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HMS Hood's bell to be recovered.


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Thank you for posting this. I had not heard about it.

Ever since seeing the film, "Sink the Bismark" as a teenager, I have read books and built models of The Mighty Hood. I think I have built every plastic kit there has been. I have a card model from Poland (not made). I have a Fleetscale Hood (stand off) and a fleetscale hull that may never get done as my aim would be to super detail it to 1936/7 Spanish civil war era. I've seen the documentaries

I saw Ted Briggs but did not have a chance to talk to him, I found out that I had a distant relation on board when she went down. Marine trumpeter Worsfold.

I watched the programme on Channel four when they found her and ............. saw the bell.

At the time I thought that they would not leave her and her crew alone ............. Maybe I am just an old F**t. But to me the bell is the heart of the ship ........... should it not stay?

Well I've stopped my rant. These are just my thoughts and hope I have not upset anyone. Mike

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At the time I thought that they would not leave her and her crew alone ............. Maybe I am just an old F**t. But to me the bell is the heart of the ship ........... should it not stay?

My thoughts exactly. Leave it where it belongs.

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I have to agree with Bradlad and Steve, the bell should stay with the ship. As a wargrave, she should not be tampered with anymore than she already has.

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My thoughts exactly. Leave it where it belongs.

:ditto:

But if it coming ashore then at least centre it in a tasteful memorial to all the sailors who perished on her

(and maybe in the light of comments made on documentaries by both British and German survivors of that tragic episode about how they regard each other also to all the sailors who perished in the Bismarck sortie?)

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I guess a precedent was set when the bell of Prince of Wales was recovered, if I remember correctly POW's bell is now on display at the Liverpool Maritime Museum. The reason put forward for the recovery of her bell was that it was under threat of being stolen,a couple of attempts having been made. I am not sure if Repulse's bell has been recovered but it also was under a similar threat. Although of course this is less likely to occur to Hood's bell due to the depth of the wreck.

Malcolm

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Its a nice idea.Also,there are two of her 5.5" gun mounts at St Helena in the South Atlantic ,could one of them be returned to the UK as well to go alongside the bell?

regards Phil

Phil,

They are on Ascension Island, the RAF there resotored them during thr 80's after the Falklands War.

If they are to make a HMS Memorial including the bell then they would look good back in the UK. I fear the cost and logisitics involved would scupper it though.

http://hmshood.com/hoodtoday/ascension.htm

As to bringing the bell back, part of me agrees to making a lasting memorial, but part of me says leave the ship alone.

Julien

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I'm for recovering it. Far better to bring it up & make it a memorial at which all can remember than leave it there to eventually be plundered by unscrupous individuals & that is exactly what will happen in time if it isn't recovered now. If this expedition has found it others will too. I for one would make the effort to visit a memmorial incorporating the bell as a focal point. I think it would be very powerful.

Steve.

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why stop at the bell though???? need summat off the bismarck as well to round off the show sorry memorial i can see this giong like the pillaging of the titanic once you start it will never stop . the abokir hogue and cressy have being ripped apart by scrap metal merchants

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why don't they make a replica? I'm all for leaving it there, good men dies on that shop, and as the heart of the ship it represents all that were lost. the best way for everybody to see it is to make a replica.

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My personal opinion is that it should remain with the ship.

Build a memorial to the ship and lives lost and have a replica bell at the heart of it - Absolutely.

BUT....

We should never forgot that this is a war grave and the souls lost should be left alone to rest in peace for the sacrifice they gave.

:poppy:

why stop at the bell though???? need summat off the bismarck as well to round off the show sorry memorial i can see this giong like the pillaging of the titanic once you start it will never stop . the abokir hogue and cressy have being ripped apart by scrap metal merchants

I saw this advert whilst travelling through zurich airport a few years ago and was I was saddened by it:

http://www.ohgizmo.com/2007/03/21/romain-jerome-titanic/

Why it was allowed to happen is beyond me.

Tim.

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Phil,

They are on Ascension Island, the RAF there resotored them during thr 80's after the Falklands War.

If they are to make a HMS Memorial including the bell then they would look good back in the UK. I fear the cost and logisitics involved would scupper it though.

http://hmshood.com/hoodtoday/ascension.htm

As to bringing the bell back, part of me agrees to making a lasting memorial, but part of me says leave the ship alone.

Julien

Thanks for putting me right,Julien.I thought they were at St Helena or Ascension Island,and opted for the wrong one!!

Please see the comments regarding the Bell on the Hood Association site:

http://www.hmshood.com/association/archive...ts/bell2012.htm

Iwould also like to point out that the bell from HMS Royal Oak was recovered from her wreck in the 70`s and now has pride of place in a memorial at St Magnus Church in Kirkwall.So this has been done before and I think it would be apt if Hoods bell was given the same treatment.

For what its worth thats my opinion.

Phil

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I saw this advert whilst travelling through zurich airport a few years ago and was I was saddened by it:

http://www.ohgizmo.com/2007/03/21/romain-jerome-titanic/

Why it was allowed to happen is beyond me.

Tim.

Bloody parasites.

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Hood's platework will succumb in the future in a similar way to Titanic. The bell being Bronze will outlast it considerably. If the Hood Association feel it is appropriate to recover it for display, then perhaps that is the way to go. If 'parasites' plunder Titanic, they will eventually go after Hood, Bismarck et al. Would you rather have the bell go to some private collector? It lies apart from the wreck, so the War Grave is not disturbed.

Just my thoughts.

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My thoughts are Id rather the Bell be in the custody of the HMS Hood association and the RN Museum than risk the same fate that befell HMS Repulse, i mean the technology to reach these ships has advanced so much since Ballard found Titanic that a Billionaires Private Yacht! is being used for this expedition, thats to stop some other rich guy deciding hed like the bell, just because he can?.

furthermore given the value of scrap metal , especially pre atomic Steel how long before it become worthwhile for some rouge salvers to start tearing up the ship like the Jutland wrecks?

Id rather the Bell be raised and help preserve her memory in the public consciousness for at long as possible, I always like the ancient egyptian view that you are immortal if you are remembered, a far better tribute to the sailors than a cold dark forgotten tomb in the far north atlantic

my $0.02

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