HMS VANGUARD RUNS AGROUND IN PORTSMOUTH HARBOUR ON HER WAY TO THE BREAKERS

4 AUGUST 1960

 

HMS Vanguard was a Battleship launched on 30 November 1944 and commissioned on 12 May 1946. She was the only one of her class and was the biggest, fastest and last of the Royal Navys battleships, and the last battleship built in the world.

She performed various duties as flagship, training ship, and even as a "Royal Yacht", when, in 1947, she took the royal family of King George VI to South Africa. This was the first time his daughter, Elizabeth II, then a princess, ever left Britain.

At the end of 1954 Vanguard refitted in Devonport and on completion in 1955, she was placed in reserve. In 1956 Vanguard became flagship of the Royal Navy Reserve Fleet. While moored in Fareham Creek, during her time in the reserve fleet, scenes for the film "Sink the Bismarck" were filmed aboard. During this time there was some controversy over the ship's future. It was announced in October 1959 that the Vanguard would be scrapped in 1960. Efforts to turn her into a museum were unsuccessful.

On 4 August 1960, when she was to be towed from Portsmouth to the breakers yard at Faslane, the whole of the Southsea sea front was packed with people to see her off. As she was being towed towards the harbour entrance, she slewed across the harbour to the Still & West pub and went aground. She was eventually pulled off by tugs and finally made her exit from Portsmouth. Five days later she arrived at Faslane and by early 1962 Vanguard ceased to exist, never having fired her guns in anger.