourteen times, disabling her for two months. Belfast then had minor repairs and her crew had more leave. On May 8, Belfast carried King George VI during his visit to the Home Fleet.
D-Day Bombardment
For the invasion of Normandy, Belfast was the headquarters ship for Bombardment Force E. Her job was to support British and Canadian troops landing on Gold and Juno Beaches. On June 2, Belfast left the River Clyde.
Prime Minister Winston Churchill wanted to watch the invasion from Belfast. But military leaders convinced him not to go. The invasion was delayed by bad weather.
On June 6, at 5:30 am, Belfast began firing. She attacked a German artillery battery at Ver-sur-Mer. She kept firing until British soldiers took over the area. She continued to support Canadian troops. On July 8, Belfast fired her last shots in Europe. She had fired 1,996 rounds from her 6-inch guns during her five weeks off Normandy.
To the Far East
From July 1944 to April 1945, Belfast was refitted for service in the Far East. Her living spaces were improved for tropical weather. Her anti-aircraft weapons were updated to fight Japanese kamikaze attacks. Her hangars were turned into crew living areas, and her aircraft catapult was removed.
On June 17, 1945, Belfast sailed for the Far East. She arrived in Sydney on August 7. There, she became the flagship of the 2nd Cruiser Squadron of the British Pacific Fleet. She had more anti-aircraft guns added. Belfast was ready to join the invasion of Japan. But Japan surrendered on August 15, 1945, ending the war.
Post-War Service (1945-1950)
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After the war, Belfast stayed in the Far East. She visited ports in Japan, China, and Malaya. On August 20, 1947, she sailed back to Portsmouth. There, she was put into reserve and had maintenance work done. She also received more anti-aircraft guns.
She was recommissioned on September 22, 1948. Before returning to the Far East, she visited her home city of Belfast. On October 21, 1948, her crew marched through the city to mark Trafalgar Day. The city of Belfast gave the ship a silver bell.
The Amethyst Incident
On October 23, she sailed for Hong Kong to join the Far East Fleet. In 1949, the Chinese Civil War was ending. Belfast was the headquarters ship during the April 1949 Amethyst Incident. In this event, a British ship, HMS Amethyst, was trapped in the Yangtze River by the Chinese communist army.
Belfast stayed in Hong Kong in 1949. In January 1950, she sailed to Singapore for a small refit. In June, she joined the Far East Fleet's summer cruise. On June 25, 1950, while Belfast was in Japan, North Korean forces crossed the 38th Parallel. This started the Korean War.
HMS Belfast in the Korean War (1950-1952)
When the Korean War began, Belfast joined the United Nations naval forces. She was first part of the US Navy's Task Force 77. But on July 5, 1950, she was sent to operate on her own. In July and early August 1950, Belfast patrolled the coast. She was based at Sasebo, Japan.
From July 19, Belfast supported troops fighting near Yongdok. She fired 350 accurate rounds from her 6-inch guns. An American admiral praised her as a "straight-shooting ship". On August 6, she sailed to the UK for a needed refit. She returned to Sasebo on January 31, 1951.
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Throughout 1951, Belfast patrolled the coast and attacked many targets. On June 1, she went to Singapore for another refit. She was back on patrol by August 31. In September 1951, Belfast helped protect a mission to recover a crashed enemy MiG-15 jet fighter. She continued bombardments and patrols.
In 1952, Belfast kept up her coastal duties. On July 29, 1952, Belfast was hit by enemy fire. This happened while she was attacking an artillery battery on Wolsa-ri island. A 75 mm shell hit a front room. It killed one British sailor and wounded four others. This was the only time Belfast was hit by enemy fire in Korea.
On September 27, 1952, other cruisers took over for Belfast. She sailed back to the UK. During the Korean War, she traveled over 80,000 miles (130,000 km) in the combat zone. She fired more than 8,000 rounds from her 6-inch guns. She was taken out of service on November 4, 1952.
Modernization and Final Missions (1955-1963)
After the war, Belfast's future was unclear. Cruisers were expensive to run. It wasn't until March 1955 that a decision was made to modernize her. Work began on January 6, 1956. This was a very expensive refit, costing £5.5 million.
Many changes were made. Her bridge was made larger and enclosed. This changed her look a lot. Her tripod masts were replaced with lattice masts. Wooden decks were replaced with steel, except for the quarterdeck. The goal was to make the ship more comfortable for a smaller crew.
Her close-range weapons were standardized to six twin Bofors guns. Her radar systems were also updated. To save weight, her torpedoes were removed. New sonar systems were installed.
Belfast was recommissioned on May 12, 1959. She arrived in Singapore on December 16, 1959. She spent most of 1960 on exercises. She visited ports in Hong Kong, India, Australia, and Japan.
