HMS Repulse relic comes home

The_Historian · #1 (**permalink**) December 16th, 2005, 11:19 PM

Deckplate from sunken Repulse comes home

Ali Morshead · #2 (**permalink**) December 17th, 2005, 01:17 AM

I thought the wrecks were gazetted as Wargraves and this sort of trophy gathering banned??

Martin Bull · #3 (**permalink**) December 17th, 2005, 08:52 AM

You are quite right, Ali. I'm not sure of the whole story behind this relic, but it sounds as though the recovery was 'semi-official' ie by Royal Navy and therefore special permission may have been granted.

Stevin · #4 (**permalink**) December 17th, 2005, 10:35 AM

Sometrhing similar happened a few years back with the HMS Wakeful, that was involved in the evactuation off Dunkirk. It was torpedoed off the Belgian coast. It was/is in a heavy used sea lane and, although a wargrave with 100's of soldiers, it might have had to be moved not to oppose a threat to shipping. In the end they decided against it but navy divers had explored the site and took with them some relics, including the name plate.

check; http://www.basher82.nl/Data/Ulrum/taylor.htm He and his brother both were killed n the HMS Wakelful.

The_Historian · #5 (**permalink**) December 17th, 2005, 12:33 PM

Ali,
Could be that because the Navy was planning to commission another ship with the same name, they received special permission to remove the Repulse's name plate, as long as the war grave itself (ie the interior of the ship) wasn't touched.
That's a guess though.
In a similar vein to Stevin, the RN was given special permission to take preventative measures against the oil leakage from the Royal Oak in Scapa Flow a few years ago. This involved divers fitting some kind of container around the rupture in the tanks.