HMS Rodney - Guide 146

This months Patreon request is for HMS Rodney, the second of the Nelson class battleships.

Next on the list:
-HMCS Ontario
-Lion class BC
-USS Wasp
-HMS Blake
-HMS Romala/Ramola
-SMS Emden
-Väinämöinen and Ilmarinen
-Destroyer Velos
-U.S.S. John R. Craig
-C class
-HMS Caroline
-HMS Hermes
-Iron Duke
-Kronprinz Erzerzorg Rudolph.
-HMS Eagle
-Ise class
-18 inch monitor
-De Zeven Provinciën
-USS Langley
-Kongo class
-Grom class
-St Louis class
-All-big-gun designs
-USS Oregon
-Gascogne
-Alsace
-Lyon and Normandie classes
-Leander class
-HMS Ajax
-Project 1047
-Battle class
-Daring class
-USS Indianapolis
-Atago/Takao
-Midway class
-Graf Zeppelin
-Bathurst class
-RHS Queen Olga
-HMS Belfast
-Aurora
-Imperator Nikolai I
-USS Helena
-USS Tennesse
-HMNZS New Zealand
-HMS Queen Mary
-USS Marblehead
-New York class
-L-20e
-Abdiel class
-Panserskib (Armoured ship) Rolf Krake
-HMS Victoria
-HMS Charybdis
-Eidsvold class
-IJN “Special” DD's
-SMS Emden
-Ships of Battle of Campeche
-USS England (DE-635)
-Tashkent
-1934A Class
-HMS Plym (K271)
-Siegfried class

[GeneralKenobiSIYE]

" ...with a few unfortunate German armored fighting vehicles learning in all three landings that a 16 inch High Explosive shell was remarkably bad for things like; their health, their continued existence and, indeed, their remaining upright."

I will never get tired of your quips.

[iatsd]

Rodney is the only known BB to have engaged a Panther tank in direct fire, with the on-shore fire control officer spending 30 minutes chasing it across fields with 16 inch gun fire before finally catching it with what is thought to be a direct - or near direct- hit given the vehicle essentially evaporated.

[Lintary]

A now I understand why she hammered the Bismarck so hard, she was going on a nice vacation, relax have herself looked after for a while and this inconsiderable German lady shows up and starts making all sorts of noise and trouble forcing poor old in need of vacation Rodney to deal with it. So logically frustrated and annoyed she wastes no time nor effort to dispatch with this trouble, not wanting to risk her vacation being totally cancelled.

[bigblue]

Nelson and Rodney always looked to me like very aggressive supertankers.

[korbell]

That sounded like a Canadian mutiny. "We're going to protest by doing our jobs!"

[MsTokyoBlue]

I love this ship to death, for a multitude of reasons. The Nelsons represent remarkable engineering achievement under incredibly restrictive conditions, the crew of the Rodney in particular contributed heroically to the war effort, and on my list of ships which in any remotely sane world would have been preserved as museums she is in the top three along HMS Warspite and USS Enterprise.

[deaks]

So basically Rodney was quintisentially British: her crew 'mutininied' by just downing tools & singing songs while in port, but making sure they kept everything tidy, and no matter how in need of refit or repair she was, Rodney did indeed just keep calm and carry on.

[the_relaxing_alley]

I always have a soft spot for both Nelsol and Rodnol, probably because of their unique look but there's something charming about them.

[willrogers]

I know that Nelson and Rodney aren’t considered to be attractive ships by conventional standards, but I’ve always had a bit of a soft spot for them (especially Rodney) and I consider them to be some of my favorite ships as far as looks are concerned. Truth be told, I actually think they look better than the Queen Elizabeths, and I’d even go so far as to say I think they’re on a par with Hood as far as aesthetics are concerned. From my very first impression of them, I always thought of Nelly and Rodbox as looking like ships that don’t waste time or resources trying to *look* intimidating or impressive, because they just *are* both of those things.

