HMS BELFAST

Description

Essentials about HMS Belfast in brief

For ship fans and those interested in war history, a visit to HMS Belfast is a must. With a length of 187 meters and a crew of 750-850 men, the Belfast was the largest Royal Navy light cruiser in World War II. And she is the only World War II cruiser that can still be seen in Europe today. From the outside, almost every visitor to London gets to see HMS Belfast anyway, because at its berth between London Bridge and Tower Bridge, the ship is definitely not to be overlooked.

The history of HMS Belfast

The ship was launched in 1938 and commissioned by the Navy just before the start of World War II in August 1939. Shortly after the war began, the Belfast ran into a German magnetic mine in November 1939 and was severely damaged. Repairs and rebuilding took three years. Thereafter, the Belfast was used to escort several North Sea convoys, among other duties, and also played an important supporting role in the Allied landings in Normandy. The Belfast also saw action in the Korean War in 1951. The ship was finally decommissioned in 1965 and converted into a museum in 1971.

Visiting HMS Belfast

The berth of HMS Belfast is something very special. Picturesquely situated between London Bridge and Tower Bridge, with the Tower of London in the background on the north side and London City Hall on the south side of the Thames, the ship is also a very popular photo motif. On board, visitors can make their way across the nine decks and tour the various rooms, from the bridge to the crew quarters to the engine room. This creates a very vivid impression of the life of the crew and the history of the Belfast.