HMS Victory firing rolling broadside 🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧 Today Victory is preserved at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard and, as the flagship of the First Sea Lord & Chief of Naval Staff, is the oldest commissioned warship in the world. Laid down in 1759 Victory was a First Rate, the most powerful type of ship of her day with three gun decks mounting 100 guns. The Royal Navy had always built very large ships to fight major fleet battles. In contrast the French and Spanish navies did not build First Rates un

During its 1945 visit to Sydney as part of the British Pacific Fleet, the battleship HMS Howe received gifts from Australian schools, including bottles of beer for the crew, a welcome treat amidst wartime rationing, with some sailors also experiencing local hospitality and family connections in Sydney. The ship's arrival marked a significant moment, showcasing Britain's naval power in the Pacific against Japan, with locals eager to see the massive vessel and its crew enjoying shore leave. While