View source for HMS Warspite (03)

{{Short description|Queen Elizabeth–class battleship}}
{{Other ships|HMS Warspite}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2022}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=HMS Warspite, Indian Ocean 1942.jpg
|Ship caption=''Warspite'' under way in the [[Indian Ocean]], 16 July 1942
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header=
|Ship country=United Kingdom
|Ship flag={{shipboxflag|United Kingdom|naval}}
|Ship name=''Warspite''
|Ship namesake=
|Ship ordered=1912
|Ship awarded=
|Ship builder=[[HM Dockyard, Devonport]]
|Ship original cost=£2,524,148<ref>[[#refRoskill1957|Roskill, 1957]], p.&nbsp;87.</ref>
|Ship yard number=
|Ship way number=
|Ship laid down=31 October 1912
|Ship launched=26 November 1913
|Ship sponsor=
|Ship christened=
|Ship completed=
|Ship commissioned=8 March 1915
|Ship recommissioned=
|Ship decommissioned=1 February 1945
|Ship in service=
|Ship out of service=
|Ship refit=
|Ship struck=19 April 1947
|Ship motto=''Belli dura despicio ("I Despise the Hardships of War")''
|Ship nickname= Grand Old Lady
|Ship honours=15 battle honours (and 10 [[HMS Warspite#Battle honours|inherited honours]])
|Ship identification=[[Pennant number]]: 57 (1914); A9  (Jan 18);<ref>{{cite book |last1=Colledge |first1=J J |title=British Warships 1914–1919 |date=1972 |publisher=Ian Allan |location=Shepperton |page=34}}</ref> 12 (Apr 18); 03 (Nov 19)<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Dodson |first1=Aidan |title=The Development of the British Royal Navy’s Pennant Numbers Between 1919 and 1940 |journal=Warship International |date=2024 |volume=61 |issue=2 |page=134–66}}</ref>
|Ship fate=Sold for [[ship breaking|scrap]], 1947
|Ship notes=
|Ship badge=
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=(as built)
|Ship class={{sclass|Queen Elizabeth|battleship}}
|Ship displacement=*{{convert|32590|LT|t|lk=on}}
* {{convert|33260|LT|t}} ([[Deep load]])
|Ship length={{convert|643|ft|9|in|m|abbr=on|1}}
|Ship beam={{convert|90|ft|7|in|m|abbr=on|1}}
|Ship draught={{convert|33|ft|m|abbr=on|1}}
|Ship power=* 24 [[Yarrow boiler]]s
*{{convert|75000|shp|lk=on|abbr=on}}
|Ship propulsion=4 shafts; 2 [[steam turbine]] sets
|Ship speed={{convert|24|kn|lk=in}}
|Ship range={{convert|5000|nmi|abbr=on|lk=in}} at {{convert|12|kn}}
|Ship complement=*1,025 (1915)
* 1,262 (1920, as a flagship)
|Ship armament=*4 × twin [[BL 15 inch Mk I naval gun|{{cvt|15|in|0}}]] guns
* 14 × single [[BL 6 inch Mk XII naval gun|{{cvt|6|in|0}}]] guns
* 2 × single [[QF 3 inch 20 cwt|{{cvt|3|in|0}}]] [[AA gun]]s
* 4 × [[British 21 inch torpedo|21&nbsp;in (533&nbsp;mm)]] [[torpedo tube]]s
|Ship armour=*[[Belt armor|Waterline belt]]: {{convert|13|in|mm|0|abbr=on}}
* [[Deck (ship)|Deck]]: {{convert|1|-|3|in|mm|0|abbr=on}}
* [[Barbette]]s: {{convert|7|-|10|in|mm|abbr=on|0}}
* [[Gun turret]]s: {{convert|11|-|13|in|mm|0|abbr=on}}
* [[Conning tower]]: {{convert|13|in|mm|0|abbr=on}}
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=(1937 refit, where different)
|Ship displacement=*{{convert|31315|LT|t}} [[Displacement (ship)#Standard displacement|Standard]]
* {{convert|36450|LT|t}} (Extra-deep load)
|Ship beam={{convert|104|ft|m|abbr=on|1}}
|Ship draught={{convert|32|ft|4|in|m|abbr=on|1}}
|Ship power=* 6 [[Admiralty 3-drum boiler]]s
*{{convert|72000|shp|abbr=on}}
|Ship speed={{convert|23|kn}}
|Ship range={{convert|7579|nmi|abbr=on}} at {{cvt|12|kn}}
|Ship complement=
|Ship sensors=
|Ship EW=
|Ship armament=
* 8 × single 6-inch guns
* 4 × twin [[QF 4 inch Mk XVI naval gun|{{convert|4|in|0|abbr=on}}]] AA guns
* 4 × octuple [[QF 2 pounder naval gun|QF 2-pdr ({{cvt|40|mm|in|order=flip|1}})]] AA guns
* 4 × quadruple [[Vickers .50 machine gun|Vickers {{convert|0.5|in|abbr=on|1}}]] [[anti-aircraft machinegun|AA machineguns]]
|Ship armour=*[[Deck (ship)|Deck]]: {{convert|3.125|-|5|in|mm|0|abbr=on}}
* [[Conning tower]]: {{convert|2|-|3|in|mm|0|abbr=on}}
|Ship aircraft=4 × [[amphibious aircraft]]
|Ship aircraft facilities=1 × [[aircraft catapult]]
|Ship notes=
}}
|}
'''HMS ''Warspite''''' was one of five {{sclass|Queen Elizabeth|battleship}}s built for the [[Royal Navy]] during the early 1910s. Completed during the [[First World War]] in 1915, she was assigned to the [[Grand Fleet]] and participated in the [[Battle of Jutland]]. Other than that battle, and the inconclusive [[action of 19 August 1916|Action of 19 August]], her service during the war generally consisted of routine patrols and training in the [[North Sea]]. During the [[interwar period]] the ship was deployed in the [[Atlantic Ocean]] and the [[Mediterranean Sea]], often serving as [[flagship]], and was thoroughly modernised in the mid-1930s.

During the [[Second World War]], ''Warspite'' was involved in the [[Norwegian Campaign]] in early 1940 and was transferred to the Mediterranean later that year where the ship participated in fleet actions against the [[Royal Italian Navy]] ({{lang|it|Regia Marina}}) while also escorting convoys and bombarding Italian troops ashore. She was damaged by German aircraft during the [[Battle of Crete]] in mid-1941 and required six months of repairs in the United States. They were completed after the start of the [[Pacific War]] in December and the ship sailed across the [[Pacific Ocean|Pacific]] to join the Eastern Fleet in the [[Indian Ocean]] in early 1942. ''Warspite'' returned home in mid-1943 to conduct [[naval gunfire support]] as part of [[Force H]] during the [[Italian campaign (World War II)|Italian campaign]]. She was badly damaged by German [[radio-controlled]] [[glider bomb]]s during the [[Operation Avalanche|landings at Salerno]] and spent most of the next year under repair. The ship bombarded German positions during the [[Normandy landings]] and on [[Operation Infatuate|Walcheren Island]] in 1944, despite not being fully repaired. These actions earned her the most [[battle honour]]s ever awarded to an individual ship in the Royal Navy. For this and other reasons, ''Warspite'' gained the nickname the ''"Grand Old Lady"'' after a comment made by [[Admiral]] [[Andrew Cunningham, 1st Viscount Cunningham of Hyndhope|Sir Andrew Cunningham]] in 1943 while she was his flagship.

When she was launched in 1913 the use of oil as fuel and untried 15-inch guns were revolutionary concepts in the [[Anglo-German naval arms race|naval arms race between Britain and Germany]], a considerable risk for [[Winston Churchill]], then [[First Lord of the Admiralty]], and [[Admiral of the Fleet (Royal Navy)|Admiral of the Fleet]] [[John Fisher, 1st Baron Fisher|Sir Jackie Fisher]], who had advocated the design. However, the new "[[fast battleship]]s" proved to be an outstanding success during the First World War. Decommissioned in 1945, ''Warspite'' ran aground under tow to be scrapped in 1947 on rocks near [[Prussia Cove]], [[Cornwall]], and was eventually broken up nearby.

