A Royal Navy warship that survived historic events from the Arctic convoys of WW2 to the Korean War and beyond is marking its 80th anniversary this March. HMS Belfast will be welcoming visitors for its anniversary weekend (17-18 March) to discover its fascinating history, from its launch in 1938 through to its arrival in London in 1971, when it became a museum ship and an iconic part of the London skyline.
There will be a programme of public activities on board to mark the anniversary, both in the run-up to the commemorations and on the weekend. During February half term, the Imperial War Museums (IWM) will be running its Ship Shape programme, where visitors find out how HMS Belfast’s expert conservation team preserve the historic ship.
A private ceremonial event will take place on board HMS Belfast on Friday 16 March where a number of the ship’s surviving veterans will be reunited to mark the anniversary.
Ian Kikuchi, senior curator, Second World War at IWM, said: ‘HMS Belfast is a rare survivor, a veteran warship and a unique witness to 20th century conflict. During this anniversary weekend visitors can come on board and experience the ship’s life and adventures by walking the same decks, ducking through the same hatches and climbing up and down the same ladders as the crew who served on board. With 80 years of stories to discover and nine decks to explore, there really is no museum quite like HMS Belfast.’
Stories from HMS Belfast’s rich history gleaned from IWM’s collections will be shared via IWM’s digital channels as well as onsite to mark the milestone. As well as being involved in the Arctic convoys, the ship’s WW2 service includes action on D-Day and transporting home British children who had been liberated from Japanese internment camps in China. Stay up to date with anniversary events at www.iwm.org.uk/visits/hms-belfast