The latest HMS ''Warspite'' was the third of Britain's nuclear-powered

submarines A submarine (or sub) is a watercraft capable of independent operation underwater. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability. The term is also sometimes used historically or colloquially to refer to remotely o ...

, and the second (and final) of the . After entering service in 1967 she collided with a Soviet submarine the following year. A mechanical failure associated with the submarine's nuclear reactor in 1991 led to the boat being laid up at

HMNB Devonport His Majesty's Naval Base, Devonport (HMNB Devonport) is one of three operating bases in the United Kingdom for the Royal Navy (the others being HMNB Clyde and HMNB Portsmouth) and is the sole nuclear repair and refuelling facility for the Roy ...

where she awaits disposal.

Operational history

The second ''Valiant''-class submarine, to be called ''Warspite'', was ordered from Vickers-Armstrong's

Barrow Barrow may refer to: Places England * Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria ** Borough of Barrow-in-Furness, local authority encompassing the wider area ** Barrow and Furness (UK Parliament constituency) * Barrow, Cheshire * Barrow, Gloucestershire * Barro ...

shipyard on 12 December 1962, and was laid down on 10 December 1963.Blackman 1971, p. 336. She was launched on 25 September 1965 by Mary Wilson, the wife of the then British Prime Minister

Harold Wilson James Harold Wilson, Baron Wilson of Rievaulx, (11 March 1916 – 24 May 1995) was a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom twice, from October 1964 to June 1970, and again from March 1974 to April 1976. He ...

, and entered service on 18 April 1967. In October 1968 whilst following a Soviet boat identified as an

Echo II-class submarine The Echo class were nuclear cruise missile submarines of the Soviet Navy built during the 1960s. Their Soviet designation was Project 659 for the first five vessels, and Project 675 for the following twenty-nine. Their NATO reporting names were ...

, ''Warspite'' collided with the stern and propellers of that boat. ''Warspite'' suffered damage to her fin but after surfacing to inspect damage was able to submerge and return home, and later sail to

for proper repairs. On 2 May 1976, ''Warspite'' was alongside in Liverpool, when she suffered a fire in her diesel generator room, in one of the most serious incidents the Royal Navy's nuclear submarines have encountered. The fire filled the aft end of the submarine with dense smoke, making it very difficult for the submarine's crew to monitor the status of the reactor, and ''Warspite''s commanding officer considered scuttling the submarine in the event that a reactor accident did develop. The fire was eventually extinguished with the aid of civilian firefighters from the Liverpool Fire Brigade after 4 hours. The submarine's Marine Engineering Officer, Lieutenant Commander Tim Cannon, was awarded the

Queen's Gallantry Medal The Queen's Gallantry Medal (QGM) is a United Kingdom decoration awarded for exemplary acts of bravery where the services were not so outstanding as to merit the George Medal, but above the level required for the Queen's Commendation for Braver ...

for his role in the response to the fire. warspiteconquerorvaliant

''Warspite'' underwent a two-year refit, which was nearing completion just as the

Falklands War The Falklands War ( es, link=no, Guerra de las Malvinas) was a ten-week undeclared war between Argentina and the United Kingdom in 1982 over two British dependent territories in the South Atlantic: the Falkland Islands and its territorial de ...

with Argentina started. After the war ended she carried out a record breaking patrol around the Falkland Islands and the Argentine coast. ''Warspite'' conducted the longest duration submerged submarine patrol made public from the dates of 25 November 1982 to 15 March 1983. A total of 111 days was spent submerged and unsupported, covering . The submarine was decommissioned due to mechanical failure associated with the reactor in 1991. Mainly operated out of HMNB Clyde, at Faslane (the former Clyde Submarine Base) with the Third Submarine Squadron. Her hull and reactor are currently laid up afloat at Devonport Dockyard,

Plymouth Plymouth () is a port city and unitary authority in South West England. It is located on the south coast of Devon, approximately south-west of Exeter and south-west of London. It is bordered by Cornwall to the west and south-west. Plymouth ...

until facilities are available for the long term storage of her radioactive components. Notable commanders of this vessel include Sandy Woodward. Woodward went on to command the Falklands Conflict battle group, became

Commander-in-Chief Naval Home Command Naval Home Command administered training and garrison functions for the Royal Navy from 1969-2012. Its commander was Commander-in-Chief, Naval Home Command (CINCNAVHOME). History As the Royal Navy's size decreased during the Cold War, commands wer ...

and rose to the rank of

admiral Admiral is one of the highest ranks in some navies. In the Commonwealth nations and the United States, a "full" admiral is equivalent to a "full" general in the army or the air force, and is above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet, ...

References

Publications

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Warspite Valiant-class submarines Barents Sea 1965 ships Cold War submarines of the United Kingdom