Having returned to the post of First Sea Lord, Admiral Fisher lobbied for the construction of two battlecruisers—Repulse and Renown. HMS Renown was put afloat in 1916 and entered service the same year. During World War II, the ship participated in the hunt for German raiders Graf Spee and Bismarck. She was also involved in the Norwegian campaign; guarded Maltese convoys; covered the landing of Allied forces in North Africa; and was used for diplomatic purposes, transporting Winston Churchill. In 1944, she took part in the final stage of the war as part of the Eastern Fleet.