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Naval Warfare Quizzes, Trivia and Puzzles
Naval Warfare Quizzes, Trivia

Naval Warfare Trivia

Naval Warfare Trivia Quizzes

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Fun Trivia
10 Naval Warfare quizzes and 125 Naval Warfare trivia questions.
1.
  The British Pacific Fleet 1944-1945    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
The British Royal Navy quit the Pacific Theater in the wake of Japanese victories in 1941-1942. They returned after the defeat of the Italian and German navies. What do you know about this British force?
Tough, 10 Qns, Reamar42, Oct 31 23
Tough
Reamar42 gold member
Oct 31 23
136 plays
2.
  Rule Britannia! - Victorious British Admirals    
Match Quiz
 10 Qns
You're given a list of naval battles and a list of the British admirals who took part in them. Your task is to match the battle and the admiral.
Average, 10 Qns, Southendboy, May 05 23
Average
Southendboy gold member
May 05 23
97 plays
3.
  Anchors Aweigh!    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Since the American Revolution, many United States naval ships achieved fame for their outstanding achievements. This quiz will cover ten of those magnificent naval warships!
Average, 10 Qns, ghosttowner, Feb 17 22
Average
ghosttowner gold member
Feb 17 22
675 plays
4.
  You Sank My Battleship   great trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
A short quiz about the fate of battleships and battlecruisers from different navies during the 20th Century.
Difficult, 10 Qns, brisgooner, Feb 17 22
Difficult
brisgooner
Feb 17 22
2878 plays
5.
  Post-War Losses in Combat    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Losing a warship is a rare occurrence, and losing it in combat is even rarer. Can you answer these questions about warships lost in combat since the end of World War II?
Average, 10 Qns, Red_John, Jul 31 22
Average
Red_John
Jul 31 22
190 plays
6.
  Ships of WW I and WW II   great trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
This is about naval ships which fought in World War 1 and/or World War 2.
Difficult, 10 Qns, Pappy84, Feb 17 22
Difficult
Pappy84
Feb 17 22
2239 plays
7.
  Naval History I    
Multiple Choice
 15 Qns
This should test your knowledge of various ships from naval history, as well as important engagements.
Tough, 15 Qns, dj2005, Feb 17 22
Tough
dj2005
Feb 17 22
1594 plays
8.
  Ruling the Waves    
Multiple Choice
 20 Qns
For centuries the British navy shaped the world, from the fledgling Navy Royal of Henry VIII to the Royal Navy of the 20th century - an epic story worthy of a blockbuster.
Difficult, 20 Qns, Mortifer, Feb 17 22
Difficult
Mortifer
Feb 17 22
623 plays
9.
  Identify the Ship or Armament    
Multiple Choice
 20 Qns
In the first part you have to indentify the class of battleship or battleruiser. The second part is about the armament of battleships. Note! Write down the names of the classes without the prefix USS or HMS. Only the names.
Difficult, 20 Qns, Pappy84, Feb 17 22
Difficult
Pappy84
Feb 17 22
655 plays
10.
  Warship Trivia    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Little-known snippets of warship trivia.
Tough, 10 Qns, goofyfoot009, Feb 17 22
Tough
goofyfoot009
Feb 17 22
514 plays

Naval Warfare Trivia Questions

1. When was the new British Pacific Fleet founded?

From Quiz
The British Pacific Fleet 1944-1945

Answer: November, 1944

British Admiral Bruce Fraser officially founded the British East Indies Fleet, later to be renamed the British Pacific Fleet, in November, 1944, at Trincomalee, Ceylon. For political reasons, certain elements of the British government and military felt that the British should be the ones to liberate their Asian colonies, not the Americans, so it was decided to send a naval fleet back to the Pacific. Headquarters was moved to Sydney, Australia, in December, 1944, with a forward base at Manus Island off Papua New Guinea.

2. In 2022, the Russian cruiser Moskva was sunk in the Black Sea having been hit by Ukrainian anti-ship missiles. Of what class of cruiser was Moskva the lead ship?

