HMS Vanguard, 4th August 1960, Portsmouth

This painting depicts HMS Vanguard, the Royal Navy's last battleship, being towed out of Portsmouth harbour on its final journey to the breakers yard.  The story of its departure is well documented because it notoriously ran aground.

We have three other records for RE works depicting the departure: Last Voyage of HMS Vanguard, Portsmouth: 4th August, 1960, No 1, Last Voyage of HMS Vanguard, Portsmouth: 4th August, 1960, No 2(1961), and Study of HMS Vanguard leaving Portsmouth to be Broken Up (c1961). The last work may refer to the same painting depicted on this page.

In the past this painting has been known as 'HMS Vanguard, 4th August 1960, Dartmouth'.  From what we know about the story behind the picture we think that it is unlikely that the view shows Dartmouth harbour. We have been unable to find a record confirming the ship went into Dartmouth harbour on its voyage to the breaker's yard, an unlikely event because the harbour there is too small for such a large ship.