German capital ships threatening Arctic convoys led the Soviet Union to seek a battleship it could neither build during the war nor move from its enclosed fleets. Britain transferred HMS Royal Sovereign as Arkhangelsk against the Soviet share of the eventual Italian war prizes. German submarines repeatedly tried to attack her, yet the more lasting problem was the Northern Fleet's inability to maintain such a large ship. By her return in 1949, much equipment was unserviceable and the main turrets had not been rotated for years, leaving them jammed on the centreline. Her condition in 1949 does not establish that every failure already existed in 1944. Arkhangelsk still shows that a capital ship requires docks, repair facilities, spares, and an experienced maintenance organization.
Notable Point · 39:35-46:21
Arkhangelsk and the cost of supporting capital ships
The transfer of HMS Royal Sovereign as Arkhangelsk exposed the docks, maintenance capacity, and trained support required behind any battleship presence.