Tuesday 1 December 2009

HMS Caroline


I am hopeful that the veteran warship and erstwhile GHQ of the Royal Naval Reserve in Northern Ireland, HMS Caroline, shall remain in the Port of Belfast.

I think it's important that we keep her here, as a valuable piece of maritime heritage; and even as a floating museum - like HMS Belfast moored in London.

There is an article in the Belfast Telegraph today about the future of the 1st World War light cruiser; though they have omitted the small matter of funding, despite the fact that the Royal Navy has confirmed that HMS Caroline, which has been moored in Belfast since 1924, needs around £3.5 million worth of refurbishment, which it cannot afford.

Three million, five hundred thousand pounds is nothing compared to the vast sums spent on irrelevant quangos and commissions. I'm sure the funding can be raised.

One final thought: HMS Belfast is a branch of the Imperial War Museum in London. Why shouldn't HMS Caroline become a section of Museums and Galleries Northern Ireland?

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