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.