The pouches are arranged in three sequences: Each sequence is in alphabetical order by the seaman's last name. Made over 63,000 images of crew list documents. Although the crew had no fatalities and twenty-one injured, HMS Belfast suffered heavy damage to her hull and machinery. Did you enjoy this article or find this article helpful? In November 1939, Belfast struck a German mine and, in spite of fears that she would be scrapped, spent more than two years undergoing extensive repairs. Carolinewas launchedand commissionedin 1914. Armament (1944): 12x 152 mm guns, 8x . [56] Martell's obituarist considered this commission a well-judged contrivance which "did much to restore the confidence and image of the new RNR" which had undergone an acrimonious amalgamation with the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve in 1958. Originally part of the US Navy's Task Force 77, Belfast was detached in order to operate independently on 5 July 1950. The most significant change was better accommodations for a smaller crew more fitting of post-war needs. privacy policy, Registry of Shipping and Seamen: War of 1939-1945; Merchant Seamen's Service on Royal Navy Ships. Users should note that the particulars of Owners, Masters and Voyages have been extracted by a number of different people, most of them inexperienced in this work, and it has not been possible to check more than obvious discrepancies. Battle of North Cape: HMS Belfast and the sinking of the Scharnhorst Imperial War Museums 358K subscribers Subscribe 22K 2.5M views 1 year ago Scharnhorst was one of the most dangerous German. [64] As of 2011, nine decks are open to the public. The None of what CLIP has achieved would have been possible without the kind assistance of many people. Crew: 748 sailors. [32], On 26 December 1943, Belfast participated in the Battle of North Cape. [73][nb 6] The restoration of the masts involved removing the fittings from both masts, allowing them to be individually restored. 1. pathway to victory sermon outlines . Changes included: individual MRS8 directors for the new twin Mk 5 40mm and the twin 4-inch mount; the 4-inch guns training and elevation speed was increased to 20 degrees per second; and protecting key parts of the ship against nuclear, biological or chemical attack. Ships of larger Companies included in Crew Lists (and a few local companies with several ships), When requesting crew lists please quote the reference number and the year of the crew list required. [2] She was propelled by four three-drum oil-fired Admiralty water-tube boilers, turning Parsons geared steam turbines, driving four propeller shafts. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. She was launched on the 25 Feb, 1936. [93], On 29 November 2011, two workmen suffered minor injuries after a section of gangway, connected to the ship, collapsed during renovation works. complicated tale and if you really are stuck, do please get in touch. The amount of information in the documents varies greatly. [57], Belfast returned to Devonport on 24 August 1963 and underwent a short refit to prepare her for paying off into reserve, which occurred in December 1963. [50] Belfast recommissioned at Devonport on 12 May 1959. In 1945 the crew gave up their chocolate ration for us and we ate the lot, so when we left HMS Belfast in 2005 we were each given a 'goody bag' containing among other things a DVD of the . On her final foreign commission Belfast joined a number of exercises in the Far East and in December 1961 she provided the British guard of honour at Tanganyika's independence ceremony in Dar-es-Salaam. Belfast sailed for Gibraltar in company with sixteen RNR minesweepers for a two-week exercise in the Mediterranean on 10 August. Two infantry companies, 30 officers and 230 other ranks, would be carried. [36], For the invasion of Normandy Belfast was made headquarters ship of Bombardment Force E flying the flag of Rear-Admiral Frederick Dalrymple-Hamilton, and was to support landings by British and Canadian forces in the Gold and Juno Beach sectors. 