The King George V class battleship line includes some of the most famous British battleships of World War II. They were built under the Washington Treaty regulations, and built hastily. The King George V class was built hastily as a direct response to the German construction of Bismarck and Tirpitz.

There were five ships in the King George Class of Battleships:

King George V - Completed October 1, 1940
Prince of Wales - Completed March 31, 1941
Duke of York - Completed November 4, 1941
Anson - Completed June 22, 1942
Howe - Completed August 29, 1942

This class broke from traditional battleship design. It was the first and only allied ship to utilize quadruple turrents. The only other nation that utilized this design was the French navy. The first ship of this class, the HMS: King George V itself broke from tradition. It was the tradition of the Royal Navy to name the first capital ship launched in the reign of a new monarch after that monarch. King George VI declined that honor and requested that it be named after his father, King George V. It might be noted that the Royal Navy still wished to honor the new king, so consequently renamed the third ship of this class (which was to be Anson) Duke of York which had been his title before ascending to the throne.

Ships of the King George class took part in some of the most famous battles of World War II and played a vital part in the Royal Navy's success. I can only simplify the roles that this class played, there are many books written just on these battles and the role that this class of battleship played in World War II.

On April 1, 1941 HMS: King George V became the flagship of the Home Fleet. Shortly afterward the HMS: Hood and the HMS: Prince of Wales fell under fire from the Bismarck. What followed next is legend. A shell from Bismarck's 15" guns found it's way into the magazine hold of the Hood and consequently exploded. The Prince of Wales engaged the Bismarck but was damaged itself and was forced to withdraw, but not before scoring several successful hits. The most dramatic hit caused and oil leak from the Bismarck, this leak would serve to seal its doom. Reconnaissance planes found this leak and called in Bismarck's position. By this time All of Britain was outraged at the destruction of the Hood. Winston Churchill himself called for the complete destruction of the Bismarck at all costs. Upon hearing of the fate of the Hood Admiral Sir John C. Tovey on the HMS: King George V pulled together an armada to seek out and destroy the Bismarck. He sailed his fleet at full speed toward Bismarck's last position. Around this same time a Squadron of Swordfish torpedo-bombers under the command of Lieutenant Commander Eugene Esmonde with the help of the HMS: Prince of Wales who had after reestablishing contact with the Bismarck, launched an attack on the Bismarck. The result of this attack from the Swordfish caused the Bismarck damage to one of its boilers and forced it to reduce speed. This allowed Admiral Tovey's fleet to catch up to the Bismarck. With the help of the HMS: Rodney, HMS: King George V engaged the Bismarck at 0848 on Tuesday May 27, 1941. To make a LONG battle short the Bismarck rolled to port and sank at about 1035 on the same day. It might also be noted that in a bit if historical irony, Admiral Tovey did not receive word that Winston Churchill had ordered that the Bismarck was to be destroyed "at all costs" until about one hour after the Bismarck had been sunk.

Over the next few years of the war, the ships of the King George V class would serve mainly to keep the waters open in the Atlantic and to protect convoys. Yet in this time tragedy would strike one of her. The Prince of Wales would be sunk in the South China Sea. Yet this was not the end for the rest of her sisters. For example, the HMS: Duke of York would be vital in the famous sinking of the Scharnhorst during the battle of the North Cape in 1943. All in all the ships of the KGV would give honor to their name and country. It is undisputed that without these powerful ships, the war might have taken a different turn.

Battle Honors for the ships of the King George V class Battleship include:

HMS: King George V - Atlantic 1941, Bismarck Action 1941, Artic 1942 - 1943, Sicily 1943, Okinawa 1945.

HMS: Prince of Wales - Bismarck Action 1941, Malta Convoys 1941.

HMS: Duke of York - Artic 1942 - 1943, North Africa 1942, North Cape 1943.

HMS Howe - Artic 1942 - 1943, Sicily 1943, Okinawa 1945.

HMS Anson - Artic 1942 - 1943.