Effects of capturing a battleship in combat

in the USN, battleships historically had their own attached Marines, who would man weapons or otherwise occupy battle stations during combat. In addition to being helpful during potential mutinies, they combined with the 1,000 or so crew, make successfully boarding a capital ship difficult in the extreme.
To stand a chance you'd have to do it while the ship was in port, and preferably while most of the crew wasn't on board, unless the ship had already struck its colours.
 
On another note, would there be much in the way of compatibility issues between German and RN vessels of that era? After all, it'd be better in both practical terms and in terms of propaganda and general rubbing it in if the British could actually use whichever ship they'd bagged.
This being 1914.

Take a million photos for propaganda then give the thing to Canada and let them worry about making spares and ammunition for it. As Halifax guard ship it wouldn't need it's gun replacing as they wore out as they wouldn't be fired very often, if at all.
 
I'm still thinking of the Kongo & Hiei off Guadalcanal. Had Callaghans cruiser force been unscathed by that battle would any of the USN leaders been crazy enough to hang around and try boarding?
 
If the British were to have captured Bismarck, would be likely to still be around as a trophy, long after all the other BBs were turned into razor blades
 
If Britain had captured the ruined Bismarck it would have been melted down by the end of the year. Thousands of tons of refined metal would be too valuable to leave as a useless trophy. If they'd sent Commandos into Norway to steal Tirpitz though it might be different. An intact ship is very different to a ruined wreck.
 
I'm still thinking of the Kongo & Hiei off Guadalcanal. Had Callaghans cruiser force been unscathed by that battle would any of the USN leaders been crazy enough to hang around and try boarding?

not worth the risk i'd say, both were very old ships. Kongo was even British built.

As i said, she would be scuttled before any boarding could take place.
 
I'm still thinking of the Kongo & Hiei off Guadalcanal. Had Callaghans cruiser force been unscathed by that battle would any of the USN leaders been crazy enough to hang around and try boarding?

I doubt it. put torpedoes into them until they sink. The Japanese aren't going to surrender and the US didn't have a spare regiment to fight it out (and die in scads,imagine the nightmare of trying to do that).
 
HMS Repulse leaps to mind. If she survived to get to Singapore and got trapped there, she is as close to the old Japanese capital ships as anything else we have considered so far.
 
To stand a chance you'd have to do it while the ship was in port, and preferably while most of the crew wasn't on board, unless the ship had already struck its colours.

Agreed. And also set up as many diversions as possible to occupy that crew aboard.

HMS Repulse leaps to mind. If she survived to get to Singapore and got trapped there, she is as close to the old Japanese capital ships as anything else we have considered so far.

After the battle the Japanese dived on POW to try and get her radar gear. If there was any chance of taking her intact I wouldn't be surprised if they tried...
 
If Britain had captured the ruined Bismarck it would have been melted down by the end of the year. Thousands of tons of refined metal would be too valuable to leave as a useless trophy. If they'd sent Commandos into Norway to steal Tirpitz though it might be different. An intact ship is very different to a ruined wreck.

Yep. Also, had it happened,The Great Battleship Heist would've probably still have been talked about today regardless of what ended up happening to Tirpitz.
 

Khanzeer

Banned
How about a crack squad of Italian frogmen and naval commandos board and capture a RN battleship while in Malta ? Was that possible? Or did I miss my meds tonight
 
There were no RN Battleships in Malta during the Kingdom of Italy's participation in the war. You might have Black shirts attempt to liberate an Italian BB after the surrender though.
 
How about a crack squad of Italian frogmen and naval commandos board and capture a RN battleship while in Malta ? Was that possible? Or did I miss my meds tonight

Battleships have 1000+ people on them. A couple of frogmen isn’t enough to take one. You need at least a few hundred men, which you probably won't be able to frogmen on.
 
You'd need a couple of hundred men just to move the ship, let alone take it, and if the boilers are cold it would take hours to raise steam.
 
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