HMS Belfast (C35)
HMS Belfast is a museum ship, operated by the Imperial War Museum, permanently
moored in London on the River Thames. She was originally a Royal Navy light
cruiser and served during both the Second World War and Korean War.
Construction of Belfast, one of ten Town class cruisers, began in December 1936 and
she was launched on St Patrick's Day, 17 March 1938. Commissioned in early August
1939 shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War, Belfast was initially part
of the British naval blockade against Germany.[2] In November 1939 Belfast struck a
German mine and spent more than two years undergoing extensive repairs.[3]
Returning to action in November 1942 with improved firepower, radar equipment and
armour, Belfast was the largest and arguably most powerful cruiser in the Royal Navy
at the time.[4] Belfast saw action escorting Arctic convoys to the Soviet Union during
1943 and in December 1943 played an important role in the Battle of North Cape,
assisting in the destruction of the German warship Scharnhorst. In June 1944 Belfast
took part in Operation Overlord supporting the Normandy landings. In June 1945
Belfast was redeployed to the Far East to join the British Pacific Fleet, arriving shortly
before the end of the Second World War.[5] Belfast saw further combat action in 195052 during the Korean War and underwent an extensive modernisation between 1956
and 1959. A number of further overseas commissions followed before Belfast entered
reserve in 1963.[6]
Expected to be disposed of as scrap, in 1967 efforts were initiated to preserve Belfast
as a museum ship. A joint committee of the Imperial War Museum, the National
Maritime Museum and the Ministry of Defence was established, and reported in June
1968 that preservation was practical. In 1971 the government decided against
preservation, prompting the formation of the private HMS Belfast Trust to campaign
for her preservation. Successful in their efforts, the government transferred the ship to
the Trust in July 1971. Brought to London, she was moored on the River Thames near