Pictures Dated 7th July 2007

Part of a letter written by Charles Spencer, 3rd Earl of Sunderland, 1678 (1840). Artist: Unknown

Part of a letter written by Charles Spencer, 3rd Earl of Sunderland, 1678 (1840). The letter is dated 9 August 1678 and is addressed to John Holles, 3rd Duke of Newcastle. From Historical and Literary Curiosities consisting of Fac-similies of Original Documents, by Charles John Smith and published by Henry G Bohn (London, 1840).

© The Print Collector / Heritage-Images

Battlecruiser HMS 'Repulse', 1937. Artist: Unknown

Battlecruiser HMS 'Repulse', 1937. Launched in 1916, HMS 'Repulse' saw action in the Second Battle of Heligoland Bight in November 1917. Deployed to the Far East in the Second World War, she was sunk, together with the battleship HMS 'Prince of Wales' by Japanese air attack off Ceylon in December 1941. The sinking of two such powerful vessels purely by use of aircraft revolutionised naval warfare. The aircraft carrier took over from the battleship as the most potent naval weapon. Cigarette card from The Navy series, produced by Senior Service Cigarettes, 1937.

© The Print Collector / Heritage-Images

The 16 inch guns of the battleship HMS 'Rodney', 1937. Artist: Unknown

The 16 inch guns of the battleship HMS 'Rodney', 1937. Launched in 1925 HMS 'Rodney' was the sister ship of HMS 'Nelson'. The design of the ships was unusual in that all their main guns were sited forward. Both ships saw action in World War II, with 'Rodney' involved in the sinking of the German battleship 'Bismarck'. Cigarette card from The Navy series, produced by Senior Service Cigarettes, 1937.

© The Print Collector / Heritage-Images