The 1892 HMS Repulse can surprise viewers expecting the better-known twentieth-century battlecruiser, but her varied career made her a worthwhile Key Ship subject. An earlier HMS Renown would suit the series for similar reasons. Repulse and Renown were among John Fisher's favorite ship names, and he fought proposals to rename the later battlecruisers during their conversion. The opening connects an overlooked battleship with Fisher's later influence over Royal Navy ship identity.
Chapter · 0:00-1:13
Why the 1892 HMS Repulse and Renown mattered to Fisher
The introduction distinguishes the 1892 Repulse from her more famous twentieth-century namesake and connects Repulse and Renown to Jacky Fisher's preferences.