From Quiz Post-War Losses in Combat

Answer: Slava

Moskva was originally ordered by the Soviet Navy under the name Slava, and was commissioned in January 1983, the lead ship of a new class of cruiser. Western observers suggested that the relatively conventional Slava had been built to guard against the possible failure of the larger and more radical Kirov-class missile cruiser. One of the ship's major tasks during its first years of service was to act as one of the host vessels, alongside the US Navy cruiser USS Belknap, for the Malta Summit conference between US President George H.W. Bush and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev. Although the Soviet Union was dissolved in 1991, Slava served in the Russian Navy under its original name until 1995, when it was renamed Moskva, the transliteration of the Russian for Moscow. In 2000, following a major refit, Moskva became the flagship of the Russian Black Sea Fleet. It was in this role that the ship took part in the naval actions of Russia's invasion of Ukraine that began in February 2022. On 13 April 2022, Moskva was reported to be on fire, with Ukraine stating it had fired a pair of anti-ship missiles at the ship. the ship sank in the early hours of 14 April.

3. For the United States, World War II started on that terrible day, December 7, 1941. The Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, devastating the American fleet. However, one battleship managed to get under steam during the battle. Can you name this ship?

From Quiz Anchors Aweigh!

Answer: USS Nevada

The heavily damaged USS Nevada managed to steam out and head into the harbor. However, the ship was hit by numerous bombs and a torpedo during this time and the captain, fearing the Nevada might sink and block the harbor entrance, beached the ship. The other three choices all were sunk during the battle. On a side note, the Oklahoma was the sister ship of the Nevada.

4. What was the damage done to Graf Spee that made it imperative she seek a harbor for repairs?

From Quiz Warship Trivia

Answer: Her fuel separation system was destroyed.

The Spee's diesel engines required a further refining of bunker crude, and the destruction of the refining boilers made it impossible for her to outrun her pursuers.

5. Which battleship was the first to be sunk in World War I?

From Quiz You Sank My Battleship

Answer: HMS Audacious

HMS Audacious was sunk as the result of hitting a mine in October 1914. The Royal Navy attempted to cover up her loss throughout the war, a loss which was caused in large part by poor damage control. HMS Irresistible was also sunk by a mine in the Dardenelles in March 1915. The Bluecher was not a battleship, but a large cruiser and was sunk at the Battle of Dogger Bank in January 1915, the Pommern, a German pre-Dreadnought battleship, was sunk at the Battle of Jutland 1st June 1916.

6. This British ship was comissioned in December 1906 and was of a revolutionary design. Armament: 10-12in (5x2) 10-12pdr Speed: 21kts Displacement: 18,110t

From Quiz Identify the Ship or Armament

Answer: Dreadnought & dreadnought

HMS Dreadnought was first of a new and revolutionary type of battleship. She was the first capital ship to use steam turbines and reached a record speed of 21kts. She was built in 14 months, which was another record.

7. Which three US destroyers were sunk during the Battle of Samar?

From Quiz Ships of WW I and WW II

Answer: USS Johnston & USS Hoel & USS Samuel B. Roberts

USS Johnston, USS Hoel and the escort destroyer USS Samuel B Roberts were sunk during the Battle of Samar when they try to defend a US escort carrier group against a Japanese battleship and cruiser force.

8. In which year did John Hawkins first visit the Caribbean?

From Quiz Ruling the Waves

Answer: 1562

Hawkins' father William had been the first English merchant to trade with the colonies in the New World. He 'gatecrashed' what were until then the preserve of Portugal and Spain.

9. The earliest type of ship, that used many men rowing large oars were called what? (Sails were also used, but due to their unreliability, oar power usually drove the ship.)

From Quiz Naval History I

Answer: galleys

Galleys were still used, to a certain extent, well into the eighteenth century. Dromons were galleys which used a primitive flamethrower to set enemy ships on fire. Dugout canoes were the very earliest and most basic kind of boat. I hope I don't have to explain dreadnoughts.

10. What was the basic capital ship (fleet aircraft carriers, battleships, and battlecruisers) composition of the British Pacific Fleet?

From Quiz The British Pacific Fleet 1944-1945

Answer: Six fleet carriers & five battleships

The main striking force were the four "Illustrious" class carriers, "Illustrious", "Formidable", "Indomitable", and "Victorious", and the two "Indefatigable" class carriers "Indefatigable" and "Implacable". The planes carried by the carriers provided the main strike force of the fleet. The battleships "Howe", "King George V", "Duke of York", "Anson", and "Nelson", which provided anti aircraft protection, shore bombardment, and surface warfare capability, all served in the Fleet.

11. In 2010, the South Korean corvette ROKS Cheonan was sunk during a confrontation with North Korea. What caused the ship's sinking?

