British light cruiser HMS Belfast COBI 4844-World War II

You know that: 

• The ship was launched on 17 March 1938 on St. Patrick's Day.
• If you are wondering what HMS actually means in the name of the ship, know that the full name is Her Majesty's Ship - Belfast.
• The first deployment was not the happiest, because shortly after sailing the ship hit a mine set by the German U-21 submarine on November 21, 1939.
• Repairs to the damaged ship took 3 years of intensive work.
• The damaged ship was not only repaired, but also greatly improved to return to service in 1942 under the command of Captain Frederick Parham.
• During a November 1943 cruise through the North Sea, ice covered the ship to such an extent that it disabled the firing system and the high weight of the ice threatened to capsize the ship.
• The cruiser Belfast was involved in the hunt and sinking of the German ship Scharnorst.
• During the D-Day landings in Normandy, Belfast's guns shelled German fortifications.
• During the Korean War, Belfast protected UN troops.
• The moored ship can be seen on the River Thames at London's Imperial War Museum, which bought her from the Army for £1 in 1971.
• Perhaps on ships of all the world's fleets, toasts are made seated. This rule was introduced by King William IV, who hit his head on a ship's rib when making a toast, and so established seated toasting as a naval rule.

Technical parameters:

• dimensions length 187 m, width 21 m, draught 6.02 m
• displacement 11 553 tonnes (max. 14 554 tonnes)
• hull armour 76-114 mm, deck armour 50-76 mm
• propulsion unit 4x Harland&Wolff steam turbines with a total output of 80 000 hp
• maximum speed 59 km/h (32 knots)
• main armament 12x cannon Mk. XXIII 152.4 mm calibre
• secondary armament 12 x QF Mk. 101.6 mm + 16 automatic 40 mm PL proto-aircraft guns +2x 533 mm three-barrel torpedo tubes
• crew 881 men

From the memoirs of Lieutenant Brooke Smiths:

,, Poor co-ordination left our ship alone for two hours and with no support within range of the German ship, while the guns of the Belfast were short of Scharnhorst. It was incredible that we could only see the enemy by the flashes from their deck guns. Two or three shots missed us. It was a strange sensation to see the geysers of water from the exploding shells and know that the next shots would be much more accurate after correction".