''Warspite'' was the sixth Royal Navy ship to bear the name. It likely originated from an archaic word for woodpecker, 'speight'; with the implication that, during the age of sail the war-speight would peck holes in her enemies' wooden hulls.<ref name=Ballantyne>{{cite book|last=Ballantyne|first=Iain|title=Warspite: From Jutland Hero to Cold War Warrior|publisher=pen & Sword Maritime|location=Barnsley, UK|year=2013|isbn=978-1-84884-350-9|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5dNX612zp1gC |ref=Ballantyne2013}}</ref>

== Design and description ==
The ''Queen Elizabeth''-class ships were designed to form a fast [[squadron (naval)|squadron]] for the fleet that was intended to operate against the leading ships of the opposing [[battleline]]. This required maximum offensive power and a speed several [[knot (unit)|knots]] faster than any other battleship to allow them to defeat any type of ship.<ref>Burt 2012b, p. 277</ref><ref>Parkes, pp. 560–561</ref>

''Warspite'' had a [[length overall]] of {{convert|643|ft|9|in|m|1}}, a [[beam (nautical)|beam]] of {{convert|90|ft|7|in|m|1}} and a deep [[draft (hull)|draught]] of {{convert|33|ft|m|1}}. She had a normal [[displacement (ship)|displacement]] of {{convert|32590|LT|t|lk=on}} and displaced {{convert|33260|LT|t|abbr=on|0}} at [[deep load]]. She was powered by two sets of [[Parsons Marine Steam Turbine Company|Parsons]] [[steam turbine]]s, each driving two shafts using steam from 24 [[Yarrow boiler]]s. The turbines were rated at {{convert|75000|shp|lk=on}} and intended to reach a maximum speed of {{convert|25|kn|1}}. The ship had a range of {{convert|5000|nmi|lk=in|0}} at a cruising speed of {{convert|12|kn|1}}. Her crew numbered 1,025 officers and [[naval rating|ratings]] in 1915 and 1,220 in 1920.<ref>Burt 2012b, pp. 284–285, 287</ref>

The ''Queen Elizabeth'' class was equipped with eight [[List of British ordnance terms#BL|breech-loading]] (BL) [[BL 15 inch Mk I naval gun|{{convert|15|in|adj=on|0}} Mk I]] guns in four twin-[[gun turret]]s, in two [[superfire|superfiring pairs]] fore and aft of the [[superstructure]], designated 'A', 'B', 'X', and 'Y' from front to rear. Twelve of the fourteen [[BL 6 inch Mk XII naval gun|BL {{convert|6|in|adj=on|0}} Mk XII]] guns were mounted in [[casemate]]s along the [[Broadside (naval)|broadside]] of the vessel [[amidships]]; the remaining pair were mounted on the [[forecastle]] deck near the aft [[funnel (ship)|funnel]] and were protected by [[gun shield]]s. The [[anti-aircraft gun|anti-aircraft (AA)]] armament were composed of two [[quick-firing gun|quick-firing (QF)]] [[QF 3 inch 20 cwt|{{convert|3|in|adj=on|0}} 20&nbsp;cwt Mk I]]<ref group=Note>"Cwt" is the abbreviation for [[hundredweight]], 20 cwt referring to the weight of the gun.</ref> guns. The ships were fitted with four submerged [[British 21 inch torpedo|21-inch (533 mm)]] [[torpedo tube]]s, two on each broadside.<ref>Burt 2012b, pp. 284–285, 288–289</ref>

''Warspite'' was completed with two [[Fire-control system#Naval fire control|fire-control directors]] fitted with {{convert|15|ft|1|adj=on}} [[Rangefinding telemeter|rangefinder]]s. One was mounted above the [[conning tower]], protected by an armoured hood, and the other was in the [[Top (sailing ship)|spotting top]] above the [[tripod mast]]. Each turret was also fitted with a 15-foot rangefinder. The main armament could be controlled by 'B' turret as well. The secondary armament was primarily controlled by directors mounted on each side of the compass platform on the foremast once they were fitted in July 1917.<ref>Raven & Roberts, pp. 20–21, 30</ref>

The [[Belt armor|waterline belt]] of the ''Queen Elizabeth'' class consisted of [[Krupp cemented armour]] (KC) that was {{convert|13|in|0}} thick over the ships' vitals. The gun turrets were protected by {{convert|11|to|13|in|mm|0}} of KC armour and were supported by [[barbette]]s {{convert|7|-|10|in|0}} thick. The ships had multiple armoured decks that ranged from {{convert|1|to|3|in|0}} in thickness. The main conning tower was protected by 13 inches of armour. After the Battle of Jutland, 1 inch of [[high-tensile steel]] was added to the main deck over the [[magazine (artillery)|magazines]] and additional anti-flash equipment was added in the magazines.<ref>Raven & Roberts, pp. 21, 26</ref>

The ship was fitted with [[Flight deck#Early|flying-off platforms]] mounted on the roofs of 'B' and 'X' turrets in 1918, from which fighters and [[reconnaissance aircraft]] could launch. Exactly when the platforms were removed is unknown, but no later than ''Warspite''{{'}}s 1934–1937 reconstruction.<ref>Raven & Roberts, pp. 30, 231</ref>

==Construction and career==
''Warspite'', the sixth warship of the Royal Navy to carry the name, was [[laid down]] on 21 October 1912 at [[HMNB Devonport|Devonport Royal Dockyard]], [[Ship naming and launching|launched]] on 26 November 1913, and completed in April 1915<ref>Burt 2012b, p. 284</ref> under the command of [[Captain (Royal Navy)|Captain]] [[Edward Montgomery Phillpotts|Edward Phillpotts]].<ref name="Ballantyne p. 30">[[#refBallantyne2013|Ballantyne, 2013]], p.&nbsp;30.</ref> ''Warspite'' joined the [[2nd Battle Squadron (United Kingdom)|2nd Battle Squadron]] of the [[Grand Fleet]] following a number of acceptance trials,<ref>[[#SutherCan2010|Sutherland and Canwell, 2010]], p.&nbsp;62.</ref> including gunnery trials, which saw Churchill present when she fired her 15-inch (381&nbsp;mm) guns. Churchill was suitably impressed with their accuracy and power.<ref>[[#refBallantyne2013|Ballantyne, 2013]], p.&nbsp;29.</ref> In late 1915, ''Warspite'' was grounded in the [[River Forth]] causing some damage to her hull; she had been led by her escorting destroyers down the small ships channel.<ref name="Ballantyne p. 30"/> After undergoing repairs for two months at [[Rosyth]] and [[Jarrow]], she rejoined the Grand Fleet, this time as part of the new [[British 5th Battle Squadron|5th Battle Squadron]] which had been created for ''Queen Elizabeth''-class ships.<ref name="Ballantyne p. 30"/> In early December, ''Warspite'' was involved in another incident when, during an exercise, she collided with her sister ship {{HMS|Barham|04|2}}, which caused considerable damage to ''Warspite''{{'}}s bow. She made it back to Scapa Flow and from there to Devonport for more repair work, rejoining the fleet on Christmas Eve 1915.<ref>[[#refWatton1986|Watton, 1986]], p.&nbsp;8.</ref>

===First World War===
====Battle of Jutland (1916)====
{{Main|Battle of Jutland}}
Following the German [[Bombardment of Yarmouth and Lowestoft|raid on Lowestoft]] in April 1916, ''Warspite'' and the 5th Battle Squadron were temporarily assigned to Vice-Admiral [[David Beatty, 1st Earl Beatty|David Beatty's]] [[Battlecruiser]] Force.<ref>[[#refBallantyne2013|Ballantyne, 2013]], p.&nbsp;32.</ref> On 31 May, ''Warspite'' was deployed with the squadron to fight in the [[Battle of Jutland]], the largest naval encounter between Britain and Germany during the war. Following a signalling error, the battleships were left trailing Beatty's fast ships during the [[Battle of Jutland#Battlecruiser action|battlecruiser action]], and the 5th Battle Squadron was exposed to heavy fire from the German High Seas Fleet as the force turned away to the north,<ref>[[#refBallantyne2013|Ballantyne, 2013]], p.&nbsp;42–43.</ref> although ''Warspite'' was able to score her first hit on the battlecruiser {{SMS|Von der Tann||2}}.<ref>[[#refBallantyne2013|Ballantyne, 2013]], p.&nbsp;41.</ref>

