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[Liverbudgie2]

Just picked this up - can't make my mind up if this is desecration or not.
http://www.paulallen.com/News/News-Articles/Hood-Bell-Recovery

LB

[irons01]

I'm with you, an awesome thing to do, but from a war grave????? not the sort of thing you're supposed to do, and where will it stop?? My Grandfather served as a midshipman on Hood before the war, I wonder what he would have thought of it, I suspect he would not be happy. He was onboard for the South American cruise, and said when the ship fired a broadside (test firings) the whole ship moved sideways 6 ft!!!

Ian

[rickles23]

Hi,

Safer now it has been recovered.

At least it cannot be taken and hidden by these wreck robbers.

Director of Blue Water Recoveries, David Mearns, said: “I am extremely pleased that we have been able to fulfil one of the last wishes of Ted Briggs, one of only 3 survivors of Hood’s crew of 1,418 men, to recover the ship’s bell as a memorial to his shipmates.

The report states that the bell was clear of the main wreck.

If the Receiver of Wrecks is in agreement and although Hood is a War Grave, she still is owned by England.

Regards

[DavieTait]

They had the full permission of the Government , the Royal Navy and the blessing of the Hood Association as far as I've found out they would NEVER dare do this otherwise as Hood is a designated war grave.

Not much chance of commercial salvage from her she lies far too deep for all but the best equipped commercial operators and they wouldn't desecrate the site knowing they would end up out of business and in prison for their troubles

http://hmshood.com/hoodtoday/2001expedition/index.htm

Also the bell was laid just outside the ship in amongst a tangle of debris with no human remains nearby

[Colin Bishop]

Everyone will have their own views but I am in favour of retrieving the bell. It is an object of great symbolic significance, not just a wreck souvenir, and will have a place of honour in the Museum of the Royal Navy where it will be properly venerated in the same way as Nelson's Trafalgar uniform and other historic exhibits.

Colin

[Netleyned]

The Ship's Bell is probably the most important symbol of the ship.
Any christenings on board used the upturned bell as a font and
the names of everyone christened would be engraved inside.
As Colin says the bell will be revered as the lasting symbol of
a proud ship.


Ned

[DavieTait]

they recovered HMS Royal Oak's bell and it is in pride of place in Kirkwall Cathedral flanked by the White Ensign as a mark of respect and as a memorial to the 800+ men and boys who were killed and Hood's bell will be the same

[ballastanksian]

As the relevent permissions have been received, the bell was not in the ship when found, and no man's remains were near enough to be disturbed, I think it is fitting that we have an artefact that we can pay a visit to and have a moments reflection on the ship, what she and her crew meant to the nation and the causes both militarily and politically that saw her demise.

[warspite]

At last its safe from the thieving so and so's who think nothing of stealing a valued artefact for their own greed, as long as it now secured as well as the crown jewels.

[DavieTait]

As I said very very little chance of the wreck being plundered , her exact location is known to maybe a dozen people and she is in very deep water which would require the use of a fairly large commercial ROV and large support ship , very few companies would even consider this

The yacht they used for this was built for expeditions including wreck finding and surveying ( the owner paid the cost of this expedition and the previous one which located the bell so no money from the public purse required )