Which ships seemed to survive because fortune repeatedly favored them?
Short answerHMS Eskimo and HMS Nubian qualify, while failed U-boat torpedoes against HMS Warspite in Norway provide the clearest example.
NotesHMS Eskimo and HMS Nubian are named as ships whose survival looked exceptionally fortunate. HMS Warspite in Norway is the clearest example: German U-boats repeatedly attacked, but their torpedoes failed to detonate. The joke that Warspite had plot armour conveys how improbable the escapes appeared. The explanation rests on weapon failure and luck rather than invulnerability.