The name Warspite has long been a part of British naval tradition. The first ship to bear this name sailed under command of Sir Walter Raleigh in 1596. The eighth and last Warspite was a nuclear submarine, which started her career stalking Soviet Navy vessels during the Cold War and later patrolled the waters around the Falkland Islands and the Argentinian coast following the war in 1982.
While covering the careers of all the ships to carry this proud name, this book concentrates on the seventh Warspite. This mighty battleship fought her way through both World Wars. She saw action in some of the greatest naval engagements of the 20th Century, including the battles of Jutland, 1916, and Calabria, Taranto, Matapan and Crete (1940/41) before sailing for repairs in the USA and then the Far East to join the struggle against the Japanese fleet.
Warspite’s guns also proved decisive in helping Allied armies liberate north-west Europe in 1944. She was retired from service at the end of WW2 and in 1947 was being towed to the breaker’s yard when, during a storm, she broke free from her tugs and ran aground in Prussia Cove, off the Cornish coast.
In this fascinating book, Iain Ballantyne tells the story of Warspite through the eyes of the men who sailed in her, some of whom are speaking of their experiences for the first time. The text is enhanced by a fine selection of photographs, many previously unpublished, and specially commissioned artwork.