History of the Ship

The complete and concise history of a ship that served through World War II and became known as the Luckiest Ship in the Fleet as she was damaged only once by enemy action.

The people of Bolton, a town in the north of England, collected 1.2m in one week of 1937, known as Warship Week. This was donated for the completion of HMS Dido.

During her service, she gained battle honours at Crete, Sirte, Anzio, Salerno, South of France, Sicily and the Malta convoys.

At the end of the war, not only did she fire the last shot of the war, but was also instrumental in accepting the surrender of the German Navy at Copenhagen in 1945.

She carried the late queen mother to the Isle of Man, represented the Royal Navy at the funeral of King Christian of Denmark.

Finally, she was the flagship of the reserve fleet at Queen Elizabeth II's coronation revue of 1953.