"Her Majesty's Ship"

HMS Warspite was a Queen Elizabeth class battleship of the British Royal Navy. During World War II Warspite gained the nickname "The Grand Old Lady" after a comment made by Admiral Sir Andrew Cunningham in 1943. Warspite and the other vessels in her class were advocated by Admiral Sir John '' Jackie '' Fisher, and Winston Churchill, then First Lord of the Admiralty. She served in both World War I and World War II, earning the most battle honours ever awarded to an individual ship in the Royal Navy, including the most awarded for actions in the Second World War.

History:

Between 31 May and 1 June 1916, Warspite fought with the squadron in the Battle of Jutland - the largest encounter between Britain and Germany during the war.
April 1940, Warspite provided support during the Norwegian Campaign, The Warspite destroyed the heavily-damaged Erich Koellner with broadsides, while damaging the Diether von Roeder and Erich Giese
Summer 1940, During the Battle of Calabria she was credited with achieving one of the longest range gunnery hits from a moving ship to a moving target in history. This was a hit on the Giulio Cesare at a range of approximately 26,000 yards
27 March 1941 Admiral Cunningham, flying his flag on Warspite, exited Alexandria harbour with his capital ships after being notified that an Italian battle fleet was at sea. In the ensuing Batle of Cape Matapan, Warspite, Valiant, and Barham, aided by radar, destroyed the heavy cruisers Fiume and Zara at night in a devastating barrage. Another heavy cruiser, the Pola, had been crippled by torpedoes, while two destroyers were sunk.
21 April 1941, She suffered damage from German air attack during the Battle of Crete.
January 1942.Warspite joined the Eastern Fleet as flagship of Admiral Sir James Somerville. As part of the Eastern Fleet, Warspite, based in Ceylon, formed a fast group with the aircraft carriers Fomidable and Indomitable.
June 1943, Warspite joined Force H, based in Gibraltar, and took part in Operation Husky, the invasion of Sicily.
8 September and 9 September, Force H, covering the landings at Salerno, came under fierce German air-attack, but shot down many German planes.
10 September Warspite led the Italian Fleet into internment at Malta after their surrender to the Allies.
6 June 1944, Warspite provided naval gunfire support for the Allies' Normandy landings. She formed part of the Eastern Task Force and concentrated her fire on German positions near Sword Beach.
1 February: Warspite was placed into Category C Reserve.