1 March 2025
HMS Belfast
Adults
£78 Standard | £70.20 IWM members
Discover how the oceans became key battlegrounds in the Second World War. Exploring how the war at sea evolved, from the opening of hostilities until the final days of war, in this masterclass you will learn about both the wider maritime perspective of the war, as well as the story of HMS Belfast itself. You will explore how innovations in safety brought about by the war saved lives, and how the war at sea has been portrayed in cinema.
In partnership with Queen Mary University of London, IWM Institute’s one-day masterclasses offer an opportunity to expand your knowledge of war and conflict. Suitable for anyone with a passion and enthusiasm for modern history, all you need to attend is a motivation to learn. IWM members enjoy a 10% discount.
Part of the IWM Institute
Programme
9.30am - Arrival and Registration: Free tea and coffee provided.
10am - Welcome and Introduction
10.15am - Britain's Second World War at Sea with Professor Daniel Todman
The story of Britain's War is often dominated by events on, above or around the Home Front of the United Kingdom. In this talk, Dan Todman explores how a maritime view helps us to understand the conflict differently, and why it might be the most useful approach to grasping the interconnected challenges of a global war.
11.15am - Tea and coffee break
11.40am - 'Bounced up and Down': The Magnetic Mine Attack on HMS Belfast and its Consequences for the History of the Ship with Nigel Steel
On 21st November 1939 HMS Belfast was severely damaged by a German magnetic mine; bow lifted clean out of the water and keel violently twisted. This talk will show how close Belfast came to being scrapped after the attack but was instead painstakingly brought back to life, emerging in November 1942 bigger, stronger and more sophisticated than before. We'll look at the events surrounding the explosion, what happened on board, how the ship was saved and ironically how this near-fatal event shaped Belfast's story as we know it today.
12.40pm - Lunch and opportunity to explore HMS Belfast
2pm - Battle for Survival: Safety at Sea During the Second World War with Robert Rumble
During the Second World War, vast numbers of men and women went to sea, fighting in some of the most inhospitable parts of the world. War at sea was extremely hazardous, with hundreds of thousands of lives lost. This talk will explore how innovations in safety at sea reduced some of these dangers and improved sailors' chances of survival.
3pm - Tea and coffee break
3.15pm - Screening the War at Sea: In Which We Serve and Beyond with Professor Mark Glancy
The War at Sea was a staple for cinema depictions of the Second World War in the UK and USA during and after the conflict. Starting with Noel Coward's In Which We Serve and drawing out to other films, this talk explores the triumphs and trickiness of shooting the maritime war for the big screen.
4.30pm - Masterclass Concludes
Take the opportunity to explore the historic ship and walk through it with our audio guide.
About the Speakers
IWM Institute masterclasses are run by scholars from Queen Mary University of London and curators from Imperial War Museums. Experts in their fields, the speakers will provide lectures and a chance to engage in conversation about their specialist subject.
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© Professor Dan TodmanProfessor Daniel Todman
Dan Todman is a Professor of Modern History at Queen Mary University of London. His research focuses on how twentieth century wars were fought and how they were remembered. Dan is the author of the prize-winning two-volume history Britain's War, 1938 - 1941: Into Battle and 1942 - 1947: A New World.
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© Nigel SteelNigel Steel
Nigel Steel is one of IWM's longest-serving curators, joining the museum as an archivist in 1988. He is now lead curator of HMS Belfast.
Nigel was the Head of Content for the new Second World War galleries and has previously been Principal Historian for the First World War Centenary Programme and the Lord Ashcroft Gallery, following a two-year secondment to the Australian War Memorial as Visiting Senior Historian where he curated their permanent galleries on the Korean War. -
© IWMRobert Rumble
Robert Rumble is a curator of conflict history at Imperial War Museums.
His specialisms include Second World War and Cold War naval history. He previously served as Lead Curator for HMS Belfast and developed the reinterpretation of Belfast's permanent displays in 2021.
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© Mark GlancyMark Glancy
Mark Glancy is Professor of Film History at Queen Mary University of London. His work has focused on transatlantic film perspectives, including Hollywood depictions of Britain in the period around the Second World War. His most recent book is a biography of Cary Grant Cary Grant: The Making of a Hollywood Legend.
About the Venue
HMS Belfast was launched on 17 March 1938 and spent 25 years in active service. Called into service at the outbreak of the Second World War, disaster struck after only two months at sea when HMS Belfast hit a magnetic mine.
On rejoining the home fleet in 1942, Belfast was called into action protecting the Arctic convoys, Russia’s supply route throughout the war. it took part in the Battle of North Cape, which saw the sinking of the German battle cruiser Scharnhorst.
HMS Belfast fired some of the first shots on D-Day and later played an active role in the Korean War. Its final years were spent performing peace-keeping duties until it was retired in 1963.
As early as 1967 the Imperial War Museum had investigated the possibility of preserving a Second World War cruiser. After some years HMS Belfast was brought to London, opening to the public in 1971.
Today, it is the last remaining vessel of its type – one of the largest and most powerful light cruisers ever built.
IWM Institute Masterclasses are brought to you in partnership with Queen Mary University of London.
Header image: Naval Officers, including Captain A G Talbot, DSO, RN, captain of the aircraft carrier HMS Formidable, observing the invasion beaches of North Africa through binoculars during Operation 'Torch', November 1942.