15 British carrier aircraft from HMS Illustrious attacked an Italian convoy off Kerkennah islands, Tunisia between 0515 and 0615 hours, sinking two of the three ships in the convoy. At 10:58am she detonated a magnetic mine while leaving the Firth of Forth. Crew lists from ships hit by U-boats HMS Belfast (35) British Light cruiser Photo courtesy of Paul Johnson Collection This is a listing of people associated with this ship. The primary purpose of this list is to provide the names of ships for which crew lists and agreements are deposited in the Southampton Record Office, with the dates and number of items. While in Sydney Belfast underwent another short refit, supplementing her close-range armament with five 40mm Bofors guns. [64] While in dock, her entire hull was cleaned, blasted, and repainted, her hull blanking plates inspected and an ultrasonic survey carried out. ww2dbaseFive years later, HMS Belfast participated in the Korean War when she provided gunfire support for United Nations land-based forces. ww2dbaseCompleted on March 17, 1938 and joining the fleet on August 5, 1939, HMS Belfast joined the 18th cruiser squadron. Belfast is a cruiser of the third Town class. On 31 January 1961, Belfast recommissioned under the command of Captain Morgan Morgan-Giles. HMS Nelson. [89] A 4-inch gun mount and a shell hoist are kept in working order and used during blank-firing demonstrations by the Wavy Navy re-enactment group. HMS Formidable ( Navy Photos, click to enlarge) return to Contents List. [8] A popular tourist attraction, Belfast received over 327,000 visitors in 2019. [81] Since 2002, school and youth groups have been able to stay onboard Belfast overnight, sleeping in bunks on a restored 1950s mess deck. She arrived at Portsmouth on 19 June 1962. Construction of Belfast, the first ship in the Royal Navy to be named after the capital city of Northern Ireland and one of ten Town-class cruisers, began in December 1936. At 11:40 that morning, Belfast received the message Commence hostilities at once against Germany. Catalogue entries for this series have been enhanced as part of a project supported by volunteers. seafarers of the late 19th and early 20th century. Photographs 2. and one of ten Town-class cruisers, began in December 1936. [64] Support for the ship's restoration was received from individuals, from the Royal Navy, and from commercial businesses; in 1973, for example, the Worshipful Company of Bakers provided dummy bread for display in the ship's NAAFI and bakery. The following day, 21 October 1948, the ship's company marked Trafalgar Day with a march through the city. The T124T records detail the sea service of merchant seamen who served on tugs. 1875. This last consideration meant significantly enlarging and enclosing her bridge, creating a two-tiered, five-sided superstructure which radically altered her appearance. First, it is aiming to offer interesting 2004. [64][82], The second section, "The inner workings", below the waterline and protected by the ship's armoured belt, contains core mechanical, electrical and communication systems. She was launched on St Patrick's Day 1938. [61], She was opened to the public on Trafalgar Day, 21 October 1971. On October 9, 1939, Belfast successfully seized the . [5][2], Belfast was protected by a 4.5-inch (114mm) main armour belt, with deck armour of 3 inches (76mm) over her magazines, and 2 inches (51mm) over her machinery spaces. The first, and by far the largest, consists of ships registered in Southampton. HMS Belfast Association was formed in 1998 from past Crew members and is for members who served on HMS Belfast at any time no matter in what capacity. These could be launched from a D1H catapult mounted aft of the forward superstructure, and recovered from the water by two cranes mounted on either side of the forward funnel. [95] An investigation later established that the collapse of the gangway had been caused by a subcontractor cutting through the gangway's structure during refurbishment work. On 14 August, Belfast took part in her first exercise, Operation Hipper, in which she played the role of a German commerce raider attempting to escape into the Atlantic. [48], In reserve, Belfast's future was uncertain: post-war defence cuts made manpower-intensive cruisers excessively costly to operate and it was not until March 1955 that the decision was taken to modernise Belfast. This battle, which occurred during the Arctic night, involved two strong Royal Navy formations; the first, Force One, comprised the cruisers Norfolk (with 8-inch guns), Sheffield and Belfast (the 10th Cruiser Squadron) with three destroyers, and the second, Force Two, comprised the battleship Duke of York and the cruiser Jamaica with four destroyers. On 1 June she arrived at Singapore for refitting, arriving back on patrol on 31 August. The next day Force One, which had left Murmansk on the 23rd, encountered Scharnhorst, prevented her from attacking