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Microsoft man to recover WWII ship's bell
30 July 2012One of the co-founders of software giant Microsoft has offered to recover the ship's bell from a Royal Navy battlecruiser sunk during World War II and donate it to Portsmouth Historic Dockyard at no cost to the Ministry of Defence.
The government is said to have licensed the billionaire Paul Allen to recover the bell, which is lying on the floor of the Atlantic some distance from the ship itself, and it could be on display in Portsmouth by 2014.
HMS Hood, an Admiral class battlecruiser, was sunk by German battleship Bismarck on 24 May 1941, just three days before Bismarck itself was tracked down and sunk.
Only three of HMS Hood's 1,418 crew members survived the attack.
Shipping company Blue Water Recoveries is expected to coordinate the recovery following their find in 2011.
HAVE YOUR SAY
31 July 2012
Another 17 crew members were returned to shore before HMS Hood's last voyage - including Jon Pertwee of "The Navy Lark" fame. Isn't the wreck site a war grave, or do artefacts thrown clear of the main wreck leave themselves open to salvage without it being desecration / grave robbery?
AlMiles - Bristol, UK
31 July 2012
Let those sailors rest in peace....Im dam sure i would'nt want my grand father digging up for his tie pin to be returnd to ther great grand children.......
Steve/H - Sheffield