HMS President

HMS President is a preserved warship moored along the Thames in London, England. The steel hull displays geometric paintwork, and the decks house concealed gun positions hidden beneath unassuming structures.

The shipyard launched the vessel in 1918 under the name Saxifrage to combat enemy submarines. After wartime service it was converted into a training platform for the reserve fleet and later moved to its present mooring.

The ship's name honors a predecessor vessel and today it serves as a floating memorial in central London. When visitors step aboard, they can still see parts of the later training modifications alongside the original combat features.

The ship is currently docked in Chatham for repair work, where visitors can view the outer hull and deck areas up close. Access depends on ongoing work and may change at short notice.

The camouflage paintwork was designed to make distance and speed hard to judge for observers. The pattern covered the entire hull and confused enemy targeting systems while underway.

GPS coordinates: 51.51060,-0.10833

Latest update: December 5, 2025 22:26