England building and modernizing her battleships according to the Dutch newspaper De Sumatra Post dated 28 December 1936

King George V-class

Queen Elizbeth-class

An item referred to the statement of sir Samuel Hoare (1) in the British House of Commons that the Royal British Navy on short notice was to be strengthened with a squadron of 5-35.000 ton battleships.(2) The first ships were to be named King George V (3) and Prince of Wales (4) to be lay down in January 1937. Hoare said furthermore that the battleships Queen Elizabeth (5) and Valiant (6) were to be fitted out with new more powerful machinery and that the cabinet intended to modernize also other battleships. In 1940 would the navy possesses in this manner 20 large modern battleships.

Notes
1. Samuel John Gurney Hoare, 1st Viscount Templewood (24 February 1880 London, England-7 May 1959 London, England), conservative politician and First Lord of the Admiralty 1936-1937 and then responsible for ordering the first 3 ships of the King George V-class battleships.

2. King George V-class consisted of the King George V, Prince of Wales, Duke of York, Howe and Anson, preceded by the Nelson-class and succeeded by the Vanguard and by the never realized Lion-class. In 1928 was started designing this class regarded the limitations of the Washington Naval Treaty of 1922 which allowed non building of battleships until 1931. The design-process was for a second time halted due to the London Naval Treaty of 1930 which continued the building stop until 1937/ In 1935 started the Royal British navy again the designing process based on what already was achieved. The Treaty limited the displacement to a maximum of 35.000 tons and further more was the calibre of the main armament discussed. The choice was 14-16” with a first choice for 15” guns, However in October that same year it was decided that the calibre was to be 10-14” guns instead of 15”, a decision heavily protested by First Lord of Admiralty in 1935 Winston Churchill. 

3. Laid down by Vickers-Armstrong, Walker Naval Yard, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England on 1 January 1937, launched on 21 February 1939, commissioned on 11 December 1940, involved in the battle with the German battleship Bismarck on 26-27 May 1941, training vessel since December 1946, part of the moth ball fleet since June 1950, laid up in extended reserve in December 1955, decided to be broken up in 1957 which started in 1958 at Dalmuir, Scotland by Arnott Young.

4. Laid down by the Cammell Laird and Company Ltd., Birkenhead, England on 1 January 1937, launched on 3 May 1939, completed on 31 March 1941, commissioned on 19 January 1941, involved in the battle with the German battleship Bismarck on 26-27 May 1941 and sunk during a Japanese air attack together with the British battle cruiser HMS Repulse off Kuantan, South China Sea on 10 December 1941. She was to be named King Edward VIII but when he abdicated she was renamed Prince of Wales before the building even was started.

5. Of the Queen Elizabeth-class, consisting of the Queen Elizabeth, Malaya, Warspite, Valiant, Barham, Malaya and the in 1914 cancelled Agincourt. Preceded by the Iron Duke-class and succeeded by the Revenge-class. Pennant 00. Laid down at the HM Dockyard Portsmouth, England on 21 October 1912, launched on 16 October 1913, completed in January 1914, commissioned on 22 December 1914, rebuilt in 1926-1927 and 1937-1941, reserve since August 1945, stricken on 7 July 1948, sold to Arnott Young and broken up at Dalmuir in July 1948. Building costs 3.014.103 pond sterling.

6. Of the Queen Elizabeth-class, consisting of the Queen Elizabeth, Malaya, Warspite, Valiant, Barham, Malaya and the in 1914 cancelled Agincourt. Preceded by the Iron Duke-class and succeeded by the Revenge-class. Pennant 02. Laid down at Fairfield, Clydebank, Scotland on 31 January 1913, launched on 4 November 1914, completed in February 1916, commissioned on 13 January 1916, modernized 1929-1930 and March 1937-November 1939, decommissioned in July 1945 and sold to be broken up on 19 March 1948 by Arnott Young at Cairnryan, Scotland in 1948. Building costs 2.537.037 pond sterling.