HMS Belfast

S1 E6: Presenter Rob Bell delves into the fascinating history of the WW2 cruiser, HMS Belfast - a ship that played a critical role in some of the most dramatic battles of World War 2, and whose daring deeds helped bring down the Nazis. HMS Belfast is the sole survivor of the British ships that bombarded the Normandy coast on D-Day. Rob clambers aboard the immaculately-preserved warship - experiencing at first-hand the awesome power of Belfast's guns... by firing one. He hears the testimony of John Harrison, veteran of World War 2, who was on board Belfast at the very moment she was blown up by the Nazi's new secret weapon - a magnetic mine. He gets a taste of life on board, from the daily tot of rum, to the hammocks and officers' cabins - exploring how the class divide played out among the officers and seamen who lived and fought side by side. And Rob re-lives the tactical brilliance of the Battle of North Cape - an extraordinary act of courage that saw Belfast take on the pride of the German Navy, the mighty battleship Scharnhorst.