HMS Victory - Too low, now standing tall

On 12 January 1922, HMS Victory's condition was so poor that she would no longer stay afloat, she had to be moved into No. 2 dock at Portsmouth, the oldest dry dock in the world still in use. A naval survey revealed that between a third and a half of her internal fittings required replacement.

Visiting HMS Victory in 1925, the King, (George V) when he visited her, stated “For such a grand vessel, she looks too low”.

An order was given to re-float victory, who had been grounded and chocked on the floor of Dry Dock No. 2 upon her arrival.

Royal Navy Divers were assembled and briefed to rectify the situation.

HMS Victory re-floated

She was re-floated in April 1925 and the divers added more blocks under the hull to raise her up, from the bottom of the dock. This last re-floating of HMS Victory was recorded by Pathé news cameras.

Anyone who's walked under the hull recently will get some idea of what loomed above them.

The second ‘canvas' shows how she was deemed to be “Too Low” by the King.

Worthy of note, King George V unveiled a tablet celebrating the completion of the work, although the restoration and maintenance was still to continue under the supervision of the Society for Nautical Research. Understandably restoration work was suspended during the Second World War, and in 1941, sadly, HMS Victory sustained further damage when a 500 lb. bomb dropped by the Luftwaffe broke her keel, and destroyed one of the steel cradles and part of the foremast. 

On one occasion thereafter, German radio propaganda claimed that the ship had been destroyed by a German bomb, and the British Admiralty had to issue a denial notice.

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