Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 3:02:55-3:04:08

Where a preserved HMS Warspite might have gone

Warspite's draught and size make the Belfast berth unlikely; Portsmouth, with an expanded historic dockyard and a suitable dock or jetty, is the most plausible home.

HMS WarspiteMuseum ShipsPortsmouth Historic DockyardRoyal Navy
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Question

If HMS Warspite had been preserved, could she have occupied HMS Belfast's berth on the Thames?

Short answer

Probably not; Portsmouth is the more plausible home, with a dockyard berth adapted for her greater size and draught.

Notes

Britain preserved no battleship comparable to Belfast, leaving several ports as possible homes for Warspite. Liverpool, Southampton, Glasgow, Plymouth, and Portsmouth all merit consideration, while her deeper draught and larger hull would make Belfast's Thames berth difficult. Portsmouth is the likeliest solution. The historic dockyard would probably need to expand around another dock or berth near Victory and Warrior.