Italian human torpedoes crippled Queen Elizabeth in Alexandria harbor on 19 December 1941. The British tried to preserve the appearance that she remained operational while temporary repairs were made in the dry dock. She then passed through the Suez Canal and around Africa to Norfolk, Virginia. The American repair period from September 1942 to June 1943 restored the battleship and renewed equipment where necessary, making recovery a year-and-a-half Allied undertaking.
Notable Point · 21:22-22:45
Queen Elizabeth is patched at Alexandria and rebuilt at Norfolk
British deception masks damage from the Italian human-torpedo raid until temporary repairs permit a voyage to comprehensive American work.