Saturday 12 March 2022

Portsmouth 2022 - Royal Navy Submarine Museum

 The Royal Navy Submarine Museum is based in Gosport. It exhibits the history of the submarine from an initial use of an underwater craft from the American Revolutionary War through to todays modern nuclear deterrent. 


The museum's primary exhibit is HMS Alliance, a Cold War Era vessel.

HMS Alliance

 
In 1775, the first ever use of a submersible in warfare was recorded when The Turtle was used in an unsuccessful attempt to blow up British ships in New York Harbour. 

The Turtle
New York Harbour 1775

The Turtle replica RN Submarine Museum

Experimentation continued over the next 100 years, the concept of the use of submarines becoming more prominent with the development of metal hull ships, the internal combustion engine and the weaponising of vessels with the invention of the torpedo.

The Royal Navy's commissioned it's first submarine in 1901, HMS Holland 1. It was one of six boats armed with a single torpedo tube and carried 3 torpedoes. 

HMS Holland 1

HMS Holland 1 RN Submarine Museum


The prominence of the submarine and it's impact on warfare came with both World Wars.


World War One Submarines


World War Two Submarine

The end of WW2 brought about the Cold War and the submarine became the foundation of British Defence Policy, the mainstay of the nuclear deterrent. In 1961, HMS Resolution became the first submarine in the Royal Navy to carry nuclear Polaris missiles.

Cold War Submarines

HMS Resolution Polaris missile carrier

Polaris missile Firing Panel

Polaris Missile

In 1982, the submarine was used in it's more traditional role of targeting surface ships during the Falklands Campaign. On 2nd May 1982, HMS Conqueror sank the Argentinian light cruiser General Belgrano.

HMS Conqueror returns from the Falklands 1982

Falklands Campaign 1982