[[File:HMS Warspite and HMS Malaya during the battle of Jutland.jpg|left|thumb|''Warspite'' and ''Malaya'' at Jutland]]
The 5th Battle Squadron then headed [[Battle of Jutland#Run to the north|north]], exchanging fire with both Hipper's battlecruiser force and the leading elements of Scheer's battleships, damaging {{SMS|Markgraf||2}}.<ref>[[#Campbell1998|Campbell, 1998]], p.&nbsp;134–145.</ref> When the squadron turned to join the [[Grand Fleet]], the damage from a shell hitting the port-wing engine room caused ''Warspite''{{'}}s steering to jam as she attempted to avoid her sister ships {{HMS|Valiant|1914|2}} and {{HMS|Malaya||2}}.<ref name="Ballantyne p. 50">[[#refBallantyne2013|Ballantyne, 2013]], p.&nbsp;50.</ref> Captain Phillpotts decided to maintain course, in effect circling, rather than come to a halt and reverse. This decision exposed ''Warspite'' and made her a tempting target; she was hit multiple times, but inadvertently diverted attention from the armoured cruiser {{HMS|Warrior|1907|2}}, which had been critically damaged whilst attacking the leading elements of the German fleet.<ref name="Ballantyne p. 50"/> This action gained her the admiration of ''Warrior''{{'}}s surviving crew, who believed that ''Warspite''{{'}}s movement had been intentional.<ref>[[#Marder1978|Marder, 1978]], p.&nbsp;97–98.</ref>

[[File:Battleship Warspite (1913) at Rosyth RMG N16494.tiff|right|thumb|upright=1|Damage caused by a shell that exploded inside the ship at Jutland]]
The crew regained control of ''Warspite'' after two full circles. Their efforts to end the circular motion placed her on a course which took her towards the German fleet.<ref name="Ballantyne p. 51">[[#refBallantyne2013|Ballantyne, 2013]], p.&nbsp;51.</ref> The rangefinders and the transmission station were non-functional and only "A" turret could fire, albeit under local control with 12 salvos falling short of their target. Sub Lieutenant [[Herbert Annesley Packer]] was subsequently promoted for his command of "A" turret.<ref>{{London Gazette |date= 15 September 1916 |issue=29751 |supp=y |page=9079}}</ref> Rather than continue, ''Warspite'' was stopped for ten minutes so the crew could make repairs. They succeeded in correcting the problem, but the ship would be plagued with steering irregularities for the rest of her naval career. As the light faded the Grand Fleet [[Crossing the T|crossed]] ahead of the German battle line and opened fire, forcing the High Seas Fleet to retreat and allowing ''Warspite'' to slip away.<ref>[[#refBallantyne2013|Ballantyne, 2013]], pp.&nbsp;51–52.</ref>

''Warspite'' was hit fifteen times during the battle,<ref>[[#Campbell1998|Campbell, 1998]], p.&nbsp;354.</ref> and had 14 killed and 16 wounded; among the latter warrant officer [[Walter Yeo]], who became one of the first men to receive facial reconstruction via [[plastic surgery]].<ref>{{cite web|title = Walter Ernest O'Neil Yeo|publisher = Yeo Society|year = 2009|url = http://www.yeosociety.com/biographies/Walteryeo-plasticsurgery.htm|access-date = 23 September 2009|archive-date = 28 July 2018|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180728200834/http://www.yeosociety.com/biographies/Walteryeo-plasticsurgery.htm|url-status = dead}}</ref> Although she had been extensively damaged, ''Warspite'' could still raise steam and was ordered back to [[Rosyth]] during the evening of 31 May by Rear-Admiral [[Hugh Evan-Thomas]], commander of the 5th Battle Squadron. Whilst travelling across the North Sea the ship came under attack from a German [[U-boat]]. The U-boat fired three torpedoes, all of which missed their target. ''Warspite'' later attempted to ram a surfaced U-boat.<ref>[[#refBallantyne2013|Ballantyne, 2013]], p.&nbsp;53–56.</ref> She signalled ahead for escorts and a squadron of torpedo boats came out to meet her. They were too slow to screen her effectively, but there were no more encounters with German vessels and she reached Rosyth safely on the morning of 1 June, where it took two months to repair the damage.<ref>[[#refWatton1986|Watton, 1986]], pp.&nbsp;7–8.</ref>

====1916–1918====
Upon the completion of her repairs, ''Warspite'' rejoined the 5th Battle Squadron. Further misfortune struck soon afterwards, when she collided with ''Valiant'' after a night-shooting exercise, necessitating more repair work at Rosyth. Captain Philpotts avoided reprimand on this occasion, but was moved to a shore-based job as Naval Assistant to the new First Sea Lord, Admiral Jellicoe.<ref name="Ballantyne p. 66">[[#refBallantyne2013|Ballantyne, 2013]], pp.&nbsp;65–66.</ref> He was replaced by [[Charles de Bartolomé|Captain de Bartolome]] in December 1916.<ref name="Watton p. 8">[[#Watton1996|Watton, 1996]], p.&nbsp;8.</ref> In June 1917, ''Warspite'' collided with a destroyer, but did not require major repairs.<ref name="Watton p. 8"/> Early in April 1918 she joined the Grand Fleet in a fruitless pursuit of the German High Seas Fleet which had been hunting for a convoy near Norway. In 1918, ''Warspite'' had to spend four months being repaired after a boiler room caught fire.<ref>[[#refBallantyne2013|Ballantyne, 2013]], p.&nbsp;67.</ref> Captain [[Hubert Lynes]] relieved Captain de Bartolome and on 21 November he took ''Warspite'' out to escort the [[German High Seas Fleet]] into internment at Scapa Flow following the signing of the Armistice.<ref name="Watton p. 8"/>

===Interbellum (1919–1939)===

[[File:Queen Elizabeth class diagrams Brasseys 1923.jpg|thumb|left|Diagram of the ''Queen Elizabeth'' class published by Brassey's Naval Annual in 1923]]
In 1919, ''Warspite'' joined the 2nd Battle Squadron, part of the newly formed [[British Atlantic Fleet|Atlantic Fleet]], and undertook regular spring cruises to the [[Mediterranean]].<ref name="Ballantyne p. 71">[[#refBallantyne2013|Ballantyne, 2013]], p.&nbsp;71.</ref> In 1924, she attended a Royal [[Fleet Review]] at [[Spithead]], presided over by King [[George V]].<ref name="Ballantyne p. 71"/> Later in the year, ''Warspite'' underwent a partial modernisation that altered her superstructure by trunking her two funnels into one, enhanced her armour protection with torpedo bulges, swapped the high-angle 3-inch guns with new 4-inch anti-aircraft guns, and removed half her torpedo tubes.<ref name="Ballantyne p. 71"/> After the process finished in 1926, ''Warspite'' assumed the role of flagship of the Commander-in-Chief and Second-in-Command, [[British Mediterranean Fleet|Mediterranean Fleet]].<ref>[[#refBallantyne2013|Ballantyne, 2013]], p.&nbsp;72.</ref> In 1927, under the command of Captain [[James Somerville]], she struck an uncharted rock in the Aegean and was ordered to return to Portsmouth for repairs.<ref name="Ballantyne p. 73">[[#refBallantyne2013|Ballantyne, 2013]], p.&nbsp;73.</ref> In 1930, ''Warspite'' rejoined the Atlantic Fleet. She was at sea when the crews of a number of warships [[Invergordon Mutiny|mutinied at Invergordon]] in September 1931, although three sailors were later dismissed from the ship.<ref>[[#refBallantyne2013|Ballantyne, 2013]], p.&nbsp;77.</ref> In March 1933, she was rammed in fog by a Romanian passenger ship off Portugal, but did not require major repairs.<ref name="Ballantyne p. 79">[[#refBallantyne2013|Ballantyne, 2013]], p.&nbsp;79.</ref>

