Photo Gallery
Associated Web Link: www.hmswarrior.org
Transcript Of Narration
We now move on to HMS Warrior, which is also located within the historic dockyard, and was the first ironclad warship. HMS Warrior was launched on 29th December 1860 and commissioned for service on 1st August 1861. In June 1862 she started active service as part of the Channel Squadron patrolling coastal waters and sailing to Lisbon and Gibraltar.
HMS Warrior has never fired a shot in anger, her strength enabled her to keep peace without ever having to fire a shot. Within a decade Warrior was obsolete and was relegated to the reserve fleet and in 1883 was withdrawn from sea service. Her masts and guns were stripped and she became a depot ship for two years.
In 1903 her name was changed to Vernon III and joined HMS Vernon the Navy s torpedo training school. Her role was to supply steam and electricity to the other hulks. In 1924 Warrior went up for sale. But no one wanted to buy her. In 1929 she became Oil Fuel Hulk C77 and became a floating oil jetty in Pembroke Dock in Wales.
In 1979 the Warrior s Trust took charge of her and it hoped to restore her into a national treasure. She went into Grey s Shipyard in Hartlepool where she underwent 8m of work before returning to Portsmouth in 1987.
HMS Warrior is moored within Portsmouth s Historic Dockyard, her vital statistics are: she is 128m long, weighs 9,210 tons and could reach speeds of 13 knots under sail or 14.5 knots under steam power. She had a total compliment of 705 men.
Warrior is open to the public and is also available to be hired for corporate events or weddings and could be the perfect backdrop to a special day. During the past year over 80 weddings have been held on board HMS Warrior. For more information about HMS Warrior have a look at www.hmswarrior.org.
Warrior's address is:-
Warrior
Victory Gate
HM Naval Base Portsmouth
Hampshire
PO1 3QX