On January 31, 1961, Belfast started her final foreign mission. She joined more exercises in the Far East. In December 1961, she provided the British guard of honor. This was for Tanganyikas independence ceremony.
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The ship left Singapore on March 26, 1962, to return to the UK. She sailed east, visiting places like Hong Kong, Pearl Harbor, and San Francisco. She arrived at Portsmouth on June 19, 1962.
She was recommissioned in July. She made a final visit to Belfast from November 23-29. Then, she was put into reserve on February 25, 1963. In July 1963, Belfast was recommissioned one last time. This was with a crew from the Royal Naval Reserve (RNR) and Sea Cadets. She sailed for Gibraltar for a two-week exercise.
Becoming a Museum Ship (1963-Present)
Efforts to Save HMS Belfast (1963-1971)
Belfast returned to Devonport on August 24, 1963. She was prepared to be put into reserve, which happened in December 1963. From 1966 to 1970, she served as a floating home for naval reserves.
The Imperial War Museum wanted to save one of her 6-inch gun turrets. They then thought about saving the whole ship. Belfast was in good condition. A committee said saving her was possible and affordable. However, in early 1971, the government decided against it. On May 4, 1971, Belfast was set to be scrapped.
The HMS Belfast Trust (1971-1977)
HMS Belfast berthed in the Pool of London; Tower Bridge can be seen behind.
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| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
| Established | 1971 |
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| Location | The Queen's Walk, London, SE1 2JH |
| Visitors | 327,206 (2019) |
| Public transit access | London Bridge station Tower Hill Underground station |
| Imperial War Museums | |
After the government's decision, a private group was formed. This group, the Belfast Trust, wanted to save the ship. Its chairman was Sir Morgan Morgan-Giles, a former captain of Belfast. He spoke to the House of Commons on March 8, 1971. He said Belfast was in "a really wonderful state" and should be saved.
Another MP, Gordon Bagier, supported him. Bagier had served on Belfast during the war. The government agreed to delay scrapping Belfast. This gave the Trust time to make a formal plan.
Bringing Belfast to London
The Trust's efforts worked. In July 1971, the government gave Belfast to the Trust. The plan was called "Operation Seahorse". Belfast was towed from Portsmouth to London. She was fitted out as a museum.
On October 15, 1971, she was towed to her spot above Tower Bridge. She was placed in a large hole dug in the riverbed. She was then attached to special structures that guide her with the tide.
She opened to the public on Trafalgar Day, October 21, 1971. This date was important. Belfast was the first naval ship saved for the nation since Lord Nelson's flagship, HMS Victory. Even though she was no longer in the Royal Navy, Belfast was allowed to keep flying the White Ensign.
The museum was very popular. In 1972, the Trust won a tourism award. Many people and businesses helped restore the ship. By 1974, parts like the Admiral's bridge were restored. The ship's Operations Room was also refurbished. By December 1975, Belfast had welcomed 1.5 million visitors.
HMS Belfast as Part of the Imperial War Museum (1978-Present)
By 1977, the Belfast Trust faced financial problems. The Imperial War Museum asked to take over the ship. On January 19, 1978, the government agreed. They said Belfast was "a unique demonstration of an important phase of our history".
The ship was transferred to the museum on March 1, 1978. She became the museum's third branch. In October 1998, the HMS Belfast Association was formed. This group helps former crew members reconnect. The museum also records interviews with former crew.
Keeping Belfast Preserved
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Since coming to London, Belfast has been drydocked twice for preservation. In 1982, she was docked at Tilbury. In June 1999, Belfast was towed to Portsmouth. This was her first time at sea in 28 years. Her hull was cleaned, blasted, and repainted. She is not expected to need drydocking again until 2020.
During the 1999 work, Belfast's hull was repainted in her wartime camouflage scheme. This scheme was used from November 1942 to July 1944. Some people disagreed with this choice. Her current look is from her 1956-1959 refit, which is different from her wartime appearance.
In 2006, Belfast was listed as part of the National Historic Fleet.
New Masts and Future Plans
On May 9, 2010, a ceremony was held on Belfast. It marked 65 years since World War II ended in Europe. Arctic convoy veterans received medals from the Russian Ambassador. It was announced that two new masts had been made for the ship in Russia. Russian businesses paid for the £500,000 cost.
The old masts were cut down, and the new ones were put up. On October 19, 2010, the new masts were dedicated. Veterans, Prince Philip, and Russian officials attended.
In 2017, it was announced that a new Royal Navy ship would be named Belfast. The museum will now be called "HMS Belfast (1938)" to avoid confusion.
Images for kids
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Photograph of Belfast's damaged hull, taken while the ship was drydocked for repairs.
See also
In Spanish: HMS Belfast (C35) para niños
