To this many, many naval vessels and 'adopted' by communites either formally or imformally often due to a shared name or historical connection. However the majority of 'formal' adoptions where created during World War 2 as a result of the Warship Week initiative.
During the Second World War, the British Government faced a huge challenge raising the capital needed to support the war effort. Warships Week was a series of fundraising events organised across the country over a period of 24 weeks from 1941–1942. It was hoped that these funds would cover the costs of the expansion in shipbuilding. Between 1941 and 1942, the concept of National Savings was introduced. Each region in the country was provided with a savings target to achieve. This was based on the region's population, with each general level of savings having a class of warship assigned. This became known as Warship Week, due to its similarities with War Weapons Week, which was a drive to replace the materiel lost at Dunkirk through a savings campaign.
A level of savings would be set to raise enough money to provide the cost of building a particular naval ship. The aim was for cities to raise enough to adopt battleships and aircraft carriers, while towns and villages would focus on cruisers, destroyers, submarines, etc. Smaller towns and villages would be set a lower figure. Once the target money was saved for the ship, the community would adopt the ship and its crew.
Towns and districts were tasked with organising fundraising events in which residents were encouraged to subscribe to Government War Savings Bonds and Certificates. In return, the community would gain sponsorship of a Naval Vessel, which would, where possible, involve visits by ships' crews, the exchange of memorabilia and further donations of comforts for the crew members. Nationally, the events were incredibly successful, raising just under £1bn or £46bn in today's money.
Local charity organisations, churches and schools would provide the crews of the adopted ship with gloves, woollen socks and balaclavas. Children would often write letters and send cards to the crew. Whenever possible, officers and men from the adopted ship would visit the local community. To celebrate their visit, a parade would often be organised in their honour.
The adoption was usally fomallised by a presentation where the ship's commanding officer would exchange plaques, objects and photographs with the city or town that reached the target set, and an adoption would begin. The plaque provided by the admiralty usually consisted of the ships crest although not all submarines had an official crest, so an Admiralty Crest like the one shown on the right would be presented instead.
The number of warships adopted was over 1,200, number including battleships, cruisers, destroyers, submarines and trawlers. 1200. A press announcement quoted the adoption of eight battleships, four carriers, forty-nine cruisers, three hundred and one destroyers, twenty-five submarines, one hundred and sixty-four corvettes and frigates and two hundred and eighty-eight minesweepers.
The following list has been assembled from information generously provided by Dr Peter Schofield.
HMS Clyde was adopted by the Stewartry on Monday. A crest of HMS Clyde was presented to the county and the county gifted a bronze plaque bearing the county arms and an appropriate inscription. The ceremony took place in the Town Hall Castle-Douglas. The plaque to Clyde was presented to Captain Maitland-Kirwan and was to be placed in the conning tower of the submarine. The plaque bore the following inscription: 'This plaque is presented to HMS Clyde to commemorate her adoption by the citizens of the Stewartry during Warship Week.' At the top of the plaque the county arms were cut out in relief. It was hoped that one day the presentation and adoption plaques would be together again (meaning Clyde would survive the war). The greatest care would be taken of the adoption plaque and it would remind them of the great effort made by every section of the community to raise the enormous sum of money and the Clyde was their submarine. He assured Captain Kirwan that the crest would be one of their most precious and valued possessions.
Lord Kindersley, president of the National Savings Committee, has sent the following letter to the Mayor of Boston: Dear Mr. Mayor I am writing to ask you to accept personally and to convey to all others who have contributed to the success of Boston Warship Week my warmest thanks and appreciation. This special effort, resulting in the adoption of HMS Parthian will not only force a closer link between the people of Boston and the Royal Navy, but will also provide a lasting record of their patriotism.
A Rural District Committee is making excellent progress in its efforts to stimulate the Savings Campaign in the country areas following the formation of the Committee as a separate organisation, with the task of raising the sum of £225,000 in savings in the thirteen weeks ending on the 31 January, 1944. This figure represents half the cost of replacing HMS Parthian, which was adopted by the town and district in Warship Week 1942, and was unfortunately lost earlier this year. A public meeting will be held at the Town Hall, Kirton. when Mr. H W Butcher, MP. will inaugurate the new Parthian campaign.
The Admiralty announcement at the beginning of the week to the effect that HMS Seal was overdue and must be presumed lost will occasion much regret among the villagers of Seal (Kent), who only a short time ago decided to adopt the vessel. Since this interesting link with the submarine and village of the same name was established, a regular monthly hamper of comforts in the form of sweaters, socks, books, gramophone records, various games etc. has been sent to the ship's company.
Mrs. Raymond Poland, of Godden Green who was responsible for the adoption idea, found the members of the Women's Institute and other residents willing to cooperate, with the result that the monthly hamper was always ready, and sometimes two. Mrs. Poland has in her possession a number of letters of grateful thanks from the submarine's Commander Lt. Cmdr. R. P. Lonsdale, for the numerous gifts sent, and the officer also expresses the pride felt by his company at being adopted by the village of Seal. In one of his letters, he describes in detail the inspection of his submarine by the King, while in another he expresses warm thanks for an offer of hospitality to himself and members of the crew from Seal village in the event of the submarine returning to Chatham.
