One of my longest videos to date, this one.
HMS Rodney, the second of the Nelson-class battleships, was a ship with a long career. A career that was, especially in comparison to other battleships of her vintage, fairly quiet. This is not to say she didn’t see combat.
Even ignoring the obvious, with Bismarck, Rodney did see combat.
However, it was largely mundane and not particularly flashy work. As such, she is largely remembered for the engagement with Bismarck and maybe an unfortunate incident with a sheep. A shame, because Rodney has some interesting things to her name.
Hence the length of this video.
Further Reading:
https://www.amazon.com/HMS-Rodney-Bismarck-Saviour-Warships/dp/1848848706/
https://www.amazon.com/British-Battleships-1919-1945-New-Revised/dp/1591140528/
https://www.amazon.com/British-Battleship-1906-1946-Norman-Friedman/dp/1591145627
https://www.amazon.com/Killing-Bismarck-Destroying-Pride-Hitlers-ebook/dp/B009EE9GAI/
https://www.amazon.com/Pursuit-Sinking-Bismarck-Ludovic-Coverley/dp/0006340148/
source
Ah. We had our first Wehraboo. Was wondering when that would happen.
And that, ladies and gentleman, is why I tend to prefer covering the High Seas Fleet.
Were they ever able to confirm the torpedo hit from Rodney on the wreck of the Bismarck
My father was at Scapa during the “sheep” incident and told me how the crew of his ship (and all the others nearby) did indeed BA at Rodney as they passed.
Royal Navy humour at its finest.
What a battleship Rodney was
There is a story told of HMS Rodney during the follow-up to the Normandy landings. There was a single main gun operating, responding to a succession of identical orders – up ten, fire. Apparently, there was a German despatch rider heading inland who was being followed by a number of very big holes in the road…
My Grandfather was a Chief petty officer, (engine area) i have all his records, he was on the Rodney from 1928-1946/7 but also many other Ships, as he was a Trainer, my Father born in 1933, had Rodney as his middle name, i do have photos, and stuff relating to HMS Rodney,
Thanks for this video on a fascinating ship. It seems that the North Atlantic really took its toll on HMS Rodney.
underpowered and slow..
Ugly ship but…hey! It can shoot stuff.
With that long low forward half, I think of this as the Jaguar E-type of battleships.
I noticed at time index 19:12 that the pic of King George V there seems to be significant bow damage what is the story about that?
You can see my town in the first photo,and the trees are still there in the background.
My father was partly deafened in one ear by Rodney’s guns. He served on an ML which, being a wooden hulled ship had the task to lead the battleships through the magnetic mines to bombard the Normandy coast ready for the landings. When his ML was alongside, Rodney fired her guns. It smashed the bridge roof and hatches of the ML and caused his partial deafness.
That’s not the Rodney . It had 3 turrets at the front…
An excerpt from the Rodney's wartime record as found in Admiralty records:
"At 1200 hours RODNEY, SOMALI, TARTAR and MASHONA detached and proceeded on a generally south western course in accordance with the assumption that BISMARCK was heading for France.
After detaching RODNEY worked up to speeds that she had not achieved for many years. Which considering RODNEY had not received any significant mechanical repairs/refurbishment for three years, all recent repairs had been carried out solely to keep her in service. Her boilers were defective and leaking steam and her turbines and prop shafts were worn. RODNEY ploughed on through heavy seas and gradually her three escorting destroyers fell behind."
A wonderful video, thankyou.
Her sister ship should really have been called HMS DelBoy.
My favourite battleship. The Nelsons had a brutal look about them.
But some of those sheep are damned attractive…..😈😂😂😂
My father served on Rodney from 42 till he demobbed in 46, he did everything from Atlantic convoys to Baltic convoys including D day.
I got these internet DIY battleship plans from Australia. After the friggin project just squashed my steel tables into my yard and I am making a hole for the rudder a dreadful thought occurred… I am now calling all my neighbors to upright this thing now. How the hell am I gonna turn this thing upright and get it out of my back yard??? Neighbors called code enforcement too. its illegal to build Battleships in your back yard here.
A ship with a compromised design to comply with treaty requirements, going up against ships built under the same treaty but having only paid lip service to the requirements and thereby far superior ships.
The Rodney is the one ship I wish GB had retained as a museum ship. Great career and service by all who sailed on her.
Incredible that the Icelandic Parliament is over 1,000 years old.
Regardless of what anyone says about Rodney, she obviously had very good gun crews and effective guns. It took her no time at all to find the effective range on Bismarck.
It would have been interesting if she had got to trade blows with Tirpitz.
Those brits pit 43k horse power engines on the rodney and in 1939 put 90k horsepower engines on the Belfast..a light cruiser .and put 151k horse power on the Hood..makes no sense
My dad served on Rodney from 1941. He and one of his mates were escorting a couple of Wrens on a tour of the ship and one of the Wrens pointed at one of the paravane stores and asked what it was. "That's where we keep the chickens" she was told. Her friend pointed at the store on the opposite side and said "I suppose that's where you keep the sheep".
Is that collision damage at 19.22??