The County class had one-inch protection over selected machinery, steering, bulkheads, magazines, and other local spaces rather than a conventional continuous heavy belt. From 1935, several ships received a much more substantial 4.5-inch belt. Berwick, Cumberland, Suffolk, Cornwall, and London are among the examples named. This separates the class as designed from the uneven modernization histories of individual cruisers.
Notable Point · 56:10-58:18
County-class protection was concentrated and later strengthened
A technical aside distinguishes the County class's original local protection from the 4.5-inch belts added to selected ships from 1935.