News

Posted 28th April 2003

The bell from HMS Prince of Wales was found on the wreck and recovered by Royal Navy divers earlier this year, and on Saturday, 3 May 2003 at 10am the First Sea Lord will present it, for safekeeping and display purposes, to the Trustees of the National Museums. This short ceremony is open for all to attend.

The ceremony will take place at Merseyside Maritime Museum, Pier Head, Liverpool, and will begin the Battle of the Atlantic Week.

For our full news stories about the finding and raising of the bell, click here

Posted 4th May 2003

The ceremony took place in the Dockside Gallery, 4th floor of the Merseyside Maritime Museum, Albert Dock, Liverpool.

The presentation was made by First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Sir Alan West, KCB DSC ADC, and it was accepted by Mr David McDonnell, the Chairman of the Trustees of National Museums Liverpool.

The bell has kindly been loaned to the Merseyside Maritime Museum for an initial period of ten years, by the Royal Naval Museum, Portsmouth.

The Museum wishes to thank the Ministry of Defence, the Royal Naval Museum, HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse Survivors Association and Mary Rose Archaeological Services Limited, Portsmouth, for their kind assistance in making this bell available for display.

Michael Stammers, Keeper of the Maritime Museum, gives the welcoming address and introduces Admiral West

David McDonnell accepts the bell on behalf of the Trustees of the Museum

The divers that recovered the bell on our behalf

Secretary of our Association Ted Byrne, chats with Admiral West

Admiral West chats with HMS Prince of Wales veterans

Three pictures of First Sea Lord Admiral West with Prince of Wales and Repulse veterans, and some of the divers who recovered the bell

Harry with Ted Matthews of HMS Repulse

Ken Byrne with Alan Matthews, Co-webmaster of this site

A group photograph of the Prince of Wales and Repulse veterans