the convoy, and forced her to retreat after being damaged by the British cruisers. The crew of the submarine surrendered and survivors were taken off. [62] Though no longer part of the Royal Navy, HMS Belfast was granted a special dispensation to allow her to continue to fly the White Ensign. [19] On 25 September, Belfast took part in a fleet operation to recover the submarine Spearfish, during which the ship was attacked by German aircraft, but suffered no damage. Most of these men were not born in Asia; many were Egyptian. Imperial War Museum official photographer. On October 9, 1939, Belfast successfully seized the German liner SS Cap Norte as she attempted to return to Germany in the disguise of a neutral vessel. We also have a detailed page on the British Light cruiser HMS Belfast (35). HMS Formidable was an Aircraft Carrier of the Illustrious class. [56] As Member of Parliament (MP) for Winchester, Morgan-Giles addressed the House of Commons on 8 March 1971. She returned two days later for further bombardments. Aboard HMS Belfast (35) when hit on 21 Nov 1939 HMS Nelson was a Royal Navy battleship, built by Vickers-Armstrong at the Walkers Yard, Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Let us know. These records have been selected on the basis that they reflect the economic, social and demographic condition of the UK, as documented by the state's dealings with individuals, communities and organisations outside of its own formal boundaries (2.2.2.1 of PRO's acquisition policy). At the same time, the IWM stated that the museum would be renamed as "HMS Belfast (1938)" as a means of avoiding confusion. HMS Belfast - Wikipedia b) Lent to HMS Holderness 04/04/1945 - 07/04/1945 "Type 1 Hunt Crew List of September 1939, while attempting to return to Germany, in a position off Peenambuco in Iceland, the vessel was captured by HMS Belfast. HMS Belfast is a Town-class light cruiser that was built for the Royal Navy.She is now permanently moored as a museum ship on the River Thames in London and is operated by the Imperial War Museum.. Construction of Belfast, the first ship in the Royal Navy to be named after the capital city of Northern Ireland and one of ten Town-class cruisers, began in December 1936. The Official Log is not the full ship's log, but only a record of certain incidents relating to the crew and sometimes to passengers, such as deaths on board, which had to be reported to the Registrar. British shipping, at that time the largest merchant fleet in the world, is also well documented and we explain how to access those records too. We enjoy dealing with awkward questions; we don't think there is such a thing as a silly question, and we often By May 1945, Belfast mounted thirty-six 2-pounder guns in two eight-gun mounts, four quadruple mounts, and four single mounts. [31] Belfast spent 1943 engaged on convoy escort and blockade patrol duties, and on 56 October of the same year, formed part of the covering force during Operation Leader, an airstrike against German shipping in the waters of northern Norway near Bod by the aircraft carrier USSRanger. Total costs for her operation was 2,141,514 British pounds and includes 75,000 pounds for the guns and 66,500 pounds for the aircraft. She paid off in Chatham on 4 November 1952 and entered reserve at Devonport on 1 December. [9] As a branch of a national museum and part of the National Historic Fleet, Belfast is supported by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, admissions income, and the museum's commercial activities. [94] The ship was closed to visitors following the accident. Set up a site giving access to images of 70 editions of the Mercantile Navy List - both our own images and sets from the Maritime History Archive in Newfoundland, (with their kind permission). Alongside the Germans, the Belfast had to deal with the harsh weather of the Arctic Ocean. 30.06.1900 Portsmouth, Hampshire 03.02.1940 (KIA) [age 40] [Edinburgh (Seafield) Cemetery, Scotland, sec. [36], The invasion was to begin on 5 June but bad weather forced a 24-hour delay. She was built by Harland & Wolff Ltd. in Belfast, Northern Ireland being launched on the 17th of August 1939. [10] Under the Director of Naval Construction the new design evolved during 1933. The ship left Singapore on 26 March 1962 for the UK, sailing east via Hong Kong, Guam and Pearl Harbor, San Francisco, Seattle, British Columbia, Panama and Trinidad. A Type 274 set was fitted for main armament fire direction. HMS Cumberland provided additional cruiser cover with HMS Belfast and HMS Norfolk during passage of Russian Convoy JU53 and returning Convoy RA53. HMS Mohawk (destroyer) B top Baldwin, CharlesEdward Son of Catherine M. Baldwin, of Stamshaw, Portsmouth. 