National Museum of the Royal Navy

07/09/2020

The National Museum of the Royal Navy | Welcome Back to Portsmouth Historic Dockyard

It’s been exactly two weeks since we reopened Portsmouth Historic Dockyard and welcomed you back on board.

For those of you who have booked a slot to visit us in the coming weeks, make sure to watch our new video which tells you all about the new safety measures we have put in place.

Don’t forget all tickets must be pre-booked online before you visit– https://www.historicdockyard.co.uk/tickets-and-offers

See you soon!

04/09/2020

HMS Queen Elizabeth is heading out of HM Naval Base Portsmouth for a shakedown following 2 months alongside in her homeport. Later this month she will deploy on exercise Joint Warrior.

Remember you can watch 24/7 at https://bit.ly/2VQo1wk

#NavigateTheNavy #NMRN

04/09/2020

The National Museum of the Royal Navy, Hartlepool has weathered the storm and is back on an even keel and we can’t wait to welcome you back on board HMS Trincomalee today.

Don’t forget all tickets must be booked online in advance through our website - https://bit.ly/333XeR5

We hope to see you soon!

#NMRN #NavigateTheNavy

03/09/2020

#OnThisDay: 3 September 1939 – Britain declares war on Germany

After Hitler invaded Poland on the 1 September 1939 Britain reacted by declaring war on Germany at 11.15am in a speech given by Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain.

The same day Chamberlain appointed Sir Winston Churchill as First Lord of the Admiralty to lead one of the largest navies in the world.

The image below shows a naval message sent to Royal Navy ships upon the outbreak of the Second World War.

#NMRN #NavigateTheNavy

02/09/2020

2nd September #WebcamWednesday

#WebcamWednesday is back live throughout the day bringing you some incredible views of Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, Portsmouth Harbour and HM Naval Base Portsmouth. Don’t forget to tell us where you are watching from!

Remember you can watch 24/7 at https://bit.ly/2VQo1wk

#NavigateTheNavy #NMRN

01/09/2020

Did you know that in 1951, 800 Naval Air Squadron was officially formed at RNAS Ford as the Royal Navy’s first operational jet fighter squadron?

They were to fly Supermarine Attacker aircraft which were equipped with Martin-Baker ejection seats and Rocket Assisted Take-off Gear (RATOG) which provided an extra boost to the jet engine.

The officers who flew these aircraft were very experienced pilots and all had done the long jet course at RNAS Culdrose’s Naval Jet Evaluation and Training Unit, flying Sea Vampires and Meteors. Four of them had already experienced the Attacker in its trials at the Naval Air Fighting Development Unit. The two least experienced pilots each had over 700 flying hours, having spent 18 months as Seafire pilots flying missions from HMS Triumph against Malayan terrorists and in the opening stages of the Korean War.

With this experience, the pilots lived up to the 800 Squadron motto, “Never Unprepared”, (“Numquam non paratus”).

#NMRN #NavigateTheNavy #MuseumFromHome

28/08/2020

Flights in early airships were considered slightly perilous, therefore many had a mascot just like the stuffed cat toy below.

She flew in RNAS airship SS 13. Any airship with the number 13 was considered to be unlucky, so to counter the bad luck, the crew took a lucky black toy cat with them.

The airship was a non-rigid Submarine Scout class based at RNAS Polegate in Sussex and was used for experimental night flying in 1916. At the end of the First World War the cat was taken home by her pilot, Randall Unmack, whose family donated it to the Fleet Air Arm Museum 90 years later, She is still on display today.

#NMRN #NavigateTheNavy

27/08/2020

Today the National Museum of the Royal Navy Hartlepool had an ROV (remotely operated vehicle) inspecting HMS Trincomalee’s hull.

The ROV can see and film the hull in detail, and has been looking at areas of damage that have been flagged up in the past, as well as making sure there aren’t any other areas of concern below the waterline.

Happily there’s nothing there we weren’t aware of before but Paul and Mitch from Tangaroa Consulting Services Ltd had fun looking.

#NMRN #NavigateTheNavy

26/08/2020

26th August #WebcamWednesday

#WebcamWednesday is back live throughout the day bringing you some incredible views of Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, Portsmouth Harbour and HM Naval Base Portsmouth. Don’t forget to tell us where you are watching from!