Between March 1934 and March 1937, she underwent a major reconstruction in Portsmouth at a cost of £2,363,000. This refit gave the Admiralty a virtually new warship, replacing internal machinery and significantly changing the battleship's appearance and capabilities.<ref name="Ballantyne p. 79"/>
* '''Propulsion''': The reconstruction project replaced her propulsion machinery and installed six individual boiler rooms, with [[Three-drum boiler#Admiralty boiler|Admiralty three-drum boilers]], in place of 24 Yarrow boilers; geared Parsons turbines were fitted in four new engine rooms and gearing rooms. This increased fuel efficiency, reducing fuel consumption from 41 tons per hour to 27 at almost 24 knots, and gave the warship 80,000 shp. The {{cvt|1500|LT|t|adj=on|0}} weight saving on the lighter machinery was used to increase protection and armament.<ref name="Ballantyne p. 80">[[#refBallantyne2013|Ballantyne, 2013]], p.&nbsp;80.</ref>
* '''Armour''':  {{cvt|1100|LT|t|0}} of armour were added, improving coverage forward of A turret and the boiler rooms, as well as an increase to 5&nbsp;inches over the magazines and 3.5&nbsp;inches over the machinery.<ref>[[#refRavenRoberts1976|Raven & Roberts, 1976]], p.&nbsp;234.</ref> Better sub-division of the engineering rooms strengthened the hull and improved its integrity.<ref name="Ballantyne p. 81">[[#refBallantyne2013|Ballantyne, 2013]], p.&nbsp;81.</ref>
* '''Armament''': The last pair of torpedo tubes were removed and the 6&nbsp;inch guns had their protection reduced; four guns were removed from the fore and aft ends of the batteries.<ref name="Ballantyne p. 80"/> Eight 4&nbsp;inch high-angle guns in four twin mountings and two octuple 2 pdr pom-poms were added to her anti-aircraft defences, as well as additional .50 calibre machine guns on two of the main turrets.<ref name="Ballantyne p. 80"/> The original 15-inch turrets were upgraded to increase the elevation of the guns by ten degrees (from 20° to 30°), providing a further 9,000 yards of range to a maximum of {{convert|32300|yd|km|abbr=on}} with a 6crh shell.<ref>[[#Brown2012|Brown 2012]], p.&nbsp;151–152.</ref> The fire control was also modernised to include the [[HACS]] Mk III* AA fire control system and the [[Admiralty Fire Control Table]] Mk VII for surface fire control of the main armament.<ref name="Ballantyne p. 80"/>
[[File:Sir Victor Crutchley AWM.jpeg|thumb|upright=0.6|right|Captain Victor Crutchley VC, pictured as a Rear Admiral]]
Additionally, her superstructure was radically altered, allowing two cranes and an aircraft hangar to be fitted. This could carry four aircraft, but ''Warspite'' typically carried only two: from 1938 to 1941 these were [[Fairey Swordfish|Swordfish]] floatplanes and from 1942 to 1943 [[Supermarine Walrus|Walrus]] flying boats. Her tripod mast was removed and a distinctive armoured citadel built up to enclose the bridge and to provide space for her to operate as a flagship.<ref name="Ballantyne p. 81"/>

After completion of the refit, ''Warspite'' was recommissioned under the command of Captain [[Victor Crutchley]]. The intention was for her to become the flagship of Admiral [[Dudley Pound]]'s [[Mediterranean Fleet]], but trials revealed problems with propulsion machinery and steering, a legacy of Jutland, which continued to beset ''Warspite'' and delayed her departure.<ref name="Ballantyne p. 81"/> These delays and the work required to rectify them also affected the crew's leave arrangements and led to some sailors airing their views in national newspapers, angering Pound.<ref>[[#refBallantyne2013|Ballantyne, 2013]], p.&nbsp;84.</ref> ''Warspite'' finally entered [[Grand Harbour]], in [[Malta]], on 14 January 1938 and continued gunnery practice and training.<ref>[[#refRoskill1957|Roskill, 1957]], p.&nbsp;187.</ref> At the end of one anti-aircraft exercise, a junior midshipman independently discharged his [[QF 2 pounder naval gun|pom-pom]] gun after a towing aircraft flew low overhead to display its attached target to the crew. ''Warspite'' had turned towards [[Valletta]] on the exercise's conclusion and the shells hurtled towards the city. The shells landed harmlessly at a gunnery range where a platoon of the [[Green Howards]] was exercising.<ref>[[#refPlevy2001|Plevy, 2001]], p.&nbsp;105.</ref> For the remainder of the year, she cruised the Aegean, Adriatic and Mediterranean seas, leading an intensive series of fleet exercises in August due to rising international tension.<ref>[[#refBallantyne2013|Ballantyne, 2013]], p.&nbsp;85.</ref> She undertook another cruise of the western Mediterranean in the spring of 1939.<ref>[[#refBallantyne2013|Ballantyne, 2013]], p.&nbsp;89.</ref> In June 1939, Vice Admiral [[Andrew Browne Cunningham, 1st Viscount Cunningham of Hyndhope|Andrew Cunningham]] replaced Dudley Pound and took ''Warspite'' to Istanbul for talks with the Turkish government.<ref>[[#refBallantyne2013|Ballantyne, 2013]], p.&nbsp;91.</ref> When war was declared in September, the Mediterranean remained quiet and ''Warspite'' was recalled to join the [[Home Fleet]] following the loss of {{HMS|Royal Oak|08|6}}.<ref>[[#refBallantyne2013|Ballantyne, 2013]], p.&nbsp;92.</ref>

===Second World War===

====Atlantic and Narvik (1939–1940)====
{{Main|Battles of Narvik}}
[[File:HMS Warspite, Norway 1940.jpg|250px|right|thumb|''Warspite'' engaging shore batteries during the [[Second Battle of Narvik]]]]

''Warspite''{{'}}s first task was to escort convoy HX 9 carrying fuel from Nova Scotia to the UK. She was diverted northwards in pursuit of the German battleships {{ship|German battleship|Scharnhorst||2}} and {{ship|German battleship|Gneisenau||2}} which had sunk the [[armed merchant cruiser]] {{HMS|Rawalpindi||2}} north of the [[Faroe Islands]], but failed to make contact.<ref>[[#refBallantyne2013|Ballantyne, 2013]], p.&nbsp;93.</ref>

In April 1940, ''Warspite'' had started her voyage back to the Mediterranean when the Germans invaded Denmark and Norway; she rejoined the Home Fleet on 10 April and proceeded towards [[Narvik]].<ref>[[#refChurchill1948|Churchill, 1948]], p.&nbsp;543.</ref> On 13 April, Vice-Admiral [[William Whitworth (Royal Navy officer)|William Whitworth]] hoisted his flag in ''Warspite'' and led nine destroyers, three sweeping mines and six in an offensive role, into [[Ofotfjord]] to neutralise a force of eight German destroyers trapped near the port of [[Narvik]].<ref>[[#OHara2013|O'Hara, 2013]], p.&nbsp;43.</ref> Her [[Fairey Swordfish]] float-plane sank the German U-boat {{GS|U-64|1939|2}} with 250&nbsp;lb bombs, becoming the first aircraft to sink a U-boat in the war.<ref>[[#OHara2013|O'Hara, 2013]], p.&nbsp;45.</ref> The Swordfish continued to provide accurate spotting reports during the early afternoon which were, arguably, more important to the course of the battle than the ''Warspite's'' guns.<ref name="O'Hara p. 54">[[#OHara2013|O'Hara, 2013]], p.&nbsp;54.</ref> The British destroyers soon opened fire on their counterparts, which had almost exhausted their fuel and ammunition following the [[Battles of Narvik#First naval Battle of Narvik|First Naval Battle of Narvik]]. All were sunk during the action. ''Warspite'' destroyed the heavily damaged {{ship|German destroyer|Z13 Erich Koellner||2}} with broadsides, while damaging {{ship|German destroyer|Z17 Diether von Roeder||2}} and {{ship|German destroyer|Z12 Erich Giese||2}}. ''Diether von Roeder'' had to be scuttled while ''Erich Giese'' was sunk in conjunction with destroyers.<ref>[[#refBallantyne2013|Ballantyne, 2013]], p.&nbsp;98–100.</ref> The [[Battles of Narvik#Second naval Battle of Narvik|Second Naval Battle of Narvik]] was considered a success. She remained in Norwegian waters, participating in several shore bombardments around Narvik on 24
April, but these proved ineffectual and she returned to Scapa Flow prior to being redeployed to the Mediterranean on 28 April.<ref>[[#refBallantyne2013|Ballantyne, 2013]], p.&nbsp;104.</ref>

