1949: HMS IMPLACABLE's Last Voyage | BBC Television Newsreel | Retro Transport | BBC Archive

HMS Implacable, a 149 year-old ship of the line - which survived the Battle of Trafalgar - embarks on her final, solemn voyage.
The figurehead, deck and stern cabin of this captured French ship are to be kept at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, but her hulk is to be towed out from Portsmouth dockyard and scuttled.
Originally broadcast 5 December, 1949.
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[@vincentstella5131]

I am at a loss for words like others on here. This needless destruction of a valuable piece of history just seems unbelievable. Very sad. I understand its impossible to save every famous ship but one with such a storied history and that had lasted that long seems almost hasty, irresponsible and short-sighted. What a pitiful end to a proud lady of the fleet to be discarded so ignominiously.

[@nickrobinson8339]

Madness to do this to such a piece of history.

[@StdDev99]

This would have made a landmark if they turned into a museum instead

[@humansrants1694]

In my hometown they are knocking down all the art deco buildings to make carparks.

[@DaraM73]

They could’ve at the very least turned it into a MeccaBingo

[@DavePocklington]

Like others who have commented, I find this incredibly stupid to sink such a historic ship. It would have made a great tourist attraction to have a captured French ship, moored alongside HMS Victory. Yes I know it was a time when money was short, but this country seemed to display some astounding short sightedness when it came to preserving the past.

[@jasonayres]

They could have given people much needed jobs at the time. They could have given some town a tourist attraction. A 149 year old ship, that took hours to sink after the explosives went off.. They could have studied how to build things that last the test of time.

[@spikespa5208]

If they felt they *had* to sink it, would have been more interesting to see how it would stand up to modern naval gunfire. At least get some target practice out of it.

[@danyoutube7491]

They saved some parts for a museum, but to get the whole thing out in one piece and find somewhere that could display it- you'd surely have to build a large room specifically for it in practice- would be extremely expensive, and perhaps beyond the capabilities of the time. Besides, the whole country was poor, it would either have been a very expensive endeavour with no fees to help cover the expense or with fees that few people had spare cash for. It is impressive that the structure survived for so long though. I am surprised that it had been used in the twentieth century as a training vessel, perhaps it was simply to help sailors get their sea legs and get used to moving about and working in cramped spaces while feeling the deck roll under their feet, which would translate to any vessel they might go on to serve on.

[@jasonayres]

@@danyoutube7491 I was imagining them dragging the old ship into a seaside village's port and leaving it there. Something to look at, as the tourists drove by. Photo opportunities. An adventure playground for the kids, perhaps? Health & Safety laws weren't that complicated, I would imagine. 🙂👍

[@danyoutube7491]

@@jasonayres Ah right, that would be more feasible.

[@animatewithdermot]

@@jasonayres Not much of a mass tourist industry in 1949. Would have been a few better offs, but rationing was stiil in force, only lifted in the 50s IIRC. People forget how desperate life was in GB post-war, any spare capacity was spend rebuilding the bombed out cities and building up the NHS. Only the Americans might have had the moolah to buy the hulk, but they had other priorities.

[@purplehaze8557]

Why sink such a beautiful ship??

[@ericandre6766]

Because it was an ennemy ship : french ...

[@thisthat283]

Stupidity

[@Sd1v8v]

I was too expensive to turn into a museum ship. After her sinking there was more emphasis on keeping other ships such as HMS Belfast and HMS victory.

[@jacksprat9172]

So sad, all that history gone. Unforgivable decision by short-sighted politicians who were as out of touch with their community then, as they are now. I wonder how long it was till it dawned on them that wood, has a very useful tendency to float!

[@Hellcat_UK]

0:40 The frigate Foudroyant AKA HMS Trincomalee, 50 years newer but now survives as the oldest British warship afloat. Could Implacable have been the oldest warship afloat instead?

[@itsiz9738]

they sunk it??? I don't think that's necessary to retire a ship, my lord. literally WHY did they do this

[@muhammadadambinmohdrazihan9988]

Post WW2 Britain private wealth was scarce, and public money's priority was reconstruction and debt-payment.

[@stalkingtiger777]

All the ships named in this video would've made amazing museum pieces. It's sad that there was no money to preserve them.

[@DemarcusQ]

1:29 Okay someone gotta clip that 🤣😭

[@draexian530]

To be shattered, out of combat, in allied waters. What a shame.

[@stephenduffy5406]

All her timbers were completely rotten by then, as they had been ignored for years. What little maintenance money there was in 1949, went to HMS Victory.

[@starcapture3040]

Why sink it?

[@hkja99]

So sad to see this

[@model-man7802]

What a waste

[@JavierAlbinarrate]

Never an explanation of WHY?????!!!!!!

[@fidelcatsro6948]

What a waste of a good floating restaurant potential and unnecessary pollution to the sea!

[@gfseoefjsfow]

its wood...

[@danyoutube7491]

Perhaps not very polluting, it would after all have been predominantly wooden and therefore biodegradeable. It probably provided a structure for marine life to grow on.

[@harryfurphy1491]

A tragic end for a remarkable piece of history but there was a reason for why this was done. After the the war the British didn't have the money to restore her to her former glory despite protests and people attempting to raise fund to preserve her. The Admiralty actually offered to sell her to the French so they could turn her into a museum but the French declined. Sadly this was the last resort for HMS Implacable.

[@MartyWeller]

She was offered to the French government, but they didn't want her....

[@SkippyGoLippy]

Could have brought the hull onshore and put a quonset hut over it for how much diesel they used and a hazard to navigation they made. Erie to see the wreckage of a wooden ship. Steel sinks but sailors used to cling to that long before us

[@ronhumin5953]

Sad

[@ericandre6766]

One thing non-said in the newsreel , is that among the crowd , there was some french navy officers ...

[@garryleeks4848]

The last voyage 😪😪😪

[@evertrejo6636]

Why? Why? 😢😢😢

[@meineklartraum-strategie1975]

Thats was a Crime !

[@nobody-vo7ei]

insanity. why would they do this?

[@kamandi1362]

Sheer vandalism.

[@annemargaretdaniel251]

What a criminal and violently stupid act this was, England.

[@TJH1]

Originally a dirty French vessel that was captured. Sinking was the best choice.

[@SSR000]

Whiteman is baboom 💥happy

[@Khumry]

waist.

[@IslandStew]

Oh the glory days 😂 Britain needs to get back to conquering the world , and spread English x2

[@fraternitas5117]

what a waste, a perfect metaphor for the Anglo-Saxon race, scuttled by its own commanders.

[@user-ms8mg1rj5p]

Oh yeah, you’re damn right.

[@fraternitas5117]

cupio dissolvi is a perfect name for this mental trap.

[@daz2.058]

what a bunch of Muppets why would you do that to Maritime legend can't expect much better from the generation responsible for ww2 I guess

[@thisthat283]

What a disgrace. They'd kill for an opportunity to preserve an original Man O War lolshort sighted as always

[@panscrank]

GRILLERS