1959. Object details. The old masts were then cut down in sections, the new masts erected, and the original fittings replaced. In late 1939, she had to self-refit in the Falkland Islands, which led to the remainder of . On 27 September 1952 Belfast was relieved by two other Town-class cruisers, HMSBirmingham and HMSNewcastle, and sailed back to the UK. Belfast returned to action in November 1942 with improved firepower, radar equipment, and armour. ww2dbaseRemaining in the area for five weeks, HMS Belfast provided impressive gunfire support to British and Canadian forces as they fought their way inland near the city of Caen. During her repairs, work was carried out to straighten, reconstruct and strengthen her hull. Title: Admiralty: Royal Navy Registers of Seamen's Services. [64] With the establishment of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport's (DCMS) Advisory Committee on National Historic Ships in 2006, Belfast was listed as part of the National Historic Fleet. [16] She was launched on Saint Patrick's Day, 17 March 1938, by Anne Chamberlain, the wife of Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain. resources which are widely used by maritime researchers. [34][35] Belfast underwent minor repairs at Rosyth from 23 April to 8 May, while her crew received a period of leave. The British fleet engaged destroyers of the German Navy . Full records will be released to proven next of kin. Her November 1942 radar fit included one Type 284 set and four Type 283 sets to direct the main armament, three Type 285 sets for the secondary guns, and two Type 282 sets for the 2-pounder anti-aircraft guns. var monthlist= ['January', 'February', 'March', 'April', 'May', 'June', 'July', 'August', 'September', 'October', 'November', 'December']; [6][nb 1] On her return to the Home Fleet Belfast was made flagship of the 10th Cruiser Squadron, flying the flag of Rear-Admiral Robert Burnett, who had previously commanded the Home Fleet's destroyer flotillas. She saw action duirng the Second World War and was sunk with great loss of life on the 10th April 1940, during the First Battle of Narvik. The aim of CLIP is simple - to improve access to the records of seafarers on British registered ships of the late 19th and early 20th century. The arm of the navy that an individual served with, their rank, ship or shore establishment and dates of service determine which set of records you need. By navigating the hazardous Pentland Firth, Belfast successfully evaded the Home Fleet. Please refrain from using strong language. British seamen who served under the T124X agreement; British seamen who served under the T124T agreement; Non-British seamen who served under the T124X agreement. On 4 January 1940 Belfast was decommissioned to Care and Maintenance status, becoming the responsibility of Rosyth Dockyard, and her crew dispersed to other vessels. She was the 6th RN ship to carry the name, introduced for a . Served on indicates the ships we have listed for the person, some were stationed on multiple ships hit by U-boats. Putting in to Davenport for repairs, the cruiser would not return to the war for three years. [18], On 31 August 1939 Belfast was transferred to the 18th Cruiser Squadron. [30] The squadron was responsible for the hazardous task of escorting Arctic convoys to the Soviet Union, operating from Scapa Flow and bases in Iceland. There is one snag - the huge pile of records has no index (that's the point of CLIP). a brief overview. shooting in sahuarita arizona; traduction saturn sleeping at last; is bachendorff a good brand; Her first captain was Captain G A Scott with a crew of 761, and her first assignment was to the Home Fleet's 2nd Cruiser Squadron. The goal of this At 5:30am on 6 June, Belfast opened fire on a German artillery battery at Ver-sur-Mer, suppressing the guns until the site was overrun by British infantry of 7th Battalion, Green Howards. Over the last twenty years we have worked with hundreds of people and many archives around the world to make the largest database of . Compiled a further 470,000 records of ships from the Mercantile Navy List, making the largest database of British registered ships of the era. [63], Now a museum, the ship's opening was well received: in 1972 the HMS Belfast Trust won the British Tourist Authority's "Come to Britain" trophy. 