National Historic Ships UK has received a Heritage Lottery Fund grant of £64,700 for its project War and the Sea – A Maritime Centenary.
The project will tell the story of 60 surviving vessels ranging from “humble barges and fishing boats to impressive fighting ships”.
Vessels include HMS Trincomalee – a sailing frigate built in 1816 and used as a training ship from 1914 – 1918; SS Nomadic, a passenger tender for the Titanic that was pressed into service as an American troopship; HMS Caroline, the last surviving British warship that took part in the Battle of Jutland; and Pembeth of Clyde, an oyster smack that carried hay for artillery horses.
The project will highlight significant engagements, campaigns and events during the First World War
connected with each vessel’s service.
Personal stories, photographs, manuscripts and memorabilia will be gathered with the public invited to contribute information about their relatives who were connected with the various vessels.
These materials and resources will be used to create a touring exhibition and a dedicated War at Sea website.
Sue Bowers, Head of Heritage Lottery Fund London, praised the project for “offering a different slant on the history of the conflict by showing the direct and indirect contribution to the war effort from vessels and their crews whether military or civilian, both in home waters and on the high seas”.
Martyn Heighton, Director of the National Historic Ships Committee, highlighted the importance of remembering the maritime dimension of the First World War:
“People tend to forget that the First World War was a sea war as well as one of horrific land campaigns. The Battle of Jutland story is often misunderstood, few people know that in 1917 Britain came close to starvation with the depredations of the German U-boats, and the intimate
stories involving these islands’ smaller vessels are little known”.
“With some 60 vessels on the national Register which took part in World War 1, this project is designed to draw all of these strands into a coherent story”.
Source: National Historic Ships UK press release
Date of press release publication: 19/11/2013
Posted by: Daniel Barry, Centenary News