Battlecruiser histories. Royal naval
battlecruisers HMS Repulse and HMS Renown. Battlecruiser website dedicated to the
history of HMS Repulse and HMS Renown from their launch to their
participation in major wars also notice board for families of ex-crew of
HMS Repulse and HMS Renown.
HMS Repulse was built at Clydebank by John Brown, and
launched on 8th January 1916 . She saw action in the First World war on
the 17 November 1917 at Heligoland Bight (a sortie by British
battlecruisers.). During World War Two. She operated off Norway in
1940, and on Convoy duty until the summer of 1941. Repulse joined the
eastern Fleet in October 1941, arriving at Singapore on the 2nd of
December, she sailed with HMS Prince of Wales and four destroyers to
attack Japanese naval forces in their landing areas around Malaya. On
the 10th December both the repulse and Prince of Wales were attacked by
80 Japanese aircraft and were sunk, HMS Repulse being hit by a Torpedo
and sunk at 1233 hours, after being hit by a further 4 hits.
HMS
Renown was a Battle cruiser built at Fairfield and re engined at Cammell
Laird. she was launched on the 4th march 1916. Between the wars HMS Renown
has a major refit at Portsmouth in May 1923 to August 1926. She had her
belt armour increased, (using the plate armour intended for the Chilean
battleship Almirante Cochrane). Her horizontal armour was increased from
1-inch to 1.5 inch.
HMS Renown served in all major theatres
during world war two. During September 1939 she served in the north
sea and during October 1939 took part in the search for the German
surface raiders Admiral Graf Spee and Deutschland. During August 1940 the
renown exchanged fire with the German Battle Cruisers Gneisenau and
Scharnhorst but only received slight damage. During the rest of
1940and 1941 HMS Renown served with Force H. Renown also took part
in the pursuit of the Bismarck, during May 1941. During November 1942 she
supported the Allied Landing in North Africa. During early 1944 HMS
Renown joined the British eastern Fleet supporting the carrier raids, and
also the bombarding of Surabaya. At Durban she had a refit and then
returned to home water in March 1945. Due to her poor condition HMS
renown was put into reserve and was finally scrapped at Faslane, Scotland
on August 1948. (Above left photograph is of Renown in the lock at the
Panama Canal).