2. C. Peter Chen of Lava Development, LLC. We'll do our best to advise. [46], During 1951 Belfast mounted a number of coastal patrols and bombarded a variety of targets. Her commander was Captain G A Scott DSO RN. [11] The lead ship of the new class, the 9,100-ton HMSSouthampton, and her sister HMSNewcastle, were ordered under the 1933 estimates. She also mounted six Mk IV 21-inch torpedo tubes in two triple mounts, and fifteen Mk VII depth charges. Enter the tag you would like to associate with this record and click 'Add tag'. Initially expected to be complete by summer 2012,[98] the pavilion opened in April 2013. On 5 October Belfast intercepted and boarded a neutral Norwegian factory ship that was sailing in company with six whaling ships. [56] While Belfast lay at Fareham Creek the Imperial War Museum, Britain's national museum of twentieth-century conflict, became interested in preserving a 6-inch turret. The structure, for which planning permission was received in October 2011, provides a ground floor caf, shop and admissions area, and a rooftop bar. Her location is near London's Tower Bridge. [66] The ship was transferred to the museum on 1 March 1978,[64] and became the Imperial War Museum's third branch, Duxford aerodrome having been acquired in 1976. Information is contained in pouches and includes personal details such as name, age, rank, rating/grade and qualifications, together with details of the vessels on which the individual served. [67] The Imperial War Museum's Sound Archive also seeks to record oral history interviews with former crewmen. Subsequently she was called to the Mediterranean to . The Imperial War Museum, the National Maritime Museum and the Ministry of Defence established a joint committee, which reported in June 1968 that the scheme was practical and economic. [12] By 1935, however, the Admiralty was keen to improve the firepower of these cruisers to match the firepower of the Japanese Mogami and American Brooklyn-class cruisers; both were armed with fifteen 6-inch guns. [24] Returning to harbour, on the night of 1314 October, Belfast was among the few ships anchored in Scapa Flow, following intelligence reports of an expected air raid. Italian merchant ships Gloria Stella and Maria Eugenia were also sunk. CLIP data. The Russian companies included United Industrial Corporation (OPK), The reinterpretation was supported by 150,000 from DCMS and the, other 1950s cruiser reconstructions of three Town cruisers and HMS, "ALVA Association of Leading Visitor Attractions", "History of HMS Belfast: Building and Launch", "Mrs Chamberlain Opens New Airport At Belfast And Launches HMS Belfast (1938)", "History of HMS Belfast: Outbreak of War 1939", "Parham, Frederick Robertson (IWM interview)", "Burnett, Sir Robert Lindsay (18871959)", "History of HMS Belfast: Operations 1944", "Collections: Exhibits and Firearms: Frequently Asked Questions: The 15-inch guns", "History of HMS Belfast: D-Day 6 June 1944", "Obituary: Vice-Admiral Sir Hugh Martell", Secretary of State for Education and Science, "HMS Belfast Association: About the Association", "New masts for HMS Belfast made in Russian shipyard", "HMS Belfast's extraordinary war service is recognised by Russia", "Russian Federation provides major support for HMS Belfast restoration", "HMS Belfast to lose her scaffolding and gain two new masts", "HMS Belfast Masts from Russia with Love", "The new HMS Belfast, from Russia with love", "New Royal Navy warship to be named HMS Belfast", "Defence Secretary names new warship HMS Belfast in Northern Ireland", "New Interactive Operations Room Opens for Easter", "4 million grants announced for English museums under DCMS/Wolfson Museums and Galleries Improvement Fund", "DCMS/Wolfson Museums & Galleries Improvement Fund Round 8 (200910)", "HMS Belfast adds thrilling Gun Turret Experience to its armoury of attractions", "HMS Belfast: Two injured as gangway collapses", "Two hurt as HMS Belfast gangway collapses", "HMS Belfast reopens six months after gangway collapse", "CPMG wins planning for HMS Belfast visitor centre", List of cruiser classes of the Royal Navy, Museum of Domestic Design and Architecture, Estorick Collection of Modern Italian Art, Old Operating Theatre Museum and Herb Garret, Hungerford Bridge and Golden Jubilee Bridges, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=HMS_Belfast&oldid=1152382182, World War II cruisers of the United Kingdom, Korean