The Last British Battleship

HMS Vanguard, 1946–1960

R. A. Burt

• Publisher: Seaforth Publishing
• Year: 2020
• eBook ISBN: 9781526752277
• Subtopic: British History

" Lots of information on the ship's design, weapons, armor, refits, and service career, along with the Royal Cruise of 1947." — Model Ship World
 
The ninth HMS Vanguard, bearing one of the most illustrious names in the Royal Navy with honors from the Armada to Jutland, was the last and largest of Britain's battleships and was commissioned in 1946. Her design evolved from the King George V class and incorporated much of the fully developed design for the two battleships, Lion and Temeraire, that were laid down in 1939 but never completed.
 
At 813ft length overall and 42,300 tons, she was the last battleship to be built for the Royal Navy and the only ship of her class. She was built during the Second World War and incorporated existing twin 15in mountings, and was part of the Royal Navy's response to the combined and increasing number of German and Japanese battleships in the early 1940s. Immediately recognizable by her transom stern and high flared bow, she had fine sea keeping ability. Her appearance after the end of hostilities, however, and her huge crew requirements proved a conundrum for the Royal Navy, her most significant role being that of Royal Yacht during the royal family's tour of South Africa in 1947. She was broken up at Faslane in 1960.
 
In this book her design, construction, and career are all covered. Armor, machinery, power plants and weaponry are examined in detail and the author has produced some 35 superb plans, profiles, and other line drawings. The text is further enhanced by the addition of some 80 photos, many in color, from his collection. R.A. Burt's earlier three volumes are regarded as definitive works on the subject of British battleships before 1945; with this new book he finally completes the story of the Dreadnought era, bringing to life the last of a magnificent type of vessel of which the world will not see again.

Launch, 30 November 1944

The fact that she had been on the stocks for such a long time and that there had been no British battleship launched since 1940 (the King George V class), Vanguard’s launch day was looked upon as rather special. Moreover, the ceremony was to be carried out by Her Royal Highness the Princess Elizabeth.

The Royal Family had requested that the ceremony was to be treated as a private function and no members of the general public be admitted unless they were officially invited. Being launched under wartime conditions, there was also the question of security affecting any information given to the press and public. The following statement was issued to the John Brown shipyard

The question as to the date when details of the launch would be released to the general public would appear to be one for Board decision, observing that the general rule is that details are not normally given until at least one month after the commissioning of the vessel.In deciding on an early date for release it has to be borne in mind that should the existence of the vessel be published before the end of the European war and before the ship leaves the Clyde, the possibility of the enemy making a special bombing attack, though unlikely, cannot be ruled out.

Although this statement was issued in October 1944, a letter was sent to the press office on 29 November saying that the launch could be mentioned but with strict limits on actual information.

1. Nothing could be mentioned regarding the ship’s name.

2. Nothing was to be said of the type or class of vessel beyond her being a battleship launched from a Northern shipyard.

3. There were no restrictions of taking photographs but photographers should note that any photo for immediate release should not include any person that would indicate the location of the shipyard.

4. After the launch the Royal guests will pose for photographs but shipyard personnel will step aside and not be included in the view.

5. Photogra...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title
• Copyright
• Contents
• Preface
• Foreword and Acknowledgements
• Introduction
• Design and Construction
• Launch, 30 November 1944
• Vanguard: As-Completed Data
• Hull and Special Features
• Armament
• Armour
• Machinery
• Bridgework and Funnels
• Radar Equipment
• The Royal Tour of 1947
• Appearance Changes
• Battleship Design after Vanguard
• Criticism of Vanguard and the Demise of the Battleship
• Appendix A: Service History
• Appendix B: Comparison with the French Jean Bart and the US Iowa
• Bibliography
• Plate section