Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 3:21:47-3:22:13

Damage control that brought ships home

Eskimo, Nubian, and Illustrious illustrate how determined repair and damage control preserved ships after devastating hits.

Damage ControlHMS EskimoHMS IllustriousHMS Nubian
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Question

What are strong examples of wartime damage control?

Short answer

He points to HMS Eskimo, HMS Nubian, and HMS Illustrious as notable survival and repair cases.

Notes

Three Royal Navy examples show the strategic value of damage control. HMS Eskimo returned repeatedly after losing her bow, while HMS Nubian came home with much of her stern missing. HMS Illustrious survived extensive punishment and made the journey to the United States for repair. Each crew preserved enough of its damaged ship to reach a yard instead of losing the hull at sea. A ship brought home can be repaired and returned to the force, making damage control a strategic capability as well as an emergency practice.