From Quiz Post-War Losses in Combat

Answer: Torpedo

ROKS Cheonan was a Pohang-class corvette originally commissioned in 1989. Intended as a vessel for coastal defence, it had an emphasis on anti-submarine operations to guard against incursions by submarines of the North Korean navy. On 26 March 2010, Cheonan was operating as part of a joint Korean/US anti-submarine exercise. Just before 9.30pm local time, an explosion was reported that led to Cheonan breaking in two, with the ship sinking in less than ten minutes. The wreck of the ship was salvaged in April 2010, which allowed an extensive investigation to take place into the cause of the sinking. The investigation showed that, although Cheonan was not hit directly by a torpedo, there was evidence of a torpedo explosion close to the ship generating a shockwave that caused the ship to break in half. Further evidence was found indicating that the torpedo was identical to a North Korean weapon previously obtained by South Korea, with it suggested that it had been fired by a midget submarine. In 2012, a high-ranking North Korean defector stated that this was the case, as the crew had received one of North Korea's highest decorations.

12. HMVS Cerberus was the result of which nation's imperial ambitions?

From Quiz Warship Trivia

Answer: Russia

In the latter half of the 19th century, the State of Victoria was concerned about Russia's presence in the Pacific. Construction of forts around Port Phillip Bay, and the authorization of an armored turret ship were the result. As a child I played in the gun emplacements, and Cerberus (sadly) still sits in the bay, now a breakwater. (HMVS - Her Majesty's Victorian Ship).

13. Which was the first battlecruiser sunk during the battle of Jutland?

From Quiz You Sank My Battleship

Answer: HMS Indefatigable

HMS Indefatigable was sunk by Von der Tann at 4pm on 31st May. Minutes prior to this, HMS Lion had been saved by having her magazines flooded by Major Harvey of the Royal Marine gun crew in A Turret. Invincible was sunk by the Luetzow and Derflinger at 6.30 the same day, but only after she had made hits on Luetzow that would ultimately see the German ship scuttled. The loss the Invincible and and the Queen Mary and the damage to the Lion led to British Admiral Beatty's comment: "There seems to be something wrong with our bloody ships today."

14. This US class consisted of two battleships. The first of ship of this class was completed in April 1941. The two were the first new US battleships since the early 1920s. Armament: 9-16in (3x3) 20-5in (10x2) Speed: 28kts Displacement: 37,484t

From Quiz Identify the Ship or Armament

Answer: North Carolina

The two North Carolinas were the first battleships the US Navy built after expiry of the Washington Treaty 'building holiday'. The design was a further development of the last battleships classes. Ships: USS North Carolina & USS Washington

15. Which was the only German battlecruiser to be sunk in the Battle of Jutland?

From Quiz Ships of WW I and WW II

Answer: SMS Luetzow

SMS Luetzow was badly damaged during the battle. It received more then 20 hits from heavy shells and several torpedo hits. During the night, flooding forward became so serious that she hat to be sunk by a German torpedo boat. Though SMS Derfflinger and Seydlitz also suffered heavy damage (SMS Seydlitz had more than 5,000t of water in the forward part of the hull) they both managed to reach Wilhelmshaven.

16. Which vessel did Queen Elizabeth I contribute to Hawkins' second Caribbean voyage?

From Quiz Ruling the Waves

Answer: Jesus of Luebeck

The Jesus had been bought by Henry VIII from German merchants. She weighed 700 tonnes and carried 64 guns, of varying calibres. She looked impressive but was a clumsy sailor.

17. In 480 B.C., the Athenian navy, under Themistocles, destroyed half the Persian fleet at what great naval battle?

From Quiz Naval History I

Answer: Salamis

18. What did the British cruisers Aboukir, Cressy, and Hogue have in common?

From Quiz Warship Trivia

Answer: They were sunk by the same submarine on the same day

When Aboukir was torpedoed on 22 September 1914, the other cruisers, thinking that it was a mine, stopped to pick up survivors. They were sitting ducks ...

19. Lord Kitchener, the British War Secretary in World War I, embarked on an armoured cruiser on 5 June 1916 to meet the Tsar. What was the name of the ship?

From Quiz Ships of WW I and WW II

Answer: HMS Hampshire

HMS Hampshire was sunk by a German submarine west of the Orkney Islands on the same day. Lord Kitchener and 643 seamen were killed.

20. In which harbour was Hawkins betrayed by the Spaniards?

From Quiz Ruling the Waves

Answer: San Juan de Ulloa

The Spanish and Hawkins had pledged before God not to cause a fight while they shared the harbour. But the Spanish broke their word. In the following battle Hawkins lost four of his six ships and a third of his men. The Spanish force suffered the loss of two flagships and an unknown number of men.

