HMS Warspite

HMS Warspite was possible the luckiest ship in the Royal Navy in the 20th century. It was in Jutland at WW1, used later at D-Day, and abandoned in Crete and Salerno.

The ship survived both wars, and after the war, was put into reserve. When it was towed to Scotland, the towline broke and the ship ran aground. Instead of being moved over the years, it was dismantled and found itself in small parts all over the country.

The Warspite's survival was considered indicative of the survival of the nation in Navy lore.

The contributor brought table coasters for napkins, made from the deck of the ship between 1948 and 1955. They were made by an unknown carpentry/museum [sic] company that used to be in the dockyard in Portsmouth. It was bought about 20 years ago.

The contributor was born in 1944, two months after D-Day. Their uncle, Philipp Walsh, had served on a different battleship.