HMS Plymouth petition to be signed by all please !!

Just found this on the Ganges Website. A worthwhile cause for a bit of our heritage that still exisits to honour our fallen comrades from the Falklands.


HMS Plymouth Petition
< http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/plymouth/ >
Hi,
I am a member of the HMS Plymouth association. As you are probably aware HMS Plymouth is a museum ship, one of the last surviving vessels of the Falklands conflict and which currently has no berth.
The Association has raised a lot of money to pay for her to be moved to a new home but alas it is proving rather difficult to find her one.
There is currently a petition on the Government's petition website asking as many ex mariners to sign as possible, to get the government involved in saving this heroic vessel, especially as it is the 25th anniversary of the Falklands Conflict.
Could you please pass this link on to as many people as possible and ask them to sign the petition, it would be greatly appreciated.
Many thanks,
Yours,
John Fearon. <[email protected]>

 

All done Mate ,

 

My first ship as an OOW - my name is on the list.

 

All done mate but on a different link on this site.

 

Done.
RoofRat

 

Done; I think the Rothesays were lovely looking ships and should have such a deserving example preserved.

 

From today’s Telegraph,

Falkland’s heroine seeks Plymouth berth

Sir - As our country approaches the 25th anniversary of the Falklands War, we write to draw attention to the uncertain future of the Type 12 frigate Plymouth, which was saved for the nation as a memorial for those seafarers who lost their lives in the South Atlantic.

The surrender of Argentinean forces in South Georgia was signed in her wardroom; she was present at the San Carlos landings and was later damaged by bombs defending the anchorage. Eventually Plymouth was the first ship to re-enter Port Stanley. She is one of the very few ships to have been involved in every action throughout the campaign. Moreover, the Type 12 frigate represents an important and successful class, worthy of preservation in its own right.

Plymouth's service ended in 1988, when she was saved from the scrapheap by the Warship Preservation Trust and became a first-class visitor attraction, first at Plymouth and, from 1992, at Birkenhead, where Wirral council and the Mersey Docks and Harbour Company gave considerable support.

Developments in the Mersey docks system, however, forced the Warship Preservation Trust to relinquish its berth and to go into voluntary liquidation.

At the beginning of 2007, arrangements were well in hand for Plymouth to be berthed once again in Plymouth's Mill bay docks, owned by Associated British Ports. Interest in preserving the ship in the West Country rose and both Plymouth council and Associated British Ports made welcome sounds.

A new group of trustees was recruited to form a charity to purchase the ship and to run the operation. Unfortunately, Associated British Ports has decided it cannot berth Plymouth in Millbay, owing to development plans for the docks.

Thus the future of Plymouth has been thrown into disarray. Our concern is that this historic ship, which has a proven record as a visitor attraction, should not be allowed to fade from the public eye for want of a berth, particularly in this 25th anniversary year.

Plymouth was launched in 1959 and will be eligible for support by the National Historic Ships Committee in 2009. She is in good condition, with generators, sonar, radar and turret in working order, and her Wasp helicopter, which joined in sinking the Argentinian submarine Santa Fe, is on board.

All who take pride in our maritime heritage will recognise the importance of Plymouth once again securing a viable berth in the city of Plymouth so that she can play her rightful part in the 25th anniversary celebrations of the Falklands campaign and become a unique tourist attraction in the West Country.

Captain David Pentreath, Commanding Officer, Plymouth, 1982

Captain Michael Clapp, Commander, Falklands Amphibious Task Group, 1982

Vice Admiral Sir John Coward, Commanding Officer, Brilliant, 1982

Admiral Sir Jeremy Black, Commanding Officer, Invincible, 1982

Admiral Sir Sandy Woodward, Commander, Falklands Carrier Battle Group, 1982



At long last (what has taken them so long?) the big guns are coming into play. Maybe now someone somewhere will listen. For my two penerth I surest south yard to enhance the museum down there and not have the place look like some sort of dumping ground.

 

I'll second south yard , but it does'nt get a lot of publicaty as far as I'm aware of , I could be wrong of course so stand to be corrected , I cant recall see'ing any tourist pamphlets for the museum ,

 

Am ex Plymouth and a member of the Plymouth Association. Many thanks to those that have signed -- and for those who havn't please think about it. Whilst the Plymouth isn't the Victory, it has a place in history as it took part in all the actions in the Falklands and was the first ship into Stanley Harbour after the cease fire.

 

Pompey seems to have it well sorted when it comes to museums etc etc , Guzz I dont know , South Yard that nobody seems to know of , I have spoken to loads of ex servicemen /ladies & hardly any of them know of the Museum in South Yard , I've been in it but none of them have , It's just advitised enough ,

 

The trouble with the South yard is that it's earmarked for redevelopment as an Amphibious centre (ie berth Albion, Bulwark & Ocean there instead of WML), depending onthe outcome of the NBR. They've even shut Courageous down as a museum attraction and sent her back to the dead SSN basin as I believe the caisson for the dock she was in is knackered.

Plymouth might actually be better off at Chatham (if they'll take her) as at least it has a relatively secure future. Alternatively, what about a berth on the Thames?

Signed btw!