 Design work was suspended on 11 September after the start of World War II , but resumed in February 1940 after the First Lord of the Admiralty , Winston Churchill , expressed an interest in the ship . The design was modified to increase protection against shell splinters on the unprotected sides of the ship 's hull , the armour of the secondary armament was increased to resist 500 @-@ pound ( 230 kg ) semi @-@ armour @-@ piercing bombs , and the splinter belt 's thickness fore and aft of the main armour belt was reduced by 0 @.@ 5 inches ( 12 @.@ 7 mm ) in compensation . A small conning tower was added aft , and four Unrotated Projectile mounts were added to supplement the six octuple @-@ barrel 2 @-@ pounder anti @-@ aircraft mounts already planned . 