====Mediterranean (1940–1941)====
'''Calabria'''<br>
{{Main|Battle of Calabria}}
[[File:Andrew Cunningham.jpg|right|upright=0.75|thumb|[[Andrew Cunningham, 1st Viscount Cunningham of Hyndhope|Admiral Sir Andrew Cunningham]]]]
''Warspite'' arrived safely in [[Alexandria]] before Italy entered the war on 10 June 1940. Admiral Cunningham took the fleet to sea on 7 July to meet two convoys travelling from Malta to Alexandria, knowing that part of the Italian fleet was escorting its own convoy to [[Tripoli, Libya|Tripoli]]. Cunningham hoped to draw the [[Regia Marina]] into battle by sailing towards the "toe" of Italy to cut them off from their base at [[Taranto]].<ref>[[#refBallantyne2013|Ballantyne, 2013]], p.&nbsp;107.</ref> The two fleets eventually met 30 miles from Punta Stilo at the [[Battle of Calabria]] on 9 July 1940. Initially, the [[Allies of World War II|Allied]] cruisers, armed with 6-inch guns, were outranged by the 8-inch guns of their heavier Italian counterparts and disengaged. Seeing that they were under pressure, Cunningham took ''Warspite'' ahead to assist his cruisers. The Italian cruisers turned away under a smoke screen while the battleships {{ship|Italian battleship|Giulio Cesare||2}} and {{ship|Italian battleship|Conte di Cavour||2}} closed on ''Warspite'' before ''Malaya'' and {{HMS|Royal Sovereign|05|2}} could catch up.<ref name="Ballantyne p. 110">[[#refBallantyne2013|Ballantyne, 2013]], p.&nbsp;110.</ref>

During the battle ''Warspite'' achieved one of the longest range gunnery hits from a moving ship to a moving target in history, hitting ''Giulio Cesare'' at a range of approximately {{cvt|24|km|yd}}, the other being a shot from ''Scharnhorst'' which hit {{HMS|Glorious||2}} at approximately the same distance in June 1940.<ref name="Ballantyne p. 110"/><ref>[[#GarzkeDulin1985|Garzke & Dulin, 1985]], p.&nbsp;154.</ref> The shell pierced ''Giulio Cesare's'' rear funnel and detonated inside it, blowing out a hole nearly {{convert|20|ft|m|order=flip|sp=us}} across, while fragments started several fires and their smoke was drawn into the boiler rooms, forcing four boilers off-line as their operators could not breathe which reduced the ship's speed to {{convert|18|kn}}. Uncertain how severe the damage was, Campioni ordered his battleships to turn away in the face of superior British numbers and they disengaged behind a smoke screen laid by Italian destroyers. The destroyers and cruisers on both sides continued shooting for half an hour but with ''Malaya'' and ''Royal Sovereign'' coming into range, the Italian fleet disengaged. Over 125 aircraft of the [[Regia Aeronautica]] attacked the ships over the next three hours but caused no damage.<ref>[[#refBallantyne2013|Ballantyne, 2013]], p.&nbsp;111.</ref> ''Warspite'' returned to Alexandria on 13 July.

'''Taranto'''<br>
{{Main|Battle of Taranto}}
In mid-August, she set out to bombard [[Bardia]] and on 6 November she sailed from Alexandria to provide cover for the [[Battle of Taranto]], a torpedo-bomber attack on ships in Taranto harbour.<ref>[[#refBallantyne2013|Ballantyne, 2013]], p.&nbsp;113–114.</ref> As a result of this attack, ''Warspite'' and ''Valiant'' were able to bombard the Italian supply base in the Adriatic port of [[Vlorë]] in mid-December.<ref>[[#refBallantyne2013|Ballantyne, 2013]], p.&nbsp;116.</ref> On 10 January 1941, ''Warspite'' was lightly damaged by a bomb while operating with Force A during [[Operation Excess]].<ref>[[#refBallantyne2013|Ballantyne, 2013]], p.&nbsp;117.</ref>

'''Matapan'''<br>
{{Main|Battle of Cape Matapan}}
[[File:HMS Warspite under attack Med.JPG|right|thumb|''Warspite'' under attack in the Mediterranean, 1941]]
In March 1941, to support the planned German [[Invasion of Yugoslavia|invasion of the Balkans]], Vice Admiral [[Angelo Iachino]]'s Italian fleet, led by the battleship {{ship|Italian battleship|Vittorio Veneto||2}}, sailed to intercept Allied convoys between Egypt and Greece. Warned of the Italian intentions by intelligence from the [[Government Communications Headquarters#Government Code and Cypher School (GC&CS)|Government Code and Cypher School]] at [[Bletchley Park]], Admiral Cunningham took his fleet to sea on 27 March 1941, flying his flag on ''Warspite''.<ref>[[#refBallantyne2013|Ballantyne, 2013]], p.&nbsp;118.</ref> On 28 March, the British cruisers [[Battle of Cape Matapan#Action off Gavdos|encountered]] the Italian fleet and were forced to turn away by the heavy guns of ''Vittorio Veneto''. To save his cruisers Cunningham ordered an air attack, prompting Iachino to retreat. Subsequent air attacks damaged the battleship and the cruiser {{ship|Italian cruiser|Pola||2}}, slowing the former and crippling the latter.<ref>[[#refBallantyne2013|Ballantyne, 2013]], p.&nbsp;119.</ref> ''Vittorio Veneto'' escaped to the west as dusk fell but the British pursued through the night, first detecting ''Pola'' on radar and then two of her sister ships.<ref>[[#refBallantyne2013|Ballantyne, 2013]], p.&nbsp;122.</ref> ''Warspite'', ''Valiant'' and ''Barham'' closed on the unsuspecting Italian ships and aided by searchlights, destroyed the heavy cruisers {{ship|Italian cruiser|Fiume||2}} and {{ship|Italian cruiser|Zara||2}} and two destroyers at point blank range.<ref>[[#refBallantyne2013|Ballantyne, 2013]], p.&nbsp;124–125.</ref> ''Pola'' was also sunk once her crew had been taken off.<ref>[[#refBallantyne2013|Ballantyne, 2013]], p.&nbsp;126.</ref> Having established by aerial reconnaissance that the rest of the Italian fleet had escaped, ''Warspite'' returned to Alexandria on 29 March, surviving air attacks without suffering casualties.<ref>[[#refBallantyne2013|Ballantyne, 2013]], p.&nbsp;126–127.</ref>

The [[Battle of Cape Matapan]] had a paralysing effect on the ''Regia Marina'', providing the Royal Navy with an opportunity to tighten its grip on the Mediterranean, as evidenced by the unequal [[Battle of the Tarigo Convoy]] near the [[Kerkennah Islands]] on 16 April.<ref>[[#Miller1997|Miller, 1997]], p.&nbsp;132.</ref> This was not enough and the success of the ''[[Afrika Korps]]'' in North Africa induced Churchill to order a desperate attack on [[Tripoli, Libya|Tripoli]] to block the Axis supply route by sinking a battleships in the harbour.<ref>[[#refBallantyne2013|Ballantyne, 2013]], p.&nbsp;128–129.</ref> Cunningham rejected this plan, but on 21 April he sailed with ''Warspite'' to bombard the harbour in company with {{HMS|Barham|04|2}} and {{HMS|Valiant|1914|2}}, the cruiser {{HMS|Gloucester|62|2}} and several destroyers.<ref>[[#refChurchill1950|Churchill, 1950]], p.&nbsp;214.</ref> The raid was ineffectual, partly because of poor visibility created by dust from an earlier RAF bombing raid;<ref>[[#refChurchill1950|Churchill, 1950]], p.&nbsp;215.</ref> the fleet returned to Alexandria without damage. The futility of the mission and the exposure of his battleships led to a tense exchange of letters between Cunningham and Churchill.<ref>[[#refChurchill1950|Churchill, 1950]], p.&nbsp;213–215.</ref>

