Q&A · 1:15:32-1:16:06

Which guns fired star shells at North Cape

The on-air recollection has Belfast using her 4-inch secondary battery for illumination at North Cape, leaving the 6-inch main battery free to engage.

Question

Did HMS Belfast use her 6-inch guns to fire star shells at the Battle of North Cape?

Short answer

The on-air recollection assigns the star-shell illumination to the 4-inch secondary guns rather than the 6-inch main battery.

Notes

The question proposes using a fifteen-gun broadside of 6-inch star shells from an enlarged Belfast. The on-air recollection assigns the historical illumination work at North Cape to the ship's 4-inch guns. That left the 6-inch main battery available for its primary engagement role. The distinction shows how secondary batteries could support night fighting without interrupting the cruiser's main gunnery task.