U534, Birkenhead Warships Trust - fate of collection.

Discussion in 'The War at Sea' started by Mark Hone, Feb 5, 2006.

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  1. Jud Evans

    Jud Evans Junior Member

    Hi Mike!

    Yes - he rang me and we had a long talk. You will understand that I can't go public on it now, but basically I agreed to hold back and give him a clear run.

    Cheers,

    Jud
     
    Jud Evans, Mar 22, 2010
    #121
  2. Mike L

    Mike L Very Senior Member

    Emails sent to Frank Field, MP for Birkenhead and Andrew Rosindell, MP for Romford.
    See if I get any response!

    Mike
     
    Mike L, Mar 22, 2010
    #122
  3. red devil

    red devil Senior Member

    How cool is this?! Apologies if this has been posted before.

    HMS WHIMBREL (1942-49) BATTLE OF THE ATLANTIC MEMORIAL - WELCOME

    Cheers

    Andy

    Sadly this site no longer exists and neither do any plans to bring the Whimbrel home from Alexandria. The project has folded due to alleged intransigence from the Egyptian Government and a total lack of interest from our own.

    The Whimbrel is the last existing black Swan Class Sloop made famous by Captain Walker RN and his hunter/killer exploits in the Battle of the Atlantic.

    Captain Walker RN - History

    The last ever Dornier 17 is being raised from the Dogger Bank by funding but nobody wants the Whimbrel.
     
    red devil, Sep 9, 2011
    #123
  4. von Poop

    von Poop Adaministrator Admin

    Sadly this site no longer exists

    Courtesy of the wayback machine:
    News updates for the HMS Whimbrel (1942-49) Battle of the Atlantic Memorial Project
    News Update

    HMS WHIMBREL Project to be put in abeyance

    It is with great regret that I have to report that we are putting in abeyance the HMS WHIMBREL Project. Our intention had been to acquire this Second World War Sloop (now the ENS TARIQ) from the Egyptian Government and to bring her home to her previous operating base in Liverpool. There she would have been a memorial to those who served in the Battle of the Atlantic, a heritage site, a visitor attraction and an educational focus for the Atlantic campaign.
    Despite a great deal of effort on our part, we have been unable to conclude a satisfactory agreement with the Egyptian Government to acquire the vessel. It is now clear that it just will not be possible to meet two conflicting needs: on the one hand the Egyptians have financial and presentational expectations; on the other we sought a price for the vessel that is both achievable and which would meet the wishes of our supporters and the regulatory bodies. The bottom line is that we could not agree a price.
    We have therefore concluded that we have no alternative but to discontinue our work on the Project to acquire the vessel and bring her home. Since the vessel still exists, however, we are going to keep the Charity and Company Name going, so that if the Egyptian Government changes its mind the Project could be revitalised.
    We would like to take this opportunity to express our thanks to all those who have given us such enormous support in our efforts over the years.
    Vice Admiral Michael Gretton, CB, CVO, MA, FNI
    Chairman
     
    von Poop, Sep 9, 2011
    #124
  5. red devil

    red devil Senior Member

    yes, i was a member of the site. Conrad Waters and I had many discussions and he sent me images
     

    Attached Files:

    red devil, Sep 9, 2011
    #125
  6. Groundhugger

    Groundhugger Senior Member

    Groundhugger, Jan 3, 2014
    #126
  7. tmac

    tmac Senior Member

    tmac, Oct 15, 2014
    #127
  8. tmac

    tmac Senior Member

    tmac, Oct 16, 2014
    #128
  9. Mike L

    Mike L Very Senior Member

    WOW!

    That is fantastic news, I hadn't heard anything about it until now.

    Strange but I recently spent 2 days at the National Maritime Museum's Plans and Photos Dept sorting through a huge box of LCT drawings, mostly for LCT 7035 - another Mk3 - so if Portsmouth wants some detailed drawings I can point them straight to them.

    Ironic that 7074 should be raised now. My Uncle's Mk3 sunk 70 years ago this Sunday along with 5 others.
     
    Mike L, Oct 16, 2014
    #129
  10. tmac

    tmac Senior Member

    tmac, Oct 17, 2014
    #130
  11. Mike L

    Mike L Very Senior Member

    Absolutely brilliant. Best news I have heard in ages!