'''Crete'''<br>
{{Main|Battle of Crete}}
During the [[Battle of Crete]], ''Warspite'' was used as a floating anti-aircraft battery and<ref>[[#Miller1997|Miller, 1997]], p.&nbsp;135.</ref> like many other ships, suffered severe damage from German air attacks on 22 May.<ref>[[#refBallantyne2013|Ballantyne, 2013]], p.&nbsp;131.</ref> A 500&nbsp;lb bomb damaged her starboard 4-inch and 6-inch batteries,<ref>[[#refChurchill1950|Churchill, 1950]], p.&nbsp;257.</ref> ripped open the ship's side and killed 38 men.<ref>[[#refBallantyne2013|Ballantyne, 2013]], p.&nbsp;133.</ref> The attack was carried out by ''[[Jagdgeschwader 77]]'' (JG 77—Fighter Wing 77). ''[[Oberleutnant]]'' [[Kurt Ubben]], a future [[flying ace]] with 110 enemy aircraft shot down, claimed a hit on the warship.<ref>[[#refAngolia&Bender1981|Angolia & Bender, 1981]], p.&nbsp;81.</ref> She was able to make it back to port under her own steam, but the damage could not be repaired in Alexandria and it was decided that she would have to be sent to [[Bremerton, Washington|Bremerton]] on the west coast of the United States.<ref>[[#refBallantyne2013|Ballantyne, 2013]], p.&nbsp;138.</ref>

====Repair and refit====
In June 1941, ''Warspite'' departed Alexandria for the [[Puget Sound Naval Shipyard|Bremerton Naval Shipyard]] in the United States, arriving there on 11 August,<ref name="Watton p. 8"/> having travelled through the [[Suez Canal]], across the Indian Ocean to [[Ceylon]], stopping at [[Manila]], then [[Pearl Harbor]] and finally [[Esquimalt]] along the way.<ref>[[#refBallantyne2013|Ballantyne, 2013]], p.&nbsp;138–139.</ref> Repairs and modifications began in August, including the replacement of her deteriorated 15-inch guns, the addition of more anti-aircraft weapons, improvements to the bridge, and new surface and anti-aircraft radar.<ref>[[#refBallantyne2013|Ballantyne, 2013]], p.&nbsp;140.</ref>  ''Warspite'' was still at the shipyard when the Japanese Navy [[Attack on Pearl Harbor|attacked Pearl Harbor]] and went on alert as she would have been one of the few ships in the harbour which could have provided anti-aircraft defence should the Japanese have struck east.<ref>[[#refBallantyne2013|Ballantyne, 2013]], p.&nbsp;143.</ref> She was recommissioned on 28 December and undertook sea trials near [[Vancouver]] before sailing down the west coast of the U.S. and Mexico, crossing the equator and arriving in [[Sydney]] on 20 February 1942.<ref>[[#refBallantyne2013|Ballantyne, 2013]], p.&nbsp;145.</ref> She joined the [[British Eastern Fleet|Eastern Fleet]] at [[Trincomalee]] in March 1942.<ref>[[#refBallantyne2013|Ballantyne, 2013]], p.&nbsp;148.</ref>

====Indian Ocean (1942–1943)====
{{Main|Indian Ocean raid}}
[[File:The Royal Navy during the Second World War- Madagascar, April - May 1942 A9712.jpg|thumb|A Grumman Martlet from HMS ''Formidable'' flying near HMS ''Warspite'' during operations off Madagascar]]

''Warspite'' joined the [[Eastern Fleet]] as flagship of Admiral Sir [[James Somerville (admiral)|James Somerville]], who had commanded her in 1927. Initially, ''Warspite'' was based in [[Ceylon]], forming a fast group with the aircraft carriers {{HMS|Formidable|R67|2}} and {{HMS|Indomitable|R92|2}}, four cruisers and six destroyers. In March, Somerville received intelligence indicating the Japanese [[Kido Butai|Fast Carrier Strike Force]] was heading towards the Indian Ocean and he relocated his base to [[Addu Atoll]] in the [[Maldives]].
Vice Admiral [[Chuichi Nagumo]] used five carriers and four battleships in the [[Indian Ocean raid]] a naval sortie into the Indian Ocean in April, attacking Allied shipping and bases in the Indian Ocean and the Bay of Bengal. Somerville's fleet was outnumbered and outclassed but he hoped to get close enough to launch a night-time torpedo bomber attack. ''Warspite''{{'}}s fast group set sail to intercept on 4 April, detecting the Japanese attack on the cruisers {{HMS|Cornwall|56|2}} and {{HMS|Dorsetshire|40|2}} and later, a scouting aircraft from the cruiser {{ship|Japanese cruiser|Tone|1937|2}}. The fleets did not meet; ''Warspite'' withdrew to Addu Atoll and then to [[Kilindini]] on the East African coast to protect the convoy routes. The Japanese believed that she was still in Sydney and ordered the [[attack on Sydney Harbour]].<ref>[[#refBallantyne2013|Ballantyne, 2013]], pp.&nbsp;73, 150, 153, 160.</ref>

During May and June, ''Warspite'' continued to act as Somerville's flagship, carrying out exercises with other elements of the fleet and shore-based aircraft in Ceylon. In early June, she was sent to hunt the Japanese auxiliary cruisers {{ship||Aikoku Maru|1940|2}} and ''[[Hōkoku Maru]]'' near the [[Chagos Archipelago]] but failed to find them.<ref name="Mason">{{cite web  | last =Mason | first =Geoffrey B |author2=Mike Simmonds | title = Service Histories of Royal Navy Warships in World War 2 | url =http://www.naval-history.net/xGM-Chrono-01BB-Warspite.htm  | access-date = 27 October 2013 }}</ref>

In August, she was involved in [[Operation Stab]], a simulated attack on the [[Andaman Islands]] to distract the Japanese from U.S. preparations to attack Guadalcanal.<ref>[[#Sandler2001|Sandler, 2001]], p.&nbsp;728.</ref> She covered the landings at [[Mahajanga]] and [[Tamatave]] during the [[Battle of Madagascar]] an Allied invasion, in September.<ref name="Mason"/> Her surface radar was replaced in [[Durban]] in October and Captain [[Herbert Annesley Packer|Packer]], her former Assistant Gunnery Officer at Jutland, took command in January 1943. The remainder of ''Warspite''{{'}}s cruise was uneventful. She underwent a short refit in Durban in April and returned to the UK in May 1943, having sailed approximately 160,000 miles since the war began.<ref>[[#refBallantyne2013|Ballantyne, 2013]], p.&nbsp;164.</ref>

====Mediterranean (1943–1944)====
{{Main|Allied invasion of Sicily|Allied invasion of Italy}}
''Warspite'' underwent a short refit in May in another attempt to fix her steering problem, then joined [[Force H]] at Scapa Flow, departing on 9 June for Gibraltar in company with five other battleships, two carriers and twelve destroyers.<ref>[[#refBallantyne2013|Ballantyne, 2013]], p.&nbsp;165.</ref> Assigned to Division 2 with ''Valiant'' and ''Formidable'', she returned to Alexandria on 5 July in preparation for [[Operation Husky]], the Allied invasion of [[Sicily]]. Division One and Two rendezvoused in the [[Gulf of Sidra|Gulf of Sirte]] on 9 July and covered the assembling convoys. ''Warspite'' was detached to refuel at Malta on 12 July, the first visit by a British battleship since December 1940.<ref name="Mason"/> On 17 July, she bombarded [[Catania]] in support of an unsuccessful attack by the [[Eighth Army (United Kingdom)|8th Army]], although her steering problem temporarily delayed her taking up position. She returned to Malta at high speed on 18 July, avoiding several air attacks during the night. On her return, Admiral Cunningham inadvertently coined the nickname by which she would be known thereafter when he signalled: "''Operation well carried out. There is no question when the old lady lifts her skirts she can run.''"<ref>[[#refBallantyne2013|Ballantyne, 2013]], pp.&nbsp;167–168.</ref>

