HMS Belfast

Building on the expertise of the authors and historians of the Naval Institute Press, the Naval History Special Editions are designed to offer studies of the key vessels, battles, and events of armed conflict. Using an image-heavy format, these special editions should appeal to scholars, enthusiasts, and general readers alike.  

This special edition covers HMS Belfast, a ship whose long and storied career began just before World War II and included numerous critical battles. During the war she chased down German battleships and, on 6 June 1944, participated in the largest amphibious landing the world had ever witnessed. HMS Belfast was among the first to fire on D-Day, and Winston Churchill himself had planned to be on board to witness the landings at Normandy until King George VI intervened. Years later Belfast would go on to hold the line during the crucial weeks when Korea’s future hung in the balance, and she subsequently survived long enough to become the largest museum ship in the United Kingdom.  

HMS Belfast remains the last of the “full-size” British cruisers, a designation that ended with her construction due to the restrictions imposed by the 2nd London Naval Treaty. In 1938, shortly after commissioning, Belfast’s career was nearly cut short when she was severely damaged by a German magnetic mine. However, because of her brand-new status she was granted a reprieve and underwent extensive repair work in drydocks. Her survival can largely be attributed to these repairs, which enhanced her unique capabilities. At the time of writing, HMS Belfast is due to see a namesake successor, in the form of a modern Type 26 frigate, enter service before the end of the decade.