Remember you can watch 24/7 at https://bit.ly/2VQo1wk

#NavigateTheNavy #NMRN

25/08/2020

#OnThisDay: 25 August 1930 – Sir Thomas Sean Connery was born

Did you know that actor Sean Connery served in the Royal Navy? His service lasted three years before he was medically discharged due to an ulcer.

He would go on to portray the most famous fictional Royal Naval Officer, Commander Bond, James Bond.

#NMRN #NavigateTheNavy

24/08/2020

The National Museum of the Royal Navy | LCT 7074

LCT 7074, a unique D-Day survivor has now arrived at her new home outside The D-Day Story.

This stage of the journey saw LCT move off the barge and be transported via road. She is currently adjacent to the canopy she will sit under.

Take a look at the video below to find out more.

24/08/2020

The National Museum of the Royal Navy | D-Day Hero LCT 7074

At D-Day, over 800 Landing Craft Tanks took part in the landings.

Ron Smith was a wireman (electrician) on board LCT 947 which carried two Sherman Crab Flail tanks and four Churchill AVRE tanks.

After successfully unloading most of their cargo on Sword Beach the ramp of their vessel was hit by a shell and number of men on board were killed.

In the video below Ron talks more about his experience on this historic day.

This video is courtesy of The D-Day Story.

24/08/2020

The D-Day Story

The D-Day Story

LCT 7074 comes ashore on the way to its new home at our museum. #LCT7074 @TheNationalLotteryUK @NatMuseumRN

24/08/2020

D-Day hero LCT 7074 has now come ashore in an incredible and complex beach landing.

Soon she will be ready for the next stage of her journey.

24/08/2020

The National Museum of the Royal Navy | LCT 7074

Take a look at the video below which shows LCT 7074’s incredible journey from Portsmouth Naval Base to Southsea.

This ambitious move saw the last surviving Landing Craft Tank from D-Day take to the sea one last time in order to move to her new home outside The D-Day Story.

24/08/2020

We have some exciting news!

LCT 7074, the last surviving Landing Craft Tank from D-Day has finally arrived at Southsea by barge. This impressive move was planned for the previous night, however just like D-Day itself, the operation had to be aborted due strong winds.

Moving this 300 tonne Landing Craft Tank by sea was a complex mission. The move required LCT to be placed on a barge in order to be tugged out of Portsmouth Naval Base. She then took to the seas one last time to make the short journey to a beach near Southsea, where in a unique and complex operation she will be brought ashore.

Take a look at the images below which see LCT arriving at Southsea. She will now be transported by road to her new home at The D-Day Story.

This restoration of this historic move has been made possible thanks to a £4.7 million pound grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

We will be posting about this momentous occasion throughout the day, so make sure to check back to find out more.

23/08/2020

The National Museum of the Royal Navy | LCT 7074

As some of you may have seen we attempted to move D-Day hero LCT 7074 to her new home outside The D-Day Story early this morning.

However just like D-Day this historic move had to be delayed due to the weather conditions.

In the small hours, LCT was moved out of Portsmouth Naval Base and floated towards Southsea, but the tug boats that accompanied her were unable to safely manoeuvre her into position to gently dock on the beach due to the high winds.

We will now be closely watching the weather and will attempt to move LCT again over the next 48 hours, so make sure to check back soon.

Take a look at the video below which shows LCT’s journey before it was aborted.

21/08/2020

#OnThisDay: 21 August 1740 – Admiral Vernon orders the dilution of rum.

In 1740 Admiral Vernon ordered the dilution of sailors' rum, in which a ½ pint of rum was diluted with a ¼ of water.

After this announcement Admiral Vernon was nicknamed 'old grog' because he wore a grogram coat, made of heavy cloth.

The mix became known as the 'grog' after him and was mixed in a scuttlebutt.

#NMRN #NavigateTheNavy

21/08/2020

The National Museum of the Royal Navy | #MuseumFromHome | Haslar Hospital

If you have ever visited the Royal Navy Submarine Museum, either by car or via our waterbus service, you will have walked on the Tramway, a vital link to the old Haslar hospital. Watch our video to find out more.