Along with Hood and Warspite, they’re probably my favorite ships of the inter-war Royal Navy. But while Hood’s looks always brought to mind the word “Hunter” for me, and Warspite practically embodies the phrase “Old Warhorse”, Nelson and Rodney make me think of the word “Inevitable”.


Oh, and they both look like giant, moving castles from the front, which is both intimidating as hell and something I absolutely adore about them. 🥰

[GL]

Two classmates at my old grammar school discovered both their fathers had served on the Rodney, both taking part in the attack on the Bismarck. One was a gunner, the other in the engine room, both found stone drunk in Liverpool one evening after the American refit. Dalrymple was well regarded as captain.
My own son married in 2014. His father-in-law was in his 90s and had been a marine on board the Nelson as part of Force H. Again, another happy ship. His description of the full broadside, opening up on Italian warships in the Med will remain with me. "They were quicker than us, but we had the range. And they had to be quick. Our gunners knew their business."

[lizmartinez]

From my Dad's D-Day diary:
Wednesday 7th June 1944
This evening, Rodney was shelling a strong-point
this side of Caen. Shells going right over us.
Nine tons per salvo – what a row!

[GeneralKenobiSIYE]

HMS Rodney: **Escorting Convoy** Come on. Let's have a go!
The Twins: NEIN!!!

[billykitahama]

My grandfather was onboard the Rodney during the battle with the Bismarck. He wasn't a member of the ship's crew, he was a 'hitchhiker' on his way to pick up an east bound convoy. The one thing I do remember my father telling me (I never met my grandfather, he died in 1944), was the damage done to Rodney by her main armament. Big 'I-beams' running through the mess deck had been bent sideways by broadsides Rodney fired.

[Kevin-mxvi]

Many years ago I had the privilege of working with a man named Cecil Greenwood who had served on H.M.S. Rodney throughout WWII, having volunteered before the outbreak of war.
I got along well with Cecil and he told me of many of his adventures and scrapes during this time, including a few that can't be repeated here. 😉

[waynesworldofsci-tech]

I must be weird but I think these are two of the most beautiful ships ever built.

[ryankorte]

Damn I wish the Brits would have kept this around as a museum ship!! So many great English BB's went to the breakers. If they just would have saved this one and HMS Warspite!

[robertf]

For some reason I've always liked the Nelson class, especially Rodney. I think some of the reason was from a story I read as a kid about the sinking of Bismarck and Rodney's role. Regarding Rodney reportedly reaching a speed of 25 knots despite needing a serious overhaul I found during my time at sea that a good engineer always keeps a few knots and tricks up his sleeve.

As Captain Daniel V. Gallery of USS Guadalcanal (CVE 60) fame (U505 capture) put it (paraphrased) … "If you REALLY want to know how fast your ship can move, scare the bejesus out of the Chief Engineer and black gang. Tell them there are submarines nearby and the destroyers are off chasing sound contacts." Gallery said the Bridge pit log repeater worked up to 2 full knots above what the ship reached during builder and Navy trials. I would imagine Rodney's ChEng and engineering crew thought catching Bismarck every bit as desirable as Guadalcanal's thought of getting clear of the sound contacts.

I think an argument could be made that the 16" rifles mounted in the Nelson class were probably the most powerful 16" sent to sea by any Navy. Dr. Bob Ballard's survey of Bismarck and the incredible damage to her 'bank vault' armored tower support this view. I doubt KGV's 14" could manage that even from the point blank range Rodney was firing from at one point (within torpedo range.)

Thanks again for all you do sir. It's great stuff.

[jamesmoss]

My Dad George Moss served on the Rodney for a couple of years and during the sinking of the Bismark. He told me what it was like and I have some photos of it being attacked and sinking. He always wept telling me stories of lives lost.

[davidbarrass]

I had a friend who's middle name was Rodney in honour of this ship. Apparently his father was on the beach on D-day pinned down by a pill box, Rodney was called and "plained it off at ground level"

[riotintheair]

Always thought the Rodney and Nelson were handsome ships, that acquitted themselves well despite all the early issues. It's a different look than other battleships for sure, but in a good way to my eye.