War cruisers of the United Kingdom, Museums sponsored by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Museums in the London Borough of Southwark, Ships and vessels of the National Historic Fleet, Articles with dead external links from March 2023, Articles with permanently dead external links, Short description is different from Wikidata, Wikipedia articles needing page number citations from March 2019, Articles with specifically marked weasel-worded phrases from October 2017, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 29 April 2023, at 22:30. By creating an account you agree to us emailing you with newsletters and discounts, which you can switch off in your account at any time. The site provides information about the records of British seafarers and ships, and access to the CLIP maritime database: The CLIP site provides information and data about the records of British merchant seafarers, mainly from 1863 to 1913. Depending on your point of view, the project either grew a life of its own, or got out of hand. Construction of Belfast, the first Royal Navy ship to be named after the capital city of Northern Ireland. We can reunite you with your friends who served at HMS Belfast and we have a wealth of information on different units, bases and ships in the site. Her empty hangars were converted to crew accommodation, and her aircraft catapult was removed. It is planned to make at a later date an index of Owners and Masters. Photographs. to do your research for you - all the data we have is either on this site or for sale via findmypast and we'd like you to have the fun of doing the research. [34] Moored in Altafjord in northern Norway, Tirpitz was the German navy's last surviving capital ship. [33], After North Cape, Belfast refuelled at Kola Inlet before sailing for the United Kingdom, arriving at Scapa to replenish her fuel, ammunition and stores on New Year's Day 1944. Belfast remained in Hong Kong during 1949, sailing for Singapore on 18 January 1950. Lava's technical capabilities. We'd like to use additional cookies to remember your settings and understand how you use our services. Much of the information would have come from the Royal Navy. The covering dates relate to the dates of opening the registers. Recommissioned in July, she made a final visit to Belfast from 2329 November before paying off into reserve on 25 February 1963. Disguised as a neutral Swedish vessel, SS Ancona, Cap Norte was attempting to return to Germany from Brazil; her passengers included German reservists. 1. She also received a Type 273 general surface warning radar, Type 251 and 252 sets for identification friend or foe (IFF) purposes, and a Type 281 and Type 242 for air warning. If an individual was commissioned from the ranks or moved between different services you may find service records in more than one set of files. There she paid off into reserve, and underwent a refit during which her turbines were opened for maintenance. We place some essential cookies on your device to make this website work. (07.1945) HMS Vernon (torpedo school & experimental establishment, Roedean School, Brighton) (in charge of Electrical Department) . Belfast also received new fire control radars for her main, secondary and anti-aircraft guns. Gambia had already severely deteriorated, so attention turned to the possibility of saving Belfast. In particular, they were to search for the Norddeutscher Lloyd liner Europa. [41] She was recommissioned on 22 September 1948 and, before returning to the Far East, visited her home city of Belfast, arriving on 20 October. Even after twenty years of work by ourselves and others, the millions of entries [52] In order to save weight, her torpedo armament was removed. For inquiries about military records for members of the World War II armed forces, please see our FAQ. HMS Belfast is a Town-class light cruiser that was built for the Royal Navy. The overall effect was to create a cruiser significantly more habitable but different internally and to a degree in external appearance from wartime cruisers but still essentially a surface warfare, 'anti Sverdlov' cruiser, with anti-aircraft defence updated for point defence only out to 4km (2.5mi). This squadron was to form an independent striking force based at Rosyth. [80][90] In addition to the various areas of the ship open to visitors, some compartments have been fitted out as dedicated exhibition space. This had the benefit of freeing up room for more armor and anti-aircraft protection.