Thank you to the Haslar Heritage Group for the images and information.

#NMRN #NavigateTheNavy #MuseumFromHome

21/08/2020

Many people don’t know that the figurehead of HMS Trincomalee is the third it’s had.

Although the ship was built in India in 1817, her figureheads were not carved there but here in England.

Many believe that the man depicted by the figurehead represents the ship’s builder, Jamsetjee Bomanji Wadia. This is just a legend, he is actually the British carver’s idea of a man from Trincomalee, a port in Sri Lanka.

#NMRN #NavigateTheNavy

20/08/2020

National Museum of the Royal Navy's cover photo

20/08/2020

Have you heard about our new HMS Victory Under Hull Walkway?

This exciting experience will allow visitors to view HMS Victory like never before. For the first time ever, visitors will be able to descend into the base of the dry dock and view this 3600 tonne ship from below.

This experience has been made possible thanks to Victory’s new conservation efforts. In this world-first project, 134 smart props have been installed to better support the ship’s structure and mimic the pressures of the sea allowing the ship to be ‘afloat’ again.

Visitors will be able to experience the new walkway when Portsmouth Historic Dockyard reopens on Monday 24 August as part of their HMS Victory Ticket. Book your tickets online now: https://www.historicdockyard.co.uk/tickets-and-offers

19/08/2020

#OnThisDay: 19 August 1911 - British naval officer Cdr. Charles R. Samson sets a new British endurance record of 4 hours, 58 minutes, 30 seconds.

This was made possible due to the Short S.38 biplane which had special tanks allowing sufficient fuel for more than four hours flying.

The Short S.38 was a variant of the Short S.27 replica which can be seen in Hall One at the Fleet Air Arm Museum.

#NMRN #NavigateTheNavy

19/08/2020

19th August #WebcamWednesday

#WebcamWednesday is back live throughout the day bringing you some incredible views of Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, Portsmouth Harbour and HM Naval Base Portsmouth. Don’t forget to tell us where you are watching from!

Remember you can watch 24/7 at https://bit.ly/2VQo1wk

#NavigateTheNavy #NMRN

18/08/2020

It’s all hands on deck at the National Museum of the Royal Navy Hartlepool as the team get ready to reopen on Friday 4 September.

They have been busy working on a new one-way system for HMS Trincomalee using hemp rope, barrels and other appropriate materials on board.

#NMRN #NavigateTheNavy #MuseumFromHome

17/08/2020

The National Museum of the Royal Navy | #MuseumFromHome | HMS Warrior

Over the past nine months our team of skilled riggers and shipwrights have been busy restoring HMS Warrior’s mizzen mast as part of a £125k mast restoration project.

Last autumn, Warrior’s mizzen mast was struck - taken down - for the first time since 1987. Since then, the team have manufactured a new top (wooden platform half way up the mast) and half moon (platform close to the top of the mast), refurbished all of the spars and made new rigging.

This month we began to assemble her new refurbished mast, this included four ambitious lifts. First was the topmast – the middle of three spars which together form the full height mast. Next came the crossjack which is the lowest yard on the mizzenmast. As well as this the topgallant mast and the starboard stern anchor were also lifted into position.

Make sure to visit HMS Warrior when we reopen on Monday 24 August. Book your tickets online now: https://www.historicdockyard.co.uk/tickets-and-offers

#NMRN #NavigateTheNavy #MuseumFromHome

16/08/2020

From the River Kwai to Enola Gay: The Cultural Legacy of the War in the Far East - Crowdcast

#VJDay75 - Legacy & Pop Culture

In the last of our Virtual #VJDay75 commemorative events, we explore the cultural legacy of the Second World War in the Far East. Join a panel of experts from the four VJ75 partner organisations, they explore everything from comics to films in this live debate & Q&A session.

Register & watch today from 2pm by following this link: https://www.crowdcast.io/e/popularculture/register

#NeverForgotten

Register now for National Army Museum's event on Crowdcast, scheduled to go live on Sunday August 16, 2020 at 2:00 pm BST.

