Where The Great Ships Await Their Fate: Grouped in threes and fours in ***** Tamar at Plymouth, these empty destroyers are only a few of the 400-odd ships just placed on the "idle list". Behind the Fleet at Sea lie over 500 ships on reserve or "immobilised" - the Crisis, the manpower shortages have forced the Navy to sacrifice and these are the facts of what that means - in 1939 the Home Fleet comprised: Six battleships, three battle-cruisers, two aircraft carriers, six cruisers and 28 destroyers. To-day it consists of: One cruisers, four destroyers. The Royal Navy's total manpower strength will amount to less than 150,00 next year. At its peak in June 1944 it numbered early 800,000. November 03, 1947.