Q&A · 2:24:15-2:24:52

What counts as an old warship still in combat?

Using HMS Victory as a stationary anti-aircraft platform stretches the meaning of combat, while First World War capital ships and elderly depot ships provide clearer examples of long service.

Question

Was HMS Victory the oldest ship used in combat as an anti-aircraft platform during the Second World War?

Short answer

Possibly in a very broad sense, but calling that active ship combat is debatable; older capital and depot ships offer clearer comparisons.

Notes

A historic hull contributing to local defence differs from a ship operating as a combatant. HMS Victory may qualify under an extremely broad definition, but a stationary anti-aircraft role is not the same as going to sea as an active warship. First World War capital ships still fighting in the Second World War provide clearer examples, alongside support vessels whose age is easy to overlook. A later suggestion of an old submarine tender reinforces the limit: a tender can remain useful in wartime without becoming an active combatant.