    Well done RN Museum, but she should never have been allowed to sink 4 years ago.
     
    Mike L, Oct 17, 2014
    #131
  12. tmac

    tmac Senior Member

    tmac, Oct 19, 2014
    #132
    Mike L likes this.
  13. Mike L

    Mike L Very Senior Member

    Thanks tmac for the updates. Much appreciated.

    Great that 7074's history has now been recognised. If the same level of interest had been applied several years ago the cost of raising her from the bottom of East Float could have been saved.

    Next step wil be funding the restoration in Portsmouth. I suspect there will be many appeals for funds.

    I will be making a personal donation to the Royal Navy Museum specifcally for this project and there are several other organisations that I hope will make significant donations.

    A 5 year restoration plan will probably cost £Millions and this is a vessel that is well worth the investment. The last of her type and a D-Day veteran. The only existing Mk3 LCT in the World as far as I am aware, and a great addition to the D-Day Museum in Portsmouth eventually.

    LCT 7074 might not be a thing of beauty, like a Spitfire, but she has her own place in history and deserves every effort and financilal support to preserve her for future generations.

    Mike
     
    Mike L, Oct 19, 2014
    #133
  14. Rich Payne

    Rich Payne Rivet Counter Patron 1940 Obsessive

    Mike, only the sort of people who call a Guy Ant 'ugly' would say the same thing about an LCT. It's functional...

    It occurs to me that storing it underwater for the last few years has at least stopped the totters carting it away bit by bit. :)
     
    Rich Payne, Oct 19, 2014
    #134
  15. Mike L

    Mike L Very Senior Member

    Yes Rich, I had a horrible feeling several years ago that she would be broken up and sold for scrap.
    Perhaps sitting on the bottom for a few years prevented that.

    The RN when the LCTs first appeared were not exactly complimentary about their appearance. Even their crews referred to them as 'kipper boxes' and other less polite terms. Functional is probably the best desription of the whole class of vessel but they did an essential and unique job during the war. As one Landing Craft Officer said, 'We spent our entire time practicing exactly what a Naval Officer was trained NOT to do, i.e. beach our vessels'.
     
    Mike L, Oct 19, 2014
    #135
  16. ploughman

    ploughman Junior Member

    ploughman, Oct 19, 2014
    #136
  17. Mike L

    Mike L Very Senior Member

    Ploughman,

    Yes, it seems a bit strange that all this money has suddenly been donated to the worth causes so recently.

    I don't know if the funds are saved up until they have enough to announce sevaral at once, that almost seems to be the case here. Of course it could be the case that the various committees etc have just had a series of meetings to sign this money off. Either way the funds will be welcome help to all the projects.

    In the case of 7074 the donation will cover the cost of raising and transport to Portsmouth and maybe a little more but the whole project will cost millions more.

    I had an email from the RN Museum today. They are interested in some work I have been involved with recently cataloguing a load of LCT drawings held at the National Maritime Museum Plans and Photos department. Seems the RN Museum either didn't know about them or were waiting for them to be properly listed!
     
    Mike L, Oct 20, 2014
    #137
  18. Mike L

    Mike L Very Senior Member

    Latest news on 7074:

    The semi-submersible 'barge carrier' CONDOCK V is currently en route from Cuxhaven to Birkenhead. ETA 13.00 25th November. She will load 7074 and make her way to Portsmouth, ETA for unloading 1st or 2nd December.

    Attached a picture of CONDOCK V and a photo of a RN Landing Ship Dock loading a LCT.

    History repeating itself!
     

    Attached Files:

    Mike L, Nov 21, 2014
    #138
    Rich Payne likes this.
  19. DannyM

    DannyM Member

    DannyM, Nov 28, 2014
    #139
  20. red devil

    red devil Senior Member

    I had been sent some info on the future of HMS Whimbrel which I had published on my Whimbrel page in www.39-45war.com but was then requested to remove it (quickly) as negotiations were proceeding in the background. So far, I have heard nothing further. But all is not yet lost .....................

    As to the remainder of the collection, I am unsure as, at the last look, HMS Plymouth was still moored at the Clan Line berth on East Float Birkenhead.
     
    red devil, Nov 29, 2014
    #140
    firefly1 likes this.
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