Built by Messrs Harland & Wolff in 1936, HMS Belfast was launched on St Patrick's Day in 1938 by Anne Chamberlain, wife of the then Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain.
After fitting out and builder's trials, HMS Belfast was commissioned into the Royal Navy on 5 August 1939 under the command of Captain G A Scott DSO RN.
Designed for the protection of trade and offensive action, it was immediately called into service patrolling the northern waters in efforts to impose a maritime blockade on Germany. However, disaster struck after only two months at sea when HMS Belfast hit a magnetic mine. There were few casualties but the damage to her hull was so severe the ship was out of action for three years.
On rejoining the home fleet in 1942, the ship was still the largest and most powerful cruiser in the Royal Navy and most importantly she was equipped with the most advanced radar systems.
HMS Belfast was immediately called into action and played a crucial role in protecting the arctic convoys, Russia’s supply route throughout the war.
For 18 months, HMS Belfast and her crew endured punishing conditions delivering supplies to the Soviet Union. HMS Belfast 's notable role during the Battle of North Cape saw the sinking of the Scharnhorst and the loss of all but 36 of her 1,963 crew.
In 1944 the shippent five weeks supporting the D-Day landings and reportedly fired one of the first shots on D-Day itself.
After the Second World War, HMS Belfast played an active role in the Korean War from 1950-1952 working with other Allied Forces to support the retreating American and South Korean troops.
Its final years were spent performing peace-keeping duties until it was retired from service in 1963. As early as 1967 the Imperial War Museum had been investigating the possibility of preserving a Second World War cruiser. This led to the formation of a trust, headed up by one of HMS Belfast’s former captains Rear-Admiral Sir Morgan Morgan-Giles. After some years the trust was successful and HMS Belfast was brought to London opening to the public on Trafalgar Day, 21 October 1971.
Today, it is the last remaining vessel of its type – one of the largest and most powerful light cruisers ever built.
HMS Belfast's St Patrick's Day Launch
HMS Belfast was launched on St Patrick's Day, 17 March 1938 by Anne Chamberlain – the wife of then Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain – and spent 25 years in active service before it was brought to London by IWM and opened to the public on Trafalgar Day, 21 October 1971.
HMS Belfast and the Arctic Convoys
For 18 months, HMS Belfast and her crew endured punishing conditions supporting the vital Arctic Convoys delivering supplies to the Soviet Union.
HMS Belfast And The Battle Of North Cape
The Battle of North Cape began when the German battlecruiser Scharnhorst and five destroyers left their base in Altenfjord, northern Norway on Christmas Day 1943.
HMS Belfast and D-Day
Discover the role HMS Belfast played on D-Day. Watch IWM curator John Delaney explore the significance of how the ship and her crew operated on D-Day and hear the voices of the men who were on board and witnessed the events first hand.
HMS Belfast and the Korean War
The Korean War broke out on the 25th June 1950 when communist North Korea invaded South Korea. HMS Belfast was soon in action. In her two years of service in Korea, she saw more action than at any point during the Second World War. The Korean War was primarily fought on land, so why did HMS Belfast see such intense action during this period?