15/08/2020

#VJDay75 - Legacy

The end of the fighting did not mean the sailors of the British Pacific Fleet could relax. At first, Royal Navy warships were kept busy taking the surrender of isolated Japanese garrisons in former British possessions from New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, to Hong Kong, Shanghai and Singapore.

Then, in almost every territory, and in Japan itself, the sailors were responsible for finding, feeding and bringing home thousands of British and Allied prisoners-of-war and civilian internees.

Read more about it on our blog: https://www.nmrn.org.uk/news-events/nmrn-blog/british-pacific-fleet-and-end-war

#NeverForgotten

15/08/2020

#VJDay75 - Legacy

After VJ Day, the role of the troops changed literally overnight from being focused on fighting to a humanitarian effort. It took many months afterwards to free and repatriate all the Prisoners of War.

September 1945 saw not only the reunion of Petty Officer (PO) John Wight-Brown RN with his wife, but his first meeting with daughter Elizabeth-Ann, then five years old.

PO Wright-Brown had married in Hong Kong, but he was serving with the Royal Navy when Hong Kong fell to the Japanese. His wife and baby daughter were interned for almost four years. PO Wright-Brown returned with the British Liberation Force.

Read more about their story here: https://www.nmrn.org.uk/news-events/nmrn-blog/together-last-hong-kong-family-reunion-1945

15/08/2020

Never Forgotten: The War in the Far East and in Modern Memory - Crowdcast

#VJDay75 - Legacy

Don't forget to join us alongside historians from National Army Museum The Royal Air Force Museum ( RAFM, R.A.F.M) and Commonwealth War Graves Commission we explore the road to Victory over Japan, which culminated in August 1945, and discuss how it is remembered in myth and memory.

Starting at 2pm, watch the debate, followed by the live Q&A session, all hosted by @shrabanibasu_

Register and watch here: https://www.crowdcast.io/e/neverforgotten/register

#NeverForgotten

Register now for National Army Museum's event on Crowdcast, scheduled to go live on Saturday August 15, 2020 at 2:00 pm BST.

15/08/2020

VJ 75

It has been so rewarding to work so closely with the National Army Museum, The Royal Air Force Museum ( RAFM, R.A.F.M) and Commonwealth War Graves Commission, bringing together our collections and stories.

To ensure that we can continue to carry out the vital work our teams do to look after our remarkable collections, please consider making a donation to our tri-service fund and help us to bring you more incredible events together in the future.

https://thyg.uk/AUU39029

#NeverForgotten

Partnership between the RAF Museum, National Army Museum and the Museum of the Royal Navy

15/08/2020

Indonesian PoW Camp Flag Drop | Virtual VJ Day 75 Commemorations

#VJDay75 - Rediscovered Stories - PoW

Victoria Ingles, Senior Curator at The National Museum of the Royal Navy, tells the story today of a flag dropped by an Australian Pilot into an Indonesian Prisoner of War Camp – a true story of liberation.

https://youtu.be/TDDLuQjokHc

#NeverForgotten

Watch Victoria Ingles, Senior Curator at The National Museum of the Royal Navy, tell the story of a flag dropped by an Australian Pilot into an Indonesian Pr...

15/08/2020

Nurse Cynthia Cooke | Virtual VJ Day 75 Commemorations

#VJDay75 - Rediscovered Stories - PoW

Nurse Cynthia Cooke worked in Australia during her time as a WRN in the Second World War. She recounts what the hospitals were like, treating Prisoners of and repatriation to places like Bombay in India.

Today, we share with you a paraphrased extract of her original written interview:

https://youtu.be/CgZx5xezinA

#NeverForgotten

A paraphrased extract of an interview with Nurse Cynthia Cooke during her time in Australia in the Second World War. Cooke recounts what the hospitals were l...

15/08/2020

Royal Naval Association Central Office

Royal Naval Association Central Office

Today marks the 75th anniversary of VJ Day; the official end of the Second World War. The British Pacific Fleet, often known as the Forgotten Fleet, was one of the largest Royal Navy fleets assembled of all time. They were pivotal in the defeat and surrender of Japan and the subsequent end of the war.

Royal Naval Association shipmates Alf Lonsdale and George Coring, both sailors of the Pacific Fleet, share their memories from the final days of the war and the days and years which proceeded...

#VJDay75