After a very quiet and uneventful trip from Chichester Harbour to Portmouth /harbour, we have spent the last 3 days exploring the many historical museums of this area.
a gun deck in HMS Victory
HMS Victory (the topmasts are down as the ship is in major restoration refit)
HMS M.33 a WW1 monitor ship that was at Gallipoli
HMS Warrior, the first iron hulled warship, 1860. Fully restored and available for events in the wardroom such as weddings, etc.
Naval history is here! We’ve toured the ancient (Roman ruins and HMS Mary Rose, of Henry VIII), the old (from 1680- Royal Marines) and the gunpowder magazines, workshops and facilities of Priddy’s Hard, through the ships of the Naval Dockyards of Portsmouth: HMS Victory, HMS Warrior, HMS M.33, and HMS Alliance. We’ve learned about the pivitol battle of Jutland in WW1, and the amazing efforts of all involved in the D-Day invasion of WW2.
It has been an immersive lesson in military history.
There is lots else: Portsmouth city, and the ancient forts- now exclusive (and expensive) Napoleonic era forts in the Solent.
HMS Diamond, a modern Missile destroyer that forms an important part of the modern Royal Navy
Gosport was the victualling (love that word!) center of the navy: providing food, supplies such as rope and cordage, and sails, for the ships of the navy. We are moored in the center, in Royal Clarence Docks, which was where ships moored to obtain their necessary stores for the next voyage.
