The panel recalls an early-war action in which a reconstructed R-class battleship approached an enemy-held port and fired on landing craft or related invasion targets. They describe the episode as a kind of stealth-battleship operation because an old, slow capital ship achieved tactical surprise close to the coast. The speakers do not settle the exact ship or location, so the passage chiefly illustrates how an older battleship could deliver sudden heavy shore bombardment. The uncertain identification should not be read as a firm claim about the vessel or port.
Notable Point · 26:47-27:37
A surprise R-class bombardment in 1940
A reconstructed R-class battleship reportedly achieved surprise against invasion-related targets at an enemy-held port in 1940, though the panel could not identify the exact ship or location.