HMS Belfast

[fluffyspanners]

Just been to London to visit my Dad, and walk the sprogs up to the top of the Monument. I could see the HMS Belfast from up there. when I get back down my dad says that the Russians are paying for some restoration work. Anyway couldn't find anything on here but found this link.

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/stand...epays-second-world-war-debt-to-hms-belfast.do

 

[wet_blobby]

HMS Belfast is cool. Many moons ago a young Blobbs honeymooned in London.....I know, dont ask.....me and the new Mrs Blobbs visited HMS Belfast and as soon as the ex matelots manning the thing found out I was a serving Booty on honeymoon whisked us down to the off limits parts of the ship and got us royally drunk...bless them, good blokes to a man.

 

[Naval_Gazer]

Fluffy - This thread on the World Naval Ships Forum may be of interest, particularly this post by Tim Lewin, son of Admiral of the Fleet Lord Lewin, who has been instrumental in acquiring Russian support including the personal involvement of Vladimir Putin and Dmitry Medvedev.

...The event yesterday went very well; the veterans, including some Russian, all got their gongs from Vladimir Osipov from the President's Administration. The ship got a special framed citation for her physical role as the "Last Witness" from President Medvedev in his capacity as Commander in Chief as well as President of Russia, signed and sealed in his own hand, and a copy of the signed Presidential order authorising support from Russia for the mast replacement project. This was presented by the Ambassador who was there with several of his staff. The shipyards and Lloyds Register were there ready to do the actual fabrication work and engineering so with a fair wind, all should now go ahead over the summer...

 

[fluffyspanners]

Thanks for that NG, plenty to read on there.

 

[Rumrat]

I served on the Belfast, when she was part of Bellerophon at whale Island.
Then when I was in the Devonshire we took her up to the port of London and got an extended weekend for our involvement. Then we had a week tied up alongside her so got a good chance to try London wenches. :wink:
Nice ship at sea.

 

[Naval_Gazer]

A dear old friend, now departed, was responsible for Belfast's last move. His obituary is well worth reading:

Lt-Cdr Robbie Robinson

...For his last appointment in the Navy in 1971, Robinson briefly commanded the cruiser Belfast before handing her over to the museum authorities. Surprisingly, despite his array of campaign medals and the dangers he had met, his only honour was an MBE...

 

[Rumrat]

A dear old friend, now departed, was responsible for Belfast's last move. His obituary is well worth reading:

Lt-Cdr Robbie Robinson

...For his last appointment in the Navy in 1971, Robinson briefly commanded the cruiser Belfast before handing her over to the museum authorities. Surprisingly, despite his array of campaign medals and the dangers he had met, his only honour was an MBE...

NG, that's when we took her in '71 and I met the bloke. Like that bit said in the paper, he was very popular with all the hands, and he sat me down and had a good talk to me about a personal prob I was having at that time.
He was spot on with his advice, but more so he made you feel that it was not a problem without a solution.
I did not know anything of his history except he was ex lower deck.
Sorry to hear he crossed the bar, smashing skipper.

 

[jesse]

Tied up alongside the Belfast, Kobe 1959.

 

[GashHand01]

Managed to organise a party onboard the ship last year for my wifes' 40th birthday.(friends in high places an' all that :wink: )

The curator is a top bloke, as well as the staff.They let us stay onboard for the weekend and we had the run of the ship moreorless.

Reccomended!

GH

 

[Naval_Gazer]

Previously on this forum: Keeping HMS Belfast Afloat

From my Branch's perspective, HMS Belfast is a very special ship indeed. I was involved in organising an on board lunchtime reception on 26 Nov 2009 to commemorate the 70th anniversary of Cdr John Ouvry DSO RN first rendering safe a German 'GA' magnetic mine at Shoeburyness on 23 November 1939. Two days before Ouvry's feat, Belfast had been seriously damaged by a similar mine and put out of action for three years. She now has Ouvry's mine on display.

​

For more details and photos of this event, see the entry for 27 Nov 09 in News Archive 28 of the MCDOA website.

 

[lesbryan]

ME n mine went round the Belfast a few years ago when we went down for beating retreat by the RMB .We got lashed up as well didnt pay the full wack eitherthey saw my crest on my shirt .only other time i was on her was one night before jioning my next ship

 

[Rumrat]

One reason a lot of the ships company at Whale Island used to go aboard her when she was Bellerophon was to visit the barber.
The barber at the Island was used to cutting the hair of the bods on 2's courses, and you ended up scalped no matter how you pleaded, it was short back and sides. :cry:
On Belfast you got a boston and none of the crap about sideburns cut to the lobe of your ear as per DCI's.