Wow, you can just SEE how heavy HMS Hood looked with how much she seemed to sag and how low the quarterdeck was to the waterline.... Still one of the ,ost beautiful ships ever constructed. Most definitely the most beautiful WARSHIP ever built.
Ludovic Kennedy, in his book “ Pursuit “, describes HMS Hood as a wet ship. He beautifully describes both Hood and Bismarck in his story of the hunting down and subsequent sinking of the latter.
HMS Hood one of the most beautiful capital warships ever built. I'm rather partial to the latter HMS Vanguard and the American Iowa class, with their graceful twin funnels. The Yamatos and Bismarcks had their own ominous beauty as well. A wonderful jewel of a film clip highlighting the pride of the Royal Navy at its best!
What a beautiful ship!! Our Iowa Class are beautiful as well but there was just something about HMS Hoods lines that made her more special. I can't imagine what it must've been like to be standing on a bridge in the 1920s watching her go out to sea. Something so massive that size alone makes her seem invincible. Her stern is virtually uninhabitable at speed or the slightest of gale. I bet she was a soaking wet ship but yet still pleasing to the eye. Even if she hadn't succumbed to her fate I highly doubt Britain would've saved her from the scrap yard. Out of all the awesome RN ships they picked HMS Belfast as a museum piece?? I know WW 2 broke them just about, but HMS Belfast??? Out of all the others?? Seriously??
+Marky Mark Sooooo true. If you look at the video around 2:33 her stern looks precariously close to the water. To me it kinda adds to her nice lines but after lessons learned from Jutland and the addition of some 3,000 + tons of additional armor I'm surprised she was considered a stable gun platform.
my grandad joined hood in 1940 sadly till the end.and yes,without sounding biast i think she was without doubt one of the most beautiful warships ever.and as far as saving a ship,i think HMS warspite earned that right,without a shadow of a doubt.she didn't even wanna go to the scrapper
Im a merchant marine I would of loved to been in the engine room on hood just to hear flank speed hear her turbines pick up speed I wear a hms hood necklace shoes gone but never forgot she still sailing in our minds and hearts a Wisconsin bb vet said its almost a adultery for a man to love a piece of metal I can love this ship.....
Tony Lovell - That is HMS Iron Duke. After the Washington Treaty she was reduced to training and depot ship through removal of B and Y turrets. After the other remaining ships of her class were expended in the early 30's as gunnery targets she was the only battleship in the RN with two funnels. The Queen Elizabeth (after modernisation) and Royal Sovereign classes both sported a single wide funnel. Besides her, only the battlecruisers Renown, Repulse and Hood had two funnels among RN's capital ships until King George V Class appeared.
+BoFoenss - HMS Iron Duke has a trial installation of a twin 5.25-inch turret mounted on her stern atop of the former 13.5-inch 'X" barbet. At this date she was a gunnery training and trials ship and she carried out much experimental work.
@@cookoo4cocopuffs221 Considering Hood had more vertical armor then (and near identical armament to) the R-class battleships (the British battleships under constuction when she was entering service) I don't think she is (or should be called) a true battlecruiser, indeed the primary reason she was called such was because at the time the British called any ship with battleship sized guns faster then 24 knots "battlecruisers". I think she is more of a fast battle ship then a battlecruiser. Anyway that is my 2 cents. Edited because I was typing this while the video played and in the background and when it finished youtube started playing my watch later and autoposted my incomplete comment.
@@cookoo4cocopuffs221 Yeah I know, but calling it a battlecruiser immediately makes everyone think "unarmored death trap" when she was in fact very well (vertically) armored (and actually had decent horizontal too)(for her time).
@@edwardteach3000 Yes at 45,000 tons and with 8 x 15" main armament of course she was a battleship, in fact that word was actually used when she was laid down.
Great and highly evocative film! I particularly enjoyed the early sequence of HMS Hood passing the cameraman who I assume was on shore. The sequence shows the majesty of the ship that made her so iconic. The film really gives one the sense of what it would have been like to have been on a great warship of that era.
“There seems to be something wrong with our bloody ships,” said Admiral David Beatty. Hood wasn't the only British battle-cruiser to sink like this, 3 other Battle-Cruisers Invincible, Indefatigable and Queen Mary sank in the same manner, their magazines exploding within 30 minutes of commencing battle. That's 4 different class Battle-cruisers.
