This campaign has now closed
The HMS WHIMBREL Project is launching a £2 million fundraising initiative to save, restore and return one of the last remaining escort vessels of the Second World War to be berthed in Canning Dock right in the heart of the City of Liverpool. There she will become a UK Memorial to the Battle of the Atlantic and Education Centre situated in the heart of the World Heritage site.
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Transferred to the Egyptian Navy in 1949 and now awaiting disposal in Alexandria dockyard, HMS WHIMBREL is virtually unchanged from her Battle of the Atlantic days and forms a unique part of both our social and maritime history. Her long service with the Egyptian Navy (as ENS TARIQ) accounts for her survival as one of less than a handful of remaining major Royal Navy warships from the Second World War and is the only one to remain in anything like original condition. She represents a time capsule of life at sea during the Second World War…the last serving Royal Navy warship to have fought in the Battle of the Atlantic. If she is returned to Liverpool HMS WHIMBREL will; - Be an important contribution to Conservation of our national maritime heritage. Be unique and the only Battle of the Atlantic Memorial in the UK. - Allow development of partnerships with schools, colleges and business locally, nationally and internationally to enhance the educational/ training experience in subjects such as history, restoration, maritime, science and tourism. - Offer opportunities for volunteers to carry out restoration, to develop and conduct educational projects and to be part of the day-to-day running of the ship once she is back in Liverpool. - Be sustainable in the long term as a popular visitor attraction, through educational projects, for memorial activities and as a key events location. - Compliment the existing visitor attractions and heritage activities already in existence such as Maritime Museum and Western Approaches. Offering a development of this work and enhancing the tourist experience. - attract a minimum of over 150,000 visitors each year ( based on that of other historic ships). - provide a focal points of remembrance for those involved in the Atlantic Campaign.