Hood was a famous warship of the British Royal Navy. Launched in 1920, the ship was named for Lord Samuel Hood, a famous Royal Navy admiral. The ship was destroyed by the German battleship Bismarck in 1941, during World War II (1939-1945). HMS Hood was a battle cruiser—a lighter and faster version of a battleship. HMS stands for His or Her Majesty’s Ship.
For years after its launch, Hood was the largest warship afloat. It became a famous symbol of the Royal Navy, making well-publicized world tours. After the outbreak of war in 1939, Hood helped protect convoys (groups of civilian vessels protected by warships) in the North Atlantic Ocean. In July 1940, the ship participated in the destruction of a French fleet at Mers-el-Kébir, Algeria. The British had feared that the Germans—who at that time occupied most of France—would seize the fleet and lead it against the Allies. Hood then returned home to Scapa Flow, off northern Scotland.
On May 24, 1941, Hood and the battleship HMS Prince of Wales fought against German warships at the Battle of the Denmark Strait, north of Iceland. The German ships included Bismarck and the heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen. After an initial exchange of gunfire, Hood was struck. A fire ignited near the ship’s center, and flames spread to nearby ammunition lockers. Further hits ignited larger ammunition supplies, causing a huge explosion. As the burning ship began to roll over and sink, the weakened area tore apart. Hood sank in about three minutes. All but 3 of the ship’s 1,418 crew members were killed. Prince of Wales was hit several times but managed to escape. The Royal Navy pursued Bismarck relentlessly and sank it on May 27.
A memorial to the people lost aboard Hood opened at the National Memorial Arboretum, near Lichfield, Staffordshire, England, in 1998. A British deep sea expedition located and photographed the ship’s remains in 2001.
See also Bismarck ; World War II .