To compare their losses, however, is entirely misleading. The ones lost in Jutland were lost due to poor discipline with the powder handling as the BC fleet chose to favour rate of fire as somehow compensating for their poor gunnery (it didn't work). Choosing to ignore the standards around closing the various doors etc as ought to have been done, let alone stacking the gun house with extra charges (as some did) is what caused them to explode. Any explosion in a turret basically went down the turret trunk into the propellant charge handling and magazine, and that was that (it's not the shells that exploded and sank them, it was the propellant). Hood was better armoured and didn't have that issue of poor propellant handling. She was destroyed by what was likely a shot in a million, so to speak, and all but certainly NOT through the deck (Bismarck was far too close for plunging fire to be an issue). In fact it's interesting to wonder how the battle might've gone had she NOT been lost and both she and Prince of Wales had started trading full broadsides with the Germans. They had a significant firepower advantage, even with PoW's turret unreliability issues.
Commander (E) Robert Terrance Grogan: born 20 Sept 1899 - missing presumed dead 24 May 1941. Engineering Officer HMS Hood 5 May 1939 to 24 May 1941. Midshipman 1 Feb 1918; Lt (E) 15 July 1921; Lt Commander (E) 15 July 1929; Commander (E) 30 June 1933. Mentioned in Dispatches 1 Jan 1941.
Beautiful bit of footage. To behold the sheer majesty of the dreadnoughts back in those days cruising gracefully along makes today's ships almost seem impotent, (in looks alone I mean).
+Tim C Not only in looks, modern warships are not armored and carry puny 5 inch main guns, which would not even scratch the paint on a WW2 Battleship's armor, on contrast a salvo of 14 inch shells would demolish even the largest aircraft carrier, missile technology is better than naval artillery but the Battleship will always be the epitome of National pride, gallantry, power and manliness on the seas.
+PropaneWP, The Battle Cruisers Hood, Repulse and Renown (and the earlier Tiger, scrapped 1932) very often had their quarter decks (at the stern of the ship) awash at any sort of speed, especially in heavy weather. Remember these were all very powerful 28-31 knot ships. Very rare colour film.
Hood was known, within the fleet, as 'the largest submarine in the navy' because the quarter deck was perennially awash in anything other than a flat calm. A lot of weight (mostly in the form of extra armour) had been added to Hood since her launch so she sat lower in the water than as designed.
I absolutely love watching HMS Hood. Many years ago I saw a video where men who served on her, were talking about how she was a terribly wet ship! They said you could not go on the quarter deck in high seas. There was an Admiral who talked about how beautiful she was. The Admiral also said that she was heavier than was planned, because they added more steal. There was another seaman who said that when she came out of high seas, she would shudder side to side. DO ANY OF YOU KNOW HOW i CAN GET THAT VIDEO? iT IS A TREASURE AND i LOST IT MANY YEARS AGO. THANK YOU LOVERS OF THE MIGHTY HOOD! God bless.
11.59 is the very definition of epic. she's like a liaithon smashing through the mighty seas. but how low was she in heavy seas!? surely not the best platform for her guns to achieve accuracy. that and the spray blinding the fire command control was the undoing of her. that and having NO protection from plunging fire. I think holland did his best (20 degree turns to try to throw the Germans gunners) but he already knew he was in the pride of the navy and a beautiful ship, but one 20 years out of date. respect to everyone involved.
@@michaelgrey7854 Stupid cnuts are allowed to enjoy whatever they like. thanks to regimes like the British empire. If you'd expressed a similar view on Bismarck under a nazi regime, you'd have ended up as a pile of dust on the floor of a nazi death camp.
Thankyou for posting this very Nostalgic video of HMS Hood on her Sea trials. What a Mighty Shop she was...!!!. Is is possible to put a narrative or suitable music with this video...
Anyone know of any photos of the compass platform and bridge area? I just watched an interview with Mr. Ted Briggs, and would like to get a visual of what he was dealing with regarding his escape.
Since this was the beginning of her commission that lasted until her loss, it is pretty safe to assume that all the men in this film died with her. Chilling thought
After Gunther Prien sank the Iron Duke with lots of boy seamen lost, I understand large numbers of sailors under 18 were landed pending parental approval. My father was one and he was then posted to the Rodney.
Actually, fair amount of Hood`s crew was scattered to other RN ships at early WWII and replaces with new recruites, which might have made it somewhat less effective fighting unit when it mattered the most. There was a lot of confusion in her fire control during the decisive minutes of the battle of Denmark strait. Bismarck was allowed to fire the first salvos at Hood virtually unharassed, since the British ships mistook the column leading heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen for Bismarck.
A warship that was the largest and most powerful in the world for nearly 20 years. One that sported battleship armour, battleship firepower but was 7-8 knots faster than the rest of the world's battleships when she was completed.
All the ships in the last quarter of the flm look to be from a b&w film that had the sea and sky colourised. It made me look at it again and look at the sequence of signalmen hoisting flags @ 4:23, the flag boxes are b&w. A little later on around 4:45 - 4:55 the 4" gunsheild is the same tone as the sea beyond. I say colouised b&w film.
