Q&A · 1:55:02-1:55:31

How far British battleships ranged in the Second World War

Royal Navy battleships accumulated heavy mileage through repeated Atlantic crossings and deployments to the Indian and Pacific oceans, with Warspite effectively circling the globe several times in aggregate.

Question

How far did the average British battleship travel during the Second World War?

Short answer

A very long way: repeated Atlantic crossings and Indian and Pacific deployments gave several ships exceptionally high wartime mileage.

Notes

The exact average varied by ship, so an operational description is more reliable than one number. British battleships repeatedly crossed the Atlantic, operated widely in the Indian Ocean, and later served in the Pacific. Warspite's cumulative movements amounted to several trips around the world. Old capital ships faced heavy logistical demands far beyond set-piece fleet battles.