Alas, there is little likelihood of this generous offer being accepted, although there is, of course, always the possibility that some at least of the officers and men may be prisoners of war. There hangs in Seal Village Hall a fine picture of the submarine, and on a small tablet underneath is the following inscription: "To the Village of Seal, from the Ship's Company of HMS Seal, 1940."
The Esher division of the Girl Guides has adopted the submarine HMS Shark and all Rangers, Guides and Brownies have been asked to send parcels to the crew as soon as possible. Claygate Company is to send a parcel shortly.
The Esher division of the Girl Guides is sorrowing for the loss of HMS Shark. At the start of the war, the division adopted the Shark, sent parcels to the men and wrote regularly to them and their families. The commander presented the guides with photographs of the submarine and her company, and the crew made them a white ensign with a submarine embroidered in one corner and the Shark motto, 'Celer et Audax' (Swift and Bold) in the other. Now the Guides are in touch with the family of every sailor lost in the Shark, and are taking all opportunities to help them.
From Mr C A Cheetham of Risedale Central School Barrow.
We adopted the Terrapin in the autumn of 1943 when she was completing. The adoption was arranged by Mr. Wheller, an Admiralty Overseer at Barrow, who has been instrumental in three or four schools in Barrow adopting new submarines. The ceremony of adoption took place before the assembled school in the presence of the Commander, then Lt. D. Martin, triple DSO, his officers and ratings. Admiralty and Vickers-Armstrong representatives and the Director of Education.
The Commander addressed the scholars, and they all saw his latest decoration which he had received from the King the previous day, and various Officers and Petty Officers also spoke. We had collected a large number of comforts for the new crew, card games of all kinds, new packs of cards, dominoes, draughts, almost any game you care to mention, games of chance and skill. The girls had knitted socks and the scholars gave up their sweet coupons, some of their grand-fathers gave us the whole quarter-years sweet coupons for our submarine. We had books and illustrated magazines. These were all displayed on tables at the ceremony.
The Captain presented us with a copy of the submarine's coat of arms (submarine crest?), beautifully carved in oak, and the school presented the ship with a Jolly Roger flag (which, incidentally, is now well decorated from all we hear).
The submarine was still here when we held our Christmas parties and we invited all the crew in three sections to our three parties. They thoroughly enjoyed the dancing, games, concert and tea at the parties, and we sent them off on their Christmas leave with each member of the crew who had children having two toys for each child, the toys made at school (dolls in the needlework room and wooden toys in the woodwork room).
Before she sailed for trials, the staff visited the submarine. Since the submarine sailed, we have from time to time, sent parcels for the crew, sea-boot stockings, cards, books, magazines, diaries (naval) for each member of the crew, a gross of razor blades, games of all kinds, and just before Christmas we sent 2,500 cigarettes, and combs, housewives etc. On one occasion the five parcels we sent weighed altogether ½cwt. In each parcel the scholars sent personnel letters to the members of the crew who they got to know at the parties and Adoption Ceremony, and many of the children write periodically and receive personal letters.
We are hoping when the ship gets back to England the crew will visit the school for a reunion, and that they will give us the Jolly Roger with its decorations. If there is any way in which we can help the crew, we are only too glad to do so. We have the money, given by the children, but there is not much we can buy. There you have it, "Terrapin" so if you want, don't be afraid to ask.
Incidentally, I hope you like the sketch of your coat of arms drawn by 13 year-old Ken Beach.
In March last year the Amersham District Warship Week raised over half-a-million pounds and this amount provided a new submarine. A newly-built vessel, HMS Unbroken, was allotted to the district and was placed in commission soon afterwards. The commemorative plaques which mark the occasion, one of which will adorn the Amersham Rural District Council and the other to be installed in the submarine, should have been formally handed over during Wings for Victory Week, but difficulties arose which prevented the function being held. Arrangements for the ceremony are progressing and the handing over will, it is hoped be carried out shortly. In the meantime, HMS Unbroken has made naval war history, and under the command of 28-year old Alastair Mars, DSO, she has recorded a bag of four supply ships and a tanker, sunk in the Mediterranean, two cruisers put out of action, three attacks of railways and bridges and four other special operations. The vessel and her gallant crew have survived more than 300 depth charges all around the submarine.
Seven members of the crew of Upstart recently spent a weekend at Pontefract, the guests of Upstarts Comforts Fund Committee. The visitors were Sub-Lt. Turbett, P.O. Best, A.B. Francis, A.B. Stoker. Leading Stoker Walker, A.B. Webb and Signalman Long. They were met on Friday afternoon by members of the committee including the chairman, Mrs. F. Pybus, and the secretary, Miss E. Waddington; and they were entertained to tea. Later in the day, they were accompanied by members of the committee to a Civic Reception and Dinner at which the Mayor of Pontefract presided. The following day, Upstart visited Dunhill's Liquorice Works, and as a memento of his visit, each man received a box of sweets from the management. These came in handy in the afternoon when they visited Pontefract race meeting, and their day ended with a visit to the home of Mrs. Pybus for tea. At trip to Pontefract Castle occupied the Sunday morning, and after lunch in the town, Upstart received a grand send off from the Mayor and members of the Comforts Fund. It was a weekend which they will remember.