I think these are some great old pictures of one of the great ships. But there are some dating problems. From 1929 to 1931 Hood had a major refit and her funnels were enlarged and changed. There are several photos here of her before this refit, with her original funnels, so the date of 1939 is suspect.I was particularly touched by the photos of the signalmen at work. If these photos were taken after the refit, there is a distinct chance that Ted Briggs might be there as either a Boy Signalman or an Ordinary Signalman. He was one of the three survivors of her action with the Bismarck. He stayed in the Navy and retired as a Lt MBE. I highly recommend the book he co-authored with Alan Coles "Flagship Hood".She was a beautiful ship and they don't seem to build them anymore.
I was on HMS HOOD when she blew up I was on the port side right at the front I have been reincarnated twice since then but I often shed a tear for all my ship mates
I guess if you had already removed the Tampions prior to a firing exercise, on an aside HMS Sheffield, a town Class cruiser lost part of the armoured roof of a turret to a wave hit on arctic convoy duty whilst training the guns in that manner. Water ingress was a problem on the KGV class when waves were coming over the bow
I wonder if that old battleship seen earlier was HMS Iron Duke? When I was a kid in Portsmouth, thirty odd years after this was filmed there were still a few buff coloured paddle steamers used by the Admiralty like those seen in this film. I assume they were tugs and presumably as paddle steamers they were very agile. They thrashed around inside the harbour!
Sure was Iron Duke, partly demilitarised as a gunnery training ship. The shots at sea show Repulse & a county class cruiser astern of Hood, & Renown makes an appearance. Interestingly we see Ark Royal & a French cruiser (at11:46) as well. As Hood leaves harbour she passes the bows of the old carrier Argus. Great footage.
Thank you for confirming my observation- she was constructed in Portsmouth. You did well to spot Argus- we just see her bow- and the obvious conversion aspect making her the first aircraft carrier. Of course, later on in high seas Repulse is quite obvious- and also later, the new superstructure of Renown- which survived the War. Hood's speedy and rakish lines were shown to good effect in this remarkable film. When I was at school Portsmouth, three of the school's masters were "commanders" but we never discussed their ships- they were all maths teachers.
Although the reconstructed Renown was a much superior ship to Repulse, I think the improvements removed a lot of the majesty. I am a fan of the tripod mast & piled up superstructure. I have seen a good clip of Repulse firing her main armament i weather such as this, quite magnificent. A pity that she & POW could not have met a couple of Kongo`s.
Looking at the clip again I am not sure that the ship astern of Hood is the reconstructed Renown. She had a curved front to her bridge structure. It may be a reconstructed Queen Elizabeth. Looking at the cutaway forecastle it might be Warspite.
I will have to watch the film again. Obviously, the rebuilt ships were similar if not the same. I had a book about the sea as a kid that had a fantastic chapter on Warspite. The author wrote it while watching the contractor scrap Warpsite in Cornwall. Sadly, the book disappeared in a house move and I cannot remember its title to track a copy down. I think I bought it at a school jumble sale when I was about six years old.
+Architect11 type 45s have unreliable economy engines which performed much. better in testing than in the real world - better suited to commercial ships
Actually the Royal Navy is soon to commission the two largest warships ever built for the RN, the QE Class Aircraft Carriers. The RN does badly need more escort ships and men though. www.savetheroyalnavy.org/
I wish I could take a smelly fresh piece of dogshit, put it into a hole in my computer and have it pop out of your computer right into your lap. When will science give me what I want?
If you wanted sound in those days, you required a second man plus lots of heavy and expensive equipment, so basically a professional set-up like Paths. This was shot by the ship's engineering officer.
@Jonah Whale God bless you Jonah for your words. I'll follow your advice. No, I am no descendant of his, I'm only Italian (at least partially) and I often think about Albert, a brave mariner with Italian origins, killed by... Bismarck, during a war in which Italy and Germany were unfortunately together. I do always think about the others, 1412 good mariners sunk with Hms Hood, Lancelot Holland, commander Kerr... I am dreadfull sorry, for all the brave died during all the wars. I do remember almost all the battles during at least the last 100 years: Bismarck, Repulse, Prince of Wales, Arizona, Royal Oak, Invincible, Zara, Fiume, Pola, Roma... The list is so long... I love peace, I love Uk, I love Europe, I love people. Yes, people are people or what should it be, you and I should get along so awfully? (Depeche Mode, on a British cruiser...). Hoping to meet you one time.
@Jonah Whale Hallo Jonah. I do understand and accept your words. You are right. Europe did huge mistakes. I'd like you to know this Europe is not the one I dreamed. Have a look at the vaccination here... There was another possibility: John Maynard Keynes. That was another Europe, for people, respecting differences. We must anyway pay attention not to excessively underline differences that must be anyway considered. It' a balance. Otherwise sooner or later some kind of new Hitler or Mussolini will come out again. And then we'll see another glorious Hms Hood sailing towards honour and death. I think you are honest and kind. I just tell you again: I love you, Uk. I have a friend in Farnborough, Hampshire, where I used to stay when I was a boy. He's a "son of the few", yes, R.a.f., Supermarine Mk2 Spitfire. Thanks Uk, you stopped the devil...
