ARTEFACTS from the successor to Bolton's HMS Dido could go on display in a naval museum in Kent.
HMS Dido was commissioned in 1940, then a year later in an incredible wartime fundraising effort Bolton people donated an amazing £1 million in a week to pay for it.
The fundraising appeal captured the imagination of everyone in the town who wanted to do their bit for the war effort.
advertisement
And to keep the money coming in, a large "thermometer" was put on display outside Bolton Town Hall showing the daily running total of cash raised.
In a distinguished career, HMS Dido, a cruiser, accepted the surrender of the German navy in May, 1945, at Copenhagen and fired the last shot of the Second World War in Europe.
Now a group of veterans are asking for permission to put several historical artefacts from the ship's successor, a frigate, on display at its home base in Chatham.
Members of the HMS Dido Association visited Bolton to see the artefacts, which include the ship's bell, battle honours board and lifebelt which belong to Bolton Council.
The items are currently in storage at the council-owned Lincoln Mill in Rumworth.
The original ship was decommissioned in 1958 and a new HMS Dido, an anti-submarine frigate, went into service in 1963.
It was sold to the New Zealand Navy in 1983 and renamed Southland.
HMS Dido Association secretary and founder, Colin Bates, from Birmingham, served on the frigate.
He said: "It's our opinion that things of such an historic nature should be on permanent display, and the ideal place would be where the ship was based.
"We would, however, be sorry to take them away from Bolton as we've got a very strong connection with the town.
"The important thing is that they are on display."
The association, which has about 250 members all over the world, is to ask Bolton Council if it would be willing to give or loan the artefacts to the association.
Mr Bates added: "It is our history and it is history that we can't allow to be forgotten."
If you liked this article and would like to share it with others on the web who might be searching for good content we've made it easy for you to do it.
At the bottom of all articles, you'll see links to six sites. These sites - commonly called 'social bookmark' or 'social news' sites - have large communities of web users who share and rate interesting, useful and fun things on the web.
Clicking the links will automatically add the address of the story you are reading to one of these sites, letting you share it with others. Each site will ask you to register to share stories. Registration is free and once a member, you can store, recommend and search for stories that interest you.
If you want to search our vast photographic library to view and buy any of our pictures taken by photographers from The Bolton News, Bury Times Group or Leigh Journal enter a key word here
Search for thousands of Jobs,
Homes & Cars in the Bolton area
Print
Email this
