Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 29:57-31:24

Why Britain could not spare HMS Duke of York

Post-Pearl Harbor inquiries about acquiring a battleship met the Royal Navy's own acute shortage of modern capital ships.

HMS Duke Of YorkKing George V Class Battleships (1939)Pearl HarborRoyal NavyUS Navy
Watch at this timeFull video guide
Question

Was HMS Duke of York going to be sold to the United States after Pearl Harbor?

Short answer

The Americans may have inquired, but Britain could not spare Duke of York after its own severe capital-ship losses.

Notes

The United States explored many emergency ways to rebuild its battle line after Pearl Harbor, including inquiries about foreign battleships. Britain had already lost Hood, Royal Oak, Prince of Wales, and Repulse, while other capital ships had been damaged. HMS Duke of York was too valuable to release and later proved her importance at the Battle of North Cape. Any wartime transfer had to account for the supplier's operational need as well as the recipient's emergency.