101 Gaminglegion go see the James Craig or Endeavor replica tall ships in Sydney. You could also go see the tall ship polly Woodside in Melbourne. There are also several other tall ships scattered around Australia. Just Letting you know you don't have to go to England to see a real tall ship.
I'd just like to say that there is another copy of this footage here.... ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-RSVrKErscEY.html That copy is of much better quality, together with a beautiful & poignant soundtrack.
The mighty hood built on the Clyde Clydebank Scotland she has so much power look at the turbulence. Not so sure about the efficiency of the hull or propellers that came later that others with knowledge may explain this better.
Everything looks great, EXCEPT THE DECK ARMOR, lol 6 rds from Bismark and Hood is a hotel for fish..... Should have finished the refitting instead of going to the parade......This ship never had a chance.....
+Colin Rowe - Commander (E) Robert Terrance Grogan: born 20 Sept 1899 - missing presumed dead 24 May 1941. Engineering Officer HMS Hood 5 May 1939 to 24 May 1941. Midshipman 1 Feb 1918; Lt (E) 15 July 1921; Lt Commander (E) 15 July 1929; Commander (E) 30 June 1933. Mentioned in Dispatches 1 Jan 1941.
@@robertewing3114 Refer Commander (E) Robert Terrance Grogan Some of his audio recordings he sent home to his family during his naval service were found in resent years. Education: Haileybury School (1913-1915) 07.09.1917 entered RN 01.10.1922 - (08.1923) HMS Warspite (battleship) (additional; for ER duties) 08.05.1924 - (01.)1925 engineering course, RN Engineering College, Keyham [HMS Vivid] 08.09.1925 - (02.)1927 HMS Revenge (battleship) (Atlantic Fleet) 03.05.1927 - (04.)1928 RN Barracks, Chatham [HMS Pembroke] 05.1928 - (06.)1928 HMS Castor (cruiser) (Reserve Fleet, Nore) 13.09.1928 - (08.)1929 staff, RN Engineering College, Keyham 23.09.1929 - (02.1931) 2nd Engineer Officer, HMS Cumberland (cruiser) (China) (01.1932) no appointment listed 17.03.1932 - (06.)1933 RN Barracks, Chatham [HMS Pembroke] 17.12.1933 - (07.1935) HMS Emerald (cruiser) (East Indies) (02.1936) no appointment listed 01.04.1936 - (10.)1938 Engineer Officer, HMS Sheffield (cruiser) 06.12.1938 - (04.)1939 HMS President (for Air Matériel Department, Admiralty) 05.05.1939 -24.05.1941 Engineer Officer, HMS Hood (battlecruiser) [missing, presumed killed when the ship was sunk by the German battleship Bismarck in the North Atlantic]
@@geoffreymowbray6789 Tremendous Geoffrey, thanks. Possibly we will hear more of RTG, he filmed shots of nearby capital ships in heavy weather that were no doubt very impacting dramatic scenes, and no camera could deliver that experience, but we can imagine his experience. I may mention his life of Hood recording in my next book, so any further information is welcome. Cheers.
It was always said that Hood was a "wet" ship, and this shows just how! The quarterdeck must have been a no-go area in all but the lightest seas. Truely priceless footage. Is that the Repulse featured heavily towards the end?
+phaasch Became considerably 'wetter' after last refit, especially with extra weight of added AA weapons and other changes. All in all she was a few THOUSAND tons heavier than her initial design weight. Lowered her freeboard considerably.
@@alanpartridge6024 The flight deck over hang. I mean it could be one of the Illustrious class also but they wasn't commissioned until 1940 so i doubt it's any of that class
On 29 June 1939 Captain Harold B Farncomb MVO, RAN joined Amphion and preparations were immediately put in place to effect her transfer to the RAN. This subsequently took place in a naming ceremony (10th July 1939) held on the quarterdeck when Princess Marina, the Duchess of Kent, officially renamed the cruiser HMAS Perth.
It would be nice to date the footage of Hood leaving Portsmouth. Any body have any idea? There are endless debates about the colour of Hood which changed during her service. Somewhat ironically the rather dark blue grey that we see here does not fit with how she 'should' have been looked - at any time in her career - by the theorists. I know colour film is not necessarily accurate but I would rather go with this than how she was 'supposed' to look. Incredible footage !
Vostadues I am beginning to wonder if these forums are about military history, love of fine fighting machinery or just some kind of national pissing contest.