Warships Weekend in Liverpool

[Paul Jones]

If you fancy taking photographs of warships...


http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liv ... nd-3874731

Fleet mustering for Battle of the Atlantic weekend in Liverpool

21 ships will make up the BOA fleet coming alongside in Liverpool for the bank holiday weekend.

A twenty-one strong ‘BOA fleet’ will sail into the Mersey for this weekend’s Battle of the Atlantic 70th anniversary commemorations.

Ships will start to arrive in port on Thursday, with the first to arrive being the First Patrol Boat Squadron – a fleet of 11 P2000 Royal Navy patrol ships.
A further six ships will also be heading for Liverpool during the course of the day.

The first group contains the Royal Navy’s Fleet Flagship, HMS Bulwark, an amphibious assault ship which will be berthed at Alexandra Dock.
She will be followed by the Royal Navy mine countermeasures vessel, HMS Pembroke, at Canning Half Tide Dock, and the TS Jack Petchey, a Marine Society and Sea Cadets training ship, which will go alongside in Albert Dock.

Meanwhile the German, Belgian, Canadian, Polish and Russian navies are also sending ships to take part in the commemoration weekend.
They include the Groemitz, a German minehunter which will be berthed in Canning Dock, the Belgian frigate Louise-Marie at the Alexandra Dock and the Canadian destroyer, Iroquois, which will be the first ship to arrive alongside at the Cruise Liner Terminal.
All three are expected on Thursday.

A Royal Navy spokesman said: “The most poignant moment will be the arrival of HMS Edinburgh later that evening when the last Royal Navy Type 42 destroyer – which was launched at Cammell Laird in 1980 – returns to her place of build, her last visit to Merseyside before decommissioning in early June.

“The Type 42’s predecessor – a Town-Class light cruiser – has a Battle Honour for her part in the Atlantic campaign, something her ship’s company are immensely proud of to this day.”

Friday sees the arrival of Gen T Kosciuszko, a Polish frigate, and Russian destroyer the Vice Admiral Kulakov, which will both be berthed at the Cruise Liner Terminal, while the Trinity House lighthouse maintenance vessel, Patricia, will go alongside the Kulakov to complete the flotilla.

Several vessels will be open to the public over the Bank Holiday weekend, with visiting times from 11am to 4pm on Saturday, Sunday and Monday.
They are: HMS Edinburgh at Cammell Laird Wet Basin; HMS Pembroke at Canning Half Tide Dock; Kulakov and Iroquois at the Cruise Liner Terminal, and the Groemitz at Canning Dock.

Access is free and is on a first-come, first-served basis, and disabled access is limited.

[John Harwood]

Thanks Paul
If anyone fancies a trip out to Liverpool for a few hours Thursday or Friday, drop me a line. I don't mind driving.
John