Chatham Historic Dockyard Trivia Quiz

Answer: World War II

Built in 1944, HMS Cavalier saw service during the later stages of World War II, guarding the convoys of ship carrying supplies across the Atlantic. After the war in Europe had finished, HMS Cavalier served in the Pacific until the end of World War II. In 1957, HMS Cavalier underwent a major refit and went on to serve in the Royal Navy until 1972.

HMS Cavalier arrived at Chatham in 1999, undergoing restoration, forming part of a memorial to those lost their lives serving on destroyers during World War II. The public can tour certain parts of the ship, using an audio guide explaining in some of the crew's own words what life was like on board HMS Cavalier.

Answer: The Victorian era

Built for the Royal Navy in 1878, HMS Gannet combined both sails with steam power. In addition, HMS Gannet's construction featured a composite structure, combining wood with an iron frame.

HMS Gannet saw action off the coast of East Africa - and in the Red Sea - attacking Arab slave traders during the 1880s as part of her duties for the Royal Navy. When decommissioned, HMS Gannet underwent for a number of different uses, including use as a training ship.

When this period of service ended, HMS Gannet came back under the ownership of the Royal Navy, who then passed the ship onto the Maritime Trust, who then in 1994 passed HMS Gannet on to the Chatham Historic Dockyard trust, which has restored the ship back into how it would have appeared when first in in service with the Royal Navy.

Answer: yes

Launched in 1962, HMS Ocelot is a diesel-electric powered submarine of the Oberon class of submarines, built for the Royal Navy. At the time of HMS Ocelot's construction, shipbuilding at Chatham had declined. However, the last vessels built in the dockyard were three more "O" class submarines for the Royal Canadian Navy .

HMS Ocelot served as part of the Royal Navy's submarine fleet from 1964 until the submarine was retired in 1991. In 1992 HMS Ocelot was sold and returned to Chatham where is on display in one of the dry docks along with HMS Gannet and HMS Cavalier. Like HMS Gannet and HMS Cavalier, HMS Ocelot is open for the public to view.

Answer: (The) Royal National Lifeboat Institution

Founded in 1824, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (originally called the National Institution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck) is a service, which helps rescue those stranded at sea around the coast of the UK. In addition, it also helps rescue people trapped in floods, both in the UK and around the world. The RNLI is an organization that relies largely on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain operations.

The collection, based in Chatham Dockyard traces the development of lifeboats, from the early days when they were powered either by sail or oars, to some of the more modern lifeboats used by the RNLI.

Answer: KMS Tirpitz

Built for the Royal Navy, the "X" Craft midget submarines were designed for attacking ships at anchor, their most famous attack being on the KMS Tirpitz. Although the attack failed to sink the Tirpitz, causing considerable damage to the ship and putting it out of action. The raid though, came at a huge cost, with all six "X" craft that took part being lost.

The midget submarine on display in Chatham dockyard is an "XE" Craft, a variant of the "X" Craft intended for use in the Pacific, but ended up being sunk as a target of Portland. It was later salvaged and is the last surviving example of this class of midget submarine.

Answer: Bakelite

Like some other naval dockyards, Chatham Dockyard had its own ropery. To make a rope long enough to anchor a ship required a cable to be made in one long, continuous length. As a result, the ropery at Chatham Dockyard is one of the longest brick built buildings in Europe.

In order to make the rope, different fibres were used for the different types of rope, from lanyards to long anchor cables. Rope was also a valuable commodity - not just for the Royal Navy - and at risk of theft by those working in the ropery. To combat this, a coloured thread was added to the rope to identify where it came from.

The ropery at Chatham Dockyard still operates today, making rope for sale, and at certain times of the day visitors can see a rope being made along with a guided tour of the history of rope making at Chatham.

Answer: TARDIS

"Doctor Who" is a long running British science fiction series that began in 1963, initially running until 1989 before being revived in 2005. The Doctor travels through the universe in a spacecraft known as the TARDIS - standing for Time and Relative Dimension in Space - disguised as an old British police phone box. Although relatively small on the outside, the TARDIS is much larger on the inside, something that is initially surprising to those who enter it for the first time.

The police box in the photo is an actual example on display outside the Kent Police Black Museum. Boxes like this were once common throughout the country, as a means for the general public to contact a police officer. In the 1960s, it would therefore have been a good disguise for the Doctor's craft, but would be useless now (always assuming his TARDIS's "chameleon circuit" was ever fixed). Nowadays, original examples can only ever be seen in museums.

Answer: To transport materials throughout the dockyard

As Chatham Dockyard covered a large area, it needed its own railway network to carry machinery, materials and sometimes personnel around the various sites located in the dockyard. Today, the trains on display are used in the dockyard for special events held through the year and a symbolic part of the dockyards heritage.

Answer: HMS Victory was built at Chatham Dockyard

Famous for being the flagship of Admiral, Lord Nelson at the Battle of Trafalgar, HMS Victory was built in Chatham Dockyard and launched in 1765. The model on displayed at the dockyard forms part of the Wooden Walls exhibition, tracing the history of shipbuilding at Chatham during its heyday as a Royal Navy dockyard. The dry dock where HMS Victory was built is now home to HMS Cavalier.

Answer: Upnor Castle

Upnor Castle is an Elizabethan fort, built across the River Medway from the dockyard to defend the docks from attack.

Those visiting the dockyard may be lucky to see film crews using the dockyard for either filming TV programmes or feature films. The dockyard has been used to film such TV programmes as "Call the Midwife", Foyle's War" and "Downton Abbey" and feature films such as "Les Miserables" (2012), "Vanity Fair (2004) and "The Mummy" (1999).

Also in the dockyard is the Kent Police Black Museum, featuring items from the archives of Kent Police relating to crimes committed in Kent, as well as some of the equipment they use. Near the Kent Police Black Museum is the Nelson Brewery, which sells some of its produce in the gift shop located in the dockyard.