HMS King George V (41) Battleship Country: UK Type: Battleship Service: 1940 - 1949 Laid down: 1 January 1937 Launched: 21 February 1939 Commissioned: 11 December 1940 Decommissioned: 1949 Struck: 1957 Fate: Scrapped 1957

The King George V class battleships were the penultimate battleship design completed for the Royal Navy. Five ships of the class were commissioned. While the Washington Naval Treaty limiting both the quantity, size (in tonnage), and armament of post World War I battleship construction had been extended by the First London Naval Treaty, the treaty was due to expire in 1936. This new battleship class was designed without the restrictions imposed by the interwar naval treaties.

The HMS King George V (41) was the lead ship of the King George V class of battleships. Built by Vickers-Armstrong at Walker's Naval Yard, Newcastle upon Tyne and laid down on 1 January 1937, launched on 21 February 1939, and commissioned on 11 December 1940. King George V began convoy escort duties in February 1941. The ship was made was the flagship of the Home Fleet in 1941 and was involved sinking the German battleship Bismarck. The King George V was operationally deployed in the Atlantic, Mediterranean and the Pacific during the Second World War. She was again designated the flagship of the Home Fleet in 1946 and continued to serve in the Royal Navy until decommissioned in 1949.