Description of the attraction
Her Majesty's ship, the light cruiser Belfast, is docked forever on the River Thames in central London. It is currently a museum ship, a branch of the Imperial War Museum.
Named after the Irish capital city of Belfast, this ship has a glorious and heroic history. It was laid down in December 1936 and launched on St. Patrick's Day on March 17, 1938 by Anna Chamberlain, wife of then Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain. On August 31, 1939, Belfast became part of the 18th cruising squadron, and the next day Nazi Germany attacked Poland. On September 3, 1939, Great Britain and France officially entered World War II. Belfast took part in the establishment of the naval blockade of Germany, but in November it was seriously damaged by a magnetic mine and the ship's repair continued until 1942. After that, "Belfast" took part in the attack on the German battleship "Tirpitz", covered the landing of the allied forces in Normandy and went in the Arctic convoys, delivering military aid to the allies to the Soviet Union.
Belfast played a key role in one of the most famous naval battles of the Second World War - the Battle of North Cape, in which the German battleship Scharnhorst was sunk. Then the cruiser was transferred to the British Pacific Fleet and he met the end of the war in the Far East, where he continued to serve. Later, as part of the UN naval forces, "Belfast" took part in the Korean War.
In the early 60s, the cruiser was written off to the reserve and, perhaps, would have been melted down, but the Imperial War Museum became interested in it. Long negotiations with the government led to the fact that the cruiser was given the status of a museum ship, and she was laid up in the center of London. In addition to "Victoria" - the ship of Admiral Nelson - only this warship was decided to be kept for posterity. Although no longer part of Her Majesty's Naval Forces, Belfast is honored to fly the British Naval Flag.
Of the first crew of the Belfast, three veterans are still alive. They still keep in touch with the ship, and one of them, despite his 96 years old, comes to Belfast every week and for several hours becomes the center of the exhibition - a kind of living exhibit - answering questions from visitors.
Russia remembers and appreciates the contribution of the cruiser Belfast to the common victory. In 2010, shipbuilders from St. Petersburg took part in the restoration of the ships and made new masts according to the original drawings of the middle of the last century. The restoration work was paid for by Russian businessmen.
