(July 25th 2001)

HMS Cavalier Refloated and Restored

The last surviving British destroyer of the Second World War, HMS Cavalier, has been refloated and today will be reopened below decks. Volunteers will be on board ship at The Historic Dockyard Chatham celebrating the reopening of the vessel internally and putting in place a few last minute touches. From the 26th July the general public will be able to “go below” for the first time in over ten years to experience the conditions of life aboard a wartime destroyer.

The Forward Mess Decks, Petty Officer's Mess, NAFFI and Bridge Wireless Office are the first internal parts of the ship to be restored and reopened. It is hoped that the Ward Room and the Operations Room will opened shortly.

HMS Cavalier is being preserved as a national memorial to the 153 Royal Navy destroyers and their 30,000 crew lost in action during the Second World War.

Shortly after HMS Cavalier decommissioned in 1972, Earl Mountbatten of Burma started a campaign to save the historic ship, but in the late 1980s attempts to preserve the vessel as a standalone tourist attraction failed. She was purchased by South Tyneside Council and moved to Hebburn to become the centrepiece of a new museum of shipbuilding. The project never reached fruition and a lack of funds led to years of neglect. Eventually the ship was threatened with either being scrapped or sold overseas. Her ex-crew led a campaign that resulted in a major grant from the National Heritage Memorial Fund enabling the ship to be purchased by The HMS Cavalier (Chatham) Trust Ltd. In 1999 HMS Cavalier was towed to The Historic Dockyard Chatham and placed in the famous Number Two Dry-dock, the site where Nelson’s Flagship, HMS Victory, was launched in 1765.

During the 18-month long project a small, dedicated crew of old sailors, including some from the ship’s own company, ex-service men and old Chatham Dockyard maties, signed up once more to serve aboard the aging vessel, helping to put right over a decade of neglect.

Brian Sanders, Cavalier's Ship Keeper said:

"After Cavalier arrived at Chatham in 1999 we were shocked by how badly she had deteriorated. When this ship was operational there was a crew of over 150 men to look after her each day, it has taken our crew 18 months to reopen to the ship to the public below decks. Looking after a vessel of this scale is a massive undertaking and will be an ongoing task. We hope to open up more of the ship as time and money allows.”

Above: HMS Cavalier was built on the Isle of Wight and entered service in 1944, receiving a battle honour for action in the Arctic. In 1971 HMS Cavalier won a race to become “The Fastest Ship in the Fleet”, finally paying off at Chatham in 1972. Photograph courtesy of the Historic Dockyard Chatham- visit their website here.