[[File:HMS Warspite, Sicily 1943.jpg|upright=1.0|thumb|right|''Warspite'' shelling German positions at [[Catania]], July 1943]]
Between 2 and 3 September, ''Warspite'' and ''Valiant'' covered the [[Operation Baytown|assault]] across the [[Straits of Messina]] and bombarded the Italian coastal batteries near [[Reggio Calabria|Reggio]]. Between 8 and 9 September, Force H, covering the [[landings at Salerno]], came under fierce German air-attack and narrowly avoided being torpedoed. The resolve of the Italian Government had already been wavering by the time of the Allies victory in North Africa; the invasion of Sicily and aerial attacks on mainland Italy encouraged negotiations. They signed an [[Armistice of Cassibile|armistice]] on 3 September, which took effect on 8 September. Anxious to ensure that the Germans did not acquire an additional 200 warships, the Allies insisted that the Regia Marina must sail for Allied ports. Three days later, ''Warspite'' met and led elements of the Italian Fleet, including ''Vittorio Veneto'' and ''Italia'', into internment at Malta. She repeated this process on 12 September for her opponent from the Battle of Calabria, ''Giulio Cesare''.<ref>[[#refBallantyne2013|Ballantyne, 2013]], pp.&nbsp;173–176.</ref>

[[File:The Royal Navy during the Second World War A19248.jpg|upright=1.0|thumb|Captain Packer (right) directing the bombardment at Reggio, September 1943]]
On 14 September, Force H was recalled to the UK to begin preparations for the invasion of France, but ''Warspite'' and ''Valiant'' were detached to provide support for Allied forces at [[Salerno]].<ref name="Mason"/> Although the Italians had surrendered, the Germans had anticipated this and moved forces into position to block the Allied landings. The American forces near [[Battipaglia]] were in a precarious situation following German counter-attacks. After arriving off Salerno on 15 September, ''Warspite'' bombarded an ammunition dump and other positions around [[Altavilla Silentina]], demoralising the German forces and providing time for Allied reinforcements to arrive.<ref>[[#Hoyt2006|Hoyt, 2006]], pp.&nbsp;82–83.</ref> Overnight, the fleet came under intense air attack, but she was able to continue bombardment duties the next day. However, early in the afternoon she was attacked by a Luftwaffe squadron of [[Focke-Wulf Fw 190]] fighter bombers and then, from high altitude, by three [[Dornier Do 217]] bombers from [[Kampfgeschwader 100|KG 100]] armed with an early guided bomb, the [[Fritz X]]. She was hit directly once; a second near-miss ripped open the torpedo bulges while the third missed altogether. The bomb that did hit her struck near the funnel, cutting through her decks and making a 20-foot hole in the bottom of her hull, crippling her. Although the damage had been considerable, ''Warspite''{{'}}s casualties amounted to only nine killed and fourteen wounded.<ref>[[#refBallantyne2013|Ballantyne, 2013]], pp.&nbsp;180–181.</ref>

She was soon on the journey to Malta, escorted by the anti-aircraft cruiser {{HMS|Delhi|D47|2}} and four destroyers, while being towed by [[United States Navy]] tugs. Towing a ship of ''Warspite''{{'}}s dimensions proved difficult, and at one stage she broke all tow lines and drifted sideways through the Straits of Messina.<ref>[[#refBallantyne2013|Ballantyne, 2013]], pp.&nbsp;182–183.</ref> She reached Malta on 19 September and undertook emergency repairs before being towed to Gibraltar on 12 November.<ref name="Mason"/> ''Warspite'' returned to Britain in March 1944 to continue her repairs at [[Rosyth]]. Captain Packer was mentioned in despatches for his actions bringing the ship to Malta,<ref>{{London Gazette |date= 18 January 1944 |issue=36334 |supp=y |page=356}}</ref> the second time he had limped into port on board a heavily damaged ''Warspite''.

====North-Western Europe (1944–1945)====
{{Main|Normandy landings|Battle for Brest|Battle of the Scheldt}}
[[File:D-day - British Forces during the Invasion of Normandy 6 June 1944 A23916.jpg|thumb|right|''Warspite'' bombarding defensive positions off Normandy, 6 June 1944. Note the non-operational X (upper rear) turret.]]
At Rosyth, ''Warspite''{{'}}s 6-inch guns were removed and plated in, and a concrete [[Caisson (engineering)|caisson]] covered the hole left by the German bomb. One of her boiler rooms and the [[Gun turret#Turret identification|X turret]] could not be repaired, remaining out of action for the remainder of her career.<ref>[[#refBallantyne2013|Ballantyne, 2013]], pp.&nbsp;186–187.</ref> She left [[Greenock]] on 2 June 1944 with six 15-inch guns, eight 4-inch anti-aircraft guns and forty [[QF 2-pounder naval gun|pom poms]], joining Bombardment Force D of the Eastern Task Force of the [[Normandy landings|Normandy]] invasion fleet off [[Plymouth]] two days later.<ref name="Mason"/>

At 0500 on 6 June 1944, ''Warspite'' was the first ship to open fire,<ref name="Ballantyne p. 188">[[#refBallantyne2013|Ballantyne, 2013]], p.&nbsp;188.</ref> bombarding the German battery at [[Villerville]] from a position 26,000 yards offshore, to support landings by the British [[3rd Mechanised Division (United Kingdom)|3rd Division]] on [[Sword Beach]]. She continued bombardment duties on 7 June, but after firing over 300 shells she had to rearm and crossed the Channel to [[Portsmouth]]. She returned to Normandy on 9 June to support American forces at [[Utah Beach]] and then, on 11 June, she took up position off [[Gold Beach]] to support the British [[69th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)|69th Infantry Brigade]] near [[Cristot]].<ref name="Mason"/> On 12 June, she returned to Portsmouth to rearm, but her guns were worn out so she was ordered to sail to Rosyth via the Straits of Dover, the first British battleship to have done so since the war began.<ref name="Ballantyne p. 188"/> She evaded German coastal batteries, partly due to effective radar jamming, but hit a mine 28 miles off [[Harwich Dockyard|Harwich]] early on 13 June. Repairs to her propeller shafts and the replacement of the guns took until early August; she sailed to Scapa Flow to calibrate the new barrels with only three functional shafts, limiting her top speed to 15 knots,<ref name="Mason"/> although by now the Admiralty considered her main role was that of a bombardment vessel.<ref>[[#refBallantyne2013|Ballantyne, 2013]], p.&nbsp;193.</ref>

''Warspite'' arrived off [[Ushant]] on 25 August 1944 and attacked the coastal batteries at [[Le Conquet]] and [[Pointe Saint-Mathieu]] during the [[Battle for Brest]].<ref name="Mason"/> The [[VIII Corps (United States)|U.S. VIII Corps]] eventually captured "Festung Brest" on 19 September, but by then ''Warspite'' had moved on to the next port. In company with the [[Monitor (warship)|monitor]] {{HMS|Erebus|I02|2}}, she carried out a preparatory bombardment of targets around [[Le Havre]] prior to [[Operation Astonia]] on 10 September, leading to the capture of the town two days later. Her final task was to support an Anglo-Canadian [[Operation Infatuate|operation]] to open up the port of [[Antwerp]], which had been captured in September, by clearing the [[Battle of the Scheldt|Scheldt Estuary]] of German strongholds and gun emplacements. With the monitors ''Erebus'' and {{HMS|Roberts|F40|2}}, she bombarded targets on [[Walcheren|Walcheren Island]] on 1 November 1944, returning to [[Deal, Kent|Deal]] the next day, having fired her guns for the last time.<ref name="Ballantyne p. 195">[[#refBallantyne2013|Ballantyne, 2013]], p.&nbsp;195.</ref>