HMS Ursula has been adopted by Chorley, Withnell and Adlington in Lancashire. She has also been 'unofficially adopted' by the staff of a large laundry firm at Rhyl, North Wales, who's war comforts committee of 200 girls, all employed on Government work, have already exchanged greetings with the crew, and supplied them with woollen clothing, sportswear and a darts board.
The Mayor of Chorley has sent the following telegram to the Admiralty: On behalf of the inhabitants and district of their adoption, I ask you to please convey to the officers and men of HM submarine Ursula congratulations on a safe return home from their hazardous exploits.
C 12 (I 42) |
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| Class: | 1903 - 1906: C Class |
| Built By: | |
| Build Group: | C1 |
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Fate: October 1918 - Sank in Immingham dock when main motors failed and she was carried by the tide against a destroyer. She was badly holed in this collision which caused her to sink. She was later raised and put back into service. Sold for scrap 2nd February 1920. |
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Autumn 1941: U96 departs for enemy flight in La Rochelle, France. In the steel belly of the submarine, 50 men crowd close, among them the young Lieutenant Werner, who came on board as a war correspondent. What begins as a quiet routine company soon turns into hell after the first shelling.
Trapped between fire and water, between fear and despair, between life and death, the team of the U96 experiences up close the destructive cruelty of the beast war. He's gonna change them all. If they survive it.
You don't have to say many words about “Das Boot” anymore: Wolfgang Petersen's dramatic film adaptation of Lothar Günther Buchheim's success novel was the first true blockbuster in German cinema history. “Das Boot” made his director an international star and his largely unknown actors into familiar faces. “Das Boot” was celebrated worldwide and was nominated for the Oscar six times.
Four years later, the six-part TV series was released, which takes an even more detailed and unobstructed look at the crew and their experiences on board the U96. In 1997, the director's cut was released in terms of cut, image and sound. Intensive atmosphere and nerve-scattering tension created a milestone in German film and television history!
Disc 1 The Boat - Director's Cut (Blu-ray)
Disc 2 The Boat - Cinema (Blu-ray)
Disc 3-4 The Boat - TV Series (Blu-ray) Disc 5 Bonus Material (Blu-ray)
Disc 6 Soundtrack (Audio CD)
Disc 7-8 Audiobook (MP3 CD) Bonus Material:Original Soundtrack, Audiobook to the novel, read by Dietmar Baer,
14 pages added or updated in the last 1 month
Please help to maintain this site by reporting any Errors, Broken Links, Information or Site Issues on this page using this button
If you find this site useful, please consider supporting my work with a small Donation.
Please Note: Donations made using this option go directly to the site owner and not to the Submariners Association.
Thankyou for your support.
C 12 (I 42) |
|
| Class: | 1903 - 1906: C Class |
| Built By: | |
| Build Group: | C1 |
|
Fate: October 1918 - Sank in Immingham dock when main motors failed and she was carried by the tide against a destroyer. She was badly holed in this collision which caused her to sink. She was later raised and put back into service. Sold for scrap 2nd February 1920. |
|
Autumn 1941: U96 departs for enemy flight in La Rochelle, France. In the steel belly of the submarine, 50 men crowd close, among them the young Lieutenant Werner, who came on board as a war correspondent. What begins as a quiet routine company soon turns into hell after the first shelling.
Trapped between fire and water, between fear and despair, between life and death, the team of the U96 experiences up close the destructive cruelty of the beast war. He's gonna change them all. If they survive it.
You don't have to say many words about “Das Boot” anymore: Wolfgang Petersen's dramatic film adaptation of Lothar Günther Buchheim's success novel was the first true blockbuster in German cinema history. “Das Boot” made his director an international star and his largely unknown actors into familiar faces. “Das Boot” was celebrated worldwide and was nominated for the Oscar six times.
Four years later, the six-part TV series was released, which takes an even more detailed and unobstructed look at the crew and their experiences on board the U96. In 1997, the director's cut was released in terms of cut, image and sound. Intensive atmosphere and nerve-scattering tension created a milestone in German film and television history!
Disc 1 The Boat - Director's Cut (Blu-ray)
Disc 2 The Boat - Cinema (Blu-ray)
Disc 3-4 The Boat - TV Series (Blu-ray) Disc 5 Bonus Material (Blu-ray)
Disc 6 Soundtrack (Audio CD)
Disc 7-8 Audiobook (MP3 CD) Bonus Material:Original Soundtrack, Audiobook to the novel, read by Dietmar Baer,
14 pages added or updated in the last 1 month
Please help to maintain this site by reporting any Errors, Broken Links, Information or Site Issues on this page using this button
If you find this site useful, please consider supporting my work with a small Donation.
Please Note: Donations made using this option go directly to the site owner and not to the Submariners Association.
Thankyou for your support.
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