The island mistaken for a battleship by Nazi air-raiders

Countries & Cities · Published 12 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: During the Second World War, a German pilot mistook a tiny Cornish island for an Allied ship. The resulting bombing left a permanent crater in its summit, creating a bizarre historical footnote where a landmass was briefly christened as H.M.S. St. George.

Looe Island, located off the coast of Cornwall, England, has a history spanning from the Iron Age to the modern era. Archaeological evidence, including Roman amphorae, coins, and stone anchors, suggests early habitation and trade. Notably, a large bronze ingot found nearby has led some scholars to speculate that the island may be Ictis, a center for the tin trade mentioned by ancient historians like Diodorus Siculus and Pytheas in the 4th century BC.

The island's spiritual history is equally complex. It was a site of early Christian settlement and pilgrimage, eventually coming under the governance of Glastonbury Abbey in the medieval period. While local legend claims Joseph of Arimathea landed here with the Christ Child, archaeological excavations by Time Team in 2008 revealed a Benedictine chapel built around 1139, along with remains of even earlier wooden places of worship potentially predating the reign of Constantine the Great.

In the 17th and 18th centuries, the island served as a haven for smugglers. By the 20th century, its role shifted toward private ownership and conservation. In 1965, sisters Babs and Evelyn Atkins purchased the island, documenting their lives there in several books. Following their deaths, the island was bequeathed to the Cornwall Wildlife Trust, which now manages it as a nature reserve. Today, it serves as a protected marine environment where access is strictly controlled to preserve its unique biodiversity.

The island's most peculiar modern chapter occurred during WWII. After a parachute mine struck the summit, the Luftwaffe reported a 'direct hit' on what they believed was a battleship. The local press humorously noted that while 'H.M.S. St. George' had occupied the same berth for millennia, no one could determine its specific battleship class.

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