===Decommissioning===
During her service career, ''Warspite'' had lived up to her motto, enduring shellfire, bombing, ramming, mines and a guided missile. However, time had taken its toll and more modern ships were required to continue the war in the Far East. Although there were proposals to retain her as a museum ship, the Admiralty approved ''Warspite''{{'}}s scrapping in July 1946 and she sailed from Spithead into Portsmouth to have her guns removed.<ref>[[#refBallantyne2013|Ballantyne, 2013]], p.&nbsp;197.</ref>

On 19 April 1947, ''Warspite'' departed Portsmouth for scrapping at [[Faslane]], on the River Clyde. On the way, she encountered a severe storm and the hawser of the naval tug ''Bustler'' parted, whilst the other tug ''[[Metinda III]]'' slipped her tow. In storm force conditions, ''Warspite'' dropped one of her anchors in [[Mount's Bay]], which did not hold, and the storm drove her onto Mount Mopus Ledge near Cudden Point. Later refloating herself she went hard aground a few yards away in [[Prussia Cove]].<ref>Larn, R. & Larn, B. (1991) ''Shipwrecks around Mounts Bay''. Penryn: Tor Mark Press.</ref> Her skeleton crew of seven was saved by the [[Penlee Lifeboat Station|Penlee Lifeboat]] ''W. & S.'' There were several attempts to refloat her but the hull was badly damaged.<ref>[[#refBallantyne2013|Ballantyne, 2013]], p.&nbsp;198.</ref>

In 1950, an attempt to re-float her was tried. A large crowd and the media watched on as the salvage crew set to work. Despite the use of 24 compressor tanks pumping air into her tanks, the salvage failed. There was insufficient depth of water to float her clear of the reef in a rising south westerly gale. The salvage boat ''Barnet'', standing guard overnight under the ''Warspite'''s bows was holed in the engine room, towed off and eventually drifted ashore at Long Rock, a few miles to the west. However, by August the battleship was finally beached off [[St Michael’s Mount|St. Michael’s Mount]] and after further salvage another attempt was made to refloat her in November. The Falmouth tug ''Masterman'' spent the night on the Hogus Rocks after failing to tow ''Warspite''; and her sister tug ''Tradesman'' had {{convert|60|ft|m}} of wire wrapped around her propeller when trying to haul ''Masterman'' off the rocks. Aided by her compressor and two jet engines from an experimental aircraft the hulk was finally moved {{convert|130|ft|m}} closer to shore on [[Marazion]] beach, between St. Michael's Mount and Hogus rocks. From 1951, Warspite was progressively broken up and scrapped in situ on the beach<ref>{{Cite book |last=Holme |first=Richard |title=The last days of HMS WARSPITE in Cornwall 1947-1956 |publisher=The World Ship Society Ltd |year=2023 |isbn=9781916058972 |location=Windsor, United Kingdom}}</ref> and by the summer of 1955, on-site scrapping resulted in her disappearance from view.<ref name="Carter">{{cite book |title=The Port of Penzance |last=Carter |first=C. |year=1998 |publisher=Black Dwarf Publications |location=Lydney |isbn=0-9533028-0-6}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=HMS Warspite. – Submerged |url=https://www.submerged.co.uk/hms-warspite-3/ |website=submerged.co.uk |access-date=2 December 2021}} "By now it was obvious that the Warspite would never be taken to the Clyde for scrapping so it was decided to cut her up where she lay. For ease of access they manage to move her the short distance to a beach alongside St. Michael’s Mount. Over the next five years she was chopped up, until she disappeared from view."</ref> According to the contractors, it remains the largest salvage operation ever carried out in British waters.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.macsalvors.com/history_macsalvors.asp|title=The history of Macsalvors|work=macsalvors.com|access-date=21 November 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161121234422/http://www.macsalvors.com/history_macsalvors.asp|archive-date=21 November 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>

[[File:Warspite Memorial, Prussia Cove - geograph.org.uk - 492394.jpg|right|thumb|''Warspite'' Memorial, [[Prussia Cove]]]] 
A memorial stone was placed near the sea wall at [[Marazion]] and later moved a short distance.<ref>[[#refBallantyne2013|Ballantyne, 2013]], p.&nbsp;200.</ref> The stone was unveiled by Admiral [[Sir Charles Madden, 2nd Baronet|Sir Charles Madden]] and prayers were read by a former crew member. The remains of the masts lie in the yard at Porthenalls House, Prussia Cove and one portion was erected on a headland, overlooking Prussia Cove. One of her 15-inch [[Tampion|tompions]] and her chapel door are held by the [[National Museum of the Royal Navy]] in [[Portsmouth]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://rna-norwich.org.uk/2017/11/hms-warspite-chapel-door/|title=HMS Warspite Chapel Door|date=14 November 2017|website=RNA Norwich|access-date=5 July 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://collections.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/1761.html|title=Official gun tompion of HMS Warspite|website=Royal Museums Greenwich|access-date=5 July 2018}}</ref> Her nameplate was held by the [[pub]], The Wink, in [[Lamorna]], Cornwall{{Sfn|Plevy|2001|p=240}} but has since been sold at auction. Her [[ship's wheel]] was given by King George VI to King [[Haakon VII of Norway]] in 1947, who later gave it to the City of Narvik. It is kept in the City Hall of Narvik.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fremover.no/lokale-nyheter/rattet-kom-i-1947/s/1-55-4639865|title=Rattet kom i 1947|date=12 October 2009 }}</ref> Her white ensign and other artefacts are held in [https://www.marazion.info/marazion-museum Marazion Museum]. Timbers from the ship would also be used to create commemorative souvenirs of various types, such as ashtrays and letter openers, as well as teak benches, including ones at the Castle on St. Michael's Mount and in Morrab Gardens, Penzance.<ref>{{Cite web|title=HMS Warspite in the Second World War 1939-1945 – The Wartime Memories Project -|url=https://wartimememoriesproject.com/ww2/ships/ship.php?pid=2590|access-date=2021-10-11|website=wartimememoriesproject.com}}</ref>

==Battle honours==
This ''Warspite'' earned 15 of the 25 battle honours awarded to Royal Navy ships of this name.<ref>[[#refBallantyne2013|Ballantyne, 2013]], p.&nbsp;6.</ref>
{{Div col}}
'''First World War'''
* [[Battle of Jutland|Jutland]] 1916
'''Second World War'''
* [[Battle of the Atlantic|Atlantic 1939]]
* [[Battles of Narvik#Second naval Battle of Narvik|Narvik 1940]]
* [[Occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany|Norway 1940]]
* [[Battle of Calabria|Calabria 1940]]
* [[Mediterranean theatre of World War II|Mediterranean 1940-41-43]]
* [[Malta Convoys|Malta Convoys 1941]]
* [[Battle of Cape Matapan|Matapan 1941]]
* [[Battle of Crete|Crete 1941]]
* [[Allied invasion of Sicily|Sicily 1943]]
* [[Allied invasion of Italy|Salerno 1943]]
* [[English Channel#Second World War|English Channel 1944]]
* [[Normandy Landings|Normandy 1944]]
* [[Battle for Brest|Biscay 1944]]
* [[Operation Infatuate|Walcheren 1944]]
{{Div col end}}

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=Note}}

==Citations==
{{Reflist}}

==Bibliography==
{{Library resources box}}
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==External links==
{{commons|HMS Warspite (1913)|HMS ''Warspite''}}
* [http://www.maritimequest.com/warship_directory/great_britain/battleships/warspite/hms_warspite.htm Maritimequest HMS Warspite Photo Gallery]
* [http://www.warspite.dk/ship_01.htm Troels W. Hansen, design details and model reconstructions of HMS Warspite]
* [https://www.jutlandcrewlists.org/warspite Battle of Jutland Crew Lists Project – HMS Warspite Crew List]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20230124164305/https://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=53069&start=180 The Subject, by R. A. B. Mitchell]

{{Queen Elizabeth class battleship}}
{{September 1943 shipwrecks}}
{{1947 shipwrecks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Warspite (1913)}}
[[Category:Queen Elizabeth-class battleships]]
[[Category:Ships built in Plymouth, Devon]]
[[Category:1913 ships]]
[[Category:World War I battleships of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:World War II battleships of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Naval ships of Operation Neptune]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in September 1943]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in 1947]]