21. Longships were built by which great explorers, warriors, and traders?

From Quiz Naval History I

Answer: Vikings & Viking & Norsemen & Norse

For their time, the Vikings were highly advanced seafarers. It is generally agreed among historians that Viking explorers reached the coast of North America around 1000 AD.

22. Two of the light carriers, "Pioneer" and "Unicorn", were a design unique to the British Royal Navy. What set them apart from the other light carriers in the fleet?

From Quiz The British Pacific Fleet 1944-1945

Answer: They were designed as maintenance ships

The "Unicorn" was designed and built as an aircraft maintenance carrier, carrying replacement aircraft and expanded repair facilities. "Pioneer" was a "Colossus" class light carrier that was modified while under construction. Both units could also conduct flight operations, but since they were designed as support units, they usually carried only some 20 aircraft instead of the normal complement of the 30-40 planes carried by other light carriers.

23. Why were Scharnhorst and Gneisenau returned to the dockyard upon completion of their first sea trials?

From Quiz Warship Trivia

Answer: Unacceptable performance in heavy seas.

Both had to have their bows strengthened and elongated to minimize flooding in heavy seas.

24. Which British battleship sank the German battlecruiser Scharnhorst in the Battle of the North Cape in December 1943?

From Quiz You Sank My Battleship

Answer: Duke of York

The Duke of York's highly accurate radar directed gunfire had pounded Scharnhorst until destroyers finally caused the capsize of the German vessel with torpedoes. This was the last battleship to battleship engagement in European waters.

25. What were the names of the Britsh armoured cruisers which were sunk during the Battle of Coronel?

From Quiz Ships of WW I and WW II

Answer: HMS Good Hope & HMS Monmouth

HMS Good Hope and HMS Monmouth were sunk by the German armoured cruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau during the Battle of Coronel. No survivors were found. HMS Cressey and Aboukir were sunk by a German subarine in 1914. HMS Defence and Warrior were sunk during the Battle of Jutland on 31 May 1916. HMS Cornwall and Kent took part in the Battle of the Falklands in December 1914.

26. Known to history as the Golden Hind, what name was her original name?

From Quiz Ruling the Waves

Answer: Pelican

Built to Francis Drake's specifications in 1574 she weighed 150 tonnes. Queen Elizabeth I named her the Pelican. It is said Drake changed her name in honour of his patron Sir Christopher Hatton whose arms contained the Hind (red female deer).

27. Turkish influence in Europe was much diminished by their defeat at the hands of the Venetians, allied with the Papal States and Spain, in what battle in 1571? (This was also the last major battle utilizing galleys.)

From Quiz Naval History I

Answer: Lepanto

28. In 1982, the Argentine cruiser ARA General Belgrano became the first warship to be sunk by a nuclear submarine in combat. Which British submarine was responsible for the ship's sinking?

From Quiz Post-War Losses in Combat

Answer: HMS Conquerer

Following the invasion of the Falkland Islands, the Argentine Navy was ordered out to meet the British Task Force in an effort to deter it from approaching the islands. The main element was formed into Task Force 79, which was divided into two major groups; the first was centered around the aircraft carrier Veinticinco de Mayo, and the second around the cruiser General Belgrano. Each group sailed from a port at opposite ends of Argentina, to try and catch the British in a pincer movement from different directions. To counter this, a pair of Royal Navy nuclear submarines were assigned to find and track the two task groups, with orders to sink the major vessels if ordered. On 30 April 1982, HMS Conquerer detected the General Belgrano's task group to the south-west of the British exclusion zone around the islands. The following day, the British intercepted a signal ordering the Argentine Navy to find and attack the British Task Force. This led to orders being made to attack the cruiser. Just before 3.00pm local time on 2 May, HMS Conquerer fired three torpedoes at General Belgrano, of which two hit, with one striking just after of the bow, and the other in the aft machinery spaces. The ship took approximately an hour to sink, with the action leading to the return of the Argentine Navy to port to take no major part in the rest of the war.

29. Why was SMS Blucher deemed obsolete even before construction started?

From Quiz Warship Trivia

Answer: She was equipped with 21cm guns, it was discovered that her British equivalents would have 30.5 cm guns

German intelligence had been lead to believe that the Invincible class of "armored cruiser" would carry 9.2-inch guns, so they designed the Blucher to carry the superior 8.3-inch gun. However, it turned out that the Invincibles were the first "battlecruisers" with 12-inch guns.

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