We have received some exciting feedback from our birthday VIP visit to HMS Edinburgh – this section of our site has generated a lot of interest from some veterans. We recently received an email from France – a chap was writing on behalf of his 90 year old father who wanted to make contact with the current HMS Edinburgh as he had served on the WW 2 version before it was sunk in 1942....

“On the 30th April 1942 whilst on convoy duty to Murmansk she (HMS Edinburgh) was torpedoed in the Barents Sea by the German U-boat U456. Although seriously damaged she was taken in tow. Later effective repairs enabled her to proceed at slow speed under her own steam. Yet on the 2 May she was involved in another engagement this time with a German Destroyers and lost steerage. The engagement continued until she was hit again by a torpedo, an hour later she had to be abandoned. Two officers and 56 ratings were lost along with her cargo of £5 million in gold bullion, which was en route back to the UK as war payment. In 1981 the Ship was again in the news when the gold onboard, then worth over £45 million, was salvaged from her.”

And just through sheer coincidence we now know of another veteran from the same ship – we are trying to get them reunited – even if it's just via email!!

We are very grateful to Lt Tom McKay on board HMS Edinburgh for all his help – they have just finished a spell at sea  - “EDINBURGH is now finally back in Portsmouth after nearly five weeks away visiting the Baltic Sea.  During our time there we conducted an exercise ‘BALTOPS’ with the Swedish, Danish, German, Latvian, Estonia and Russian Navies.  The highlight of the trip was some magnificent stop-offs in Kiel, Germany and Tallinn, Estonia.  We’re now working on the final push to complete our preparations before sailing for the South Atlantic in October."