AIP15002 HMS Belfast 1942 Royal Navy CruiserHMS Belfast 1942 Royal Navy Cruiser HMS Belfast, an improved Southampton class cruiser, was ordered from Harland & Wolff in 1936, laid down in December that year, and launched on St. Patrick's Day 1938. Commissioned into the Royal Navy on 5 August 1939, the ship played key roles in major conflicts and peacekeeping over 24 years of service. Shortly after joining the fleet, HMS Belfast struck a German magnetic mine in November 1939, which caused