Dates: 1938 - 1963

Belfast was launched on St Patrick’s Day in 1938 at Harland and Wolff Shipyard in Belfast by Anne Chamberlain, the wife of the then Prime Minister, Neville Chamberlain. At that time, the budgeted overall cost of the ship was £2,141,514, of which £75,000 was for the guns and £66,500 for aircraft. She was commissioned in August 1939 under the command of Captain G A Scott DSO and assigned to the 18th Cruiser Squadron.

At the start of the Second World War the 18th Cruiser Squadron was part of the British effort to impose a naval blockade on Germany. As part of this squadron, Belfast intercepted the German liner Cap Norte on 9 October 1939 as the liner was trying to return to Germany disguised as a neutral ship.

Forces Reunited Forum Posts involving HMS Belfast

" From Ernest Smith: HMS Belfast Association. I am writing a book about members of the HMS Belfast Association called ‘Men of the Sea’ The book will contain photos and personal details of all her past ship,s companies from it’s launch in 1938 to it’s de commissioning in 1963.If you ever served on ..."

Click For More

---

" ...By Law, every Royal Navy ship that visits the port of London must deliver a barrel of rum to the constable of the Tower of London... Wow!  The HMS Belfast must have spent a fortune paying them old rummies at the Tower!! "

Click For More

---

" Now we learn they want to send 5,000 troops to Kandahar - wonder where they will get them from..... look out fellahs and gals, we may be getting a bit old for this but remember what it said on that last letter from the MoD..... but! in the event of a national emergency,.... back to the ..."

Click For More

---

"Hi looking for anyone who remembers my father, Alfred (Snowy) Sparkes, Alfred served on HMS Belfast in Korea. [dad navy.jpg]"

Click For More

---

" Arthur, Alan et al, I think I could hold my own in any discussion on matters naval, or navel at a pinch. I was an avid reader at school. I read every book known to man about all those true-blue British Heroes; Robert Falcon Scott, Captain Oates etc, and I read every other book by fantastic writers ..."

Click For More

View your bookmarks