Upon entering the National Museum of the Royal Navy, the first thing that catches the eye is a 10-centimeter caliber shipboard machine gun. This unassuming artillery piece sank a German minesweeper in the first naval battle of World War I on August 5, 1914, in the North Sea. Museum expert Shelton stated that this exhibit holds special significance. "This gun was preserved as a special item. After World War I, it was briefly displayed at the Imperial War Museum located in Crystal Palace. Originally, it was not part of our collection, so we are pleased to have it here as the first exhibit of the exhibition."
Shelton explained that the primary mission of the Royal Navy during World War I was to blockade the North Sea, which played a crucial role in the overall course of the war. "Strategically, the North Sea was vital for the UK. We built our fleet into a Grand Fleet to control the North Sea and meet the threat posed by the new fleet created by Germany over the previous ten years. We had to stop them from continuing to lay mines so that we could ensure the safe passage of ships at sea and continue trade. We had to control the North Sea and cut off Germany's trade routes. This is the role of the navy; if you control the sea, you can have a significant impact on the German economy."
Shelton believes that the navy was a key military branch that the UK focused on building 100 years ago. Although it paid a heavy price during the war, it was all worth it. "About 4.5 million, nearly 5 million sailors participated in this war. The navy has traditionally been a major focus of economic resource investment. In fact, before World War I, a quarter of government spending was allocated to naval construction. The expenditure was enormous, but the results were significant. It provided the ability to control maritime routes and ensure strategic control. This is very important for the navy. While we also think of the casualties on the Western Front, the success or importance of the navy cannot be measured by casualty rates."
Ms. Inghis, who is responsible for collecting and displaying exhibits, stated that this exhibition focuses on the sailors who served in World War I and their families, emphasizing the importance of learning from this history. "We will launch this exhibition as we approach the centenary from 1914 to 2014, attempting to tell the stories of the navy and the sailors. There are still lessons to be learned from World War I that can be applied today. We have displayed many important items in the exhibition, but we particularly focus on those who served in the navy, rather than on technology or weapons. The navy has its own ethos and traditions that need to be passed down; you can always learn from history."
According to statistics, the Royal Navy lost a total of 43,930 lives during World War I. A poem is continuously played in the exhibition hall, filled with nostalgia for loved ones who perished in naval battles, prompting a reevaluation of that war from a century ago.
