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The wreck of HMS Foudroyant (1798), 16 June 1897

King George VI visiting naval ships in 1942.

Of one of the King's many visits to the Fleet, war correspondent Commander Anthony Kimmins described in a BBC broadcast:

"... when our King comes to visit his ships, we feel it is just a little bit different. Just a little bit extra. You see, to us he isn't only a very distinguished visitor; he isn't only our King. He's a sailor; one of us.

A man who has been through all our early Naval training, who has experienced all the hard discipline of the Naval College, who has weathered all the traditional leg-haulings and pitfalls of those first days at sea, and above all has had actual battle experience at Jutland.

Watch him coming down the steep ladders from the fore-bridge. There's no taking them backwards or grasping the hand-rails and cautiously picking his way down on his heels.

Oh no, it's a surefooted run down with a swing off the handrail at the bottom. Countless hours as a midshipman of the watch taught him that little trick. He moves like us and he speaks our language, so do not blame us if we feel just a little — what shall I say? — possessive."