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Atlantic veteran regains her title on 85th anniversary of battle
3 September 2024
To mark the 85th anniversary of the beginning of the Navy’s hardest – and greatest – victory, a vintage warship is once again an HMS.
His Majesty the King has agreed to the renaming of Wellington – for three-quarters of a century a regular sight on London’s Embankment.
Wellington is the last of 13 Grimsby-class sloops built between the wars for the Royal, Royal Australian and Royal Indian Navies for escort/anti-submarine duties.
Although there is a handful of Battle of the Atlantic survivors left – cruiser HMS Belfast, destroyer HMS Cavalier and corvette HMCS Sackville – none quite have Wellington’s pedigree (103 convoys escorted and more than 400 fellow mariners saved after enemy attack).
When she was no longer needed by the Admiralty, Wellington was paid off and sent to Pembroke Broke for breaking up – only to be saved by the Honourable Company of Master Mariners.
Instead, she was converted into a floating events venue/headquarters of a livery company/floating classroom and rebadged HQS (HeadQuarters Ship) Wellington, a title she’s lived with for more than 75 years… until now.
She’ll now be officially known as HMS Wellington (1934) to mark both her 90th birthday and 85th anniversary of Britain’s declaration of war on September 3 1939.
The Battle of the Atlantic began that very Sunday with the sinking of the liner Athenia and ended just hours before the Germans surrendered in May 1945.
“This change of name in her 90th anniversary year is a true testament to her heritage as the sole surviving dedicated Battle of the Atlantic warship in Europe,” said Professor Dominic Tweddle, chairman of the Trust which looks after the ship.
“There is no better day for HMS Wellington (1934) to adopt her new name, on the 85th anniversary of the start of the Battle of the Atlantic.”
The trust is looking to raise £50,000 to maintain the vessel at her Temple Stairs mooring to help with Wellington’s ongoing maintenance: Donate to HMS WELLINGTON@90, organized by The Wellington Trus