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Photo # NH 525-A:  British battlecruiser Repulse seen through a porthole, circa 1922-24

Online Library of Selected Images:
-- SHIPS of the BRITISH NAVY --

HMS Repulse (Battlecruiser, 1916-1941)

HMS Repulse, a 26,500-ton Renown class battlecruiser, was built at Clydebank, Scotland. Completed in August 1916, she joined the Grand Fleet following post-trials modifications and operated in the North Sea for the remainder of World War I. The light protection of this class of two battlecruisers was a considerable cause for concern and, soon after the Armistice, Repulse received an extensive refit. This significantly increased her armor, and her displacement, which rose some six-thousand tons. The work was completed in 1922, after which the ship began a peacetime career of fleet operations and long-distance cruises.

In 1933-36, Repulse was again modernized, emerging with improved deck armor, a hangar and catapult for aircraft, and a greatly increased anti-aircraft gun battery. She operated with the Home Fleet in the North Sea and Atlantic during the first two years of the Second World War, taking part in the pursuit of the German battleship Bismarck in May 1941. Later in the year she was sent to the Far East, accompanying the new battleship Prince of Wales. The two ships arrived at Singapore just before Japan began the Pacific War. As soon as hostilities commenced, both steamed northwards to intercept a reported invasion force. While returning to Singapore on 10 December 1941, Repulse and Prince of Wales were attacked by Japanese high-level bombers and torpedo planes. Repulse was moderately damaged by bombs early in the action and was later hit by several torpedoes. After receiving this heavy underwater damage, she sank rapidly, followed less than an hour later by the Prince of Wales.

This page features selected views concerning the British battlecruiser Repulse.


If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."

Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.

Photo #: NH 525

HMS Repulse
(British Battlecruiser, 1916-1941)

Photographed circa 1916-17, after post-trials alterations but prior to receiving searchlight towers on her after funnel in place of open searchlight platforms.

U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

Online Image: 91KB; 740 x 455 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 47372

HMS Repulse
(British Battlecruiser, 1916-1941)

In the Firth of Forth, Scotland, circa 1916-17, with the Forth Bridge in the background.

U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

Online Image: 85KB; 740 x 460 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 525-A

HMS Repulse
(British Battlecruiser, 1916-1941)

Photographed through a porthole, circa 1922-24.

U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

Online Image: 94KB; 740 x 625 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 55608

HMS Repulse
(British Battlecruiser, 1916-1941)

Probably photographed at the time of her 1923-24 World cruise.
Note the extensive side armor, added during her 1919-22 refit, and aircraft flying-off platforms atop "B" and "X" turrets.

U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

Online Image: 104KB; 740 x 480 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 55609

HMS Repulse
(British Battlecruiser, 1916-1941)

Probably photographed at the time of her 1923-24 World cruise.
Note the extensive side armor, added during her 1919-22 refit, and aircraft flying-off platforms atop "B" and "X" turrets.

U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

Online Image: 106KB; 740 x 450 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 57164

HMS Repulse
(British Battlecruiser, 1916-1941)

Off the coast of Oahu, Territory of Hawaii, on 12 June 1924.
Photographed from an aircraft flying out of Naval Air Station Pearl Harbor.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval History and Heritage Command.

Online Image: 136KB; 740 x 590 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 57183

HMS Repulse
(British Battlecruiser, 1916-1941)

Leading other Royal Navy capital ships during maneuvers, circa the later 1920s.
The next ship astern is HMS Renown. The extensive external side armor of Repulse and the larger "bulge" of Renown allow these ships to be readily differentiated.
Photograph by Underwood & Underwood.

U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

Online Image: 99KB; 740 x 610 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 57181

HMS Repulse
(British Battlecruiser, 1916-1941)

Firing her 15-inch guns during maneuvers off Portland, England, circa the later 1920s.
The next ship astern is HMS Renown.
Photographed from HMS Hood.

U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

Online Image: 130KB; 590 x 765 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 60566

Loss of HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse, 10 December 1941


Photograph taken from a Japanese aircraft during the initial high-level bombing attack. Repulse, near the bottom of the view, has just been hit by one bomb and near-missed by several more. Prince of Wales is near the top of the image, generating a considerable amount of smoke.
Japanese writing in the lower right states that the photograph was reproduced by authorization of the Navy Ministry.

Donation of Mr. Theodore Hutton, 1942.

U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

Online Image: 82KB; 525 x 765 pixels

 

High-Resolution JPG
Photo #: 80-G-413520

Loss of HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse, 10 December 1941


Photograph taken from a Japanese plane, with Prince of Wales at far left and Repulse beyond her. A destroyer, either Express or Electra, is maneuvering in the foreground.
Dulin and Garzke's "Allied Battleships in World War II", page 199, states that this photograph was taken "after the first torpedo attack, during which the Prince of Wales sustained heavy torpedo damage."

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

Online Image: 125KB; 740 x 600 pixels

Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

 
Photo #: SC 301094

"Sea Battle off Malaya"


Japanese war art painting by Nakamura Kanichi, 1942, depicting Japanese Navy aircraft making successful torpedo attacks on the British battleship Prince of Wales (center) and battlecruiser Repulse (left) on 10 December 1941.
Planes shown include "Betty" bombers.

Photograph from the Army Signal Corps Collection in the U.S. National Archives.

Online Image: 104KB; 740 x 500 pixels

Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

 


NOTES:

  • To the best of our knowledge, the pictures referenced here are all in the Public Domain, and can therefore be freely downloaded and used for any purpose.

  • Some images linked from this page bear obsolete credit lines citing the organization name: "Naval Historical Center". Effective 1 December 2008 the name should be cited as: "Naval History and Heritage Command".


    If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."


    Return to Naval History and Heritage Command home page.

    Page made 8 December 2000
    Coding updated and link added 26 February 2009