A new charity has been set up to raise funds to bring HMS Plymouth, the Falklands veteran warship, back to her home city. The HMS Plymouth Preservation Trust aims to raise the £250,000 needed to bring the warship back to the city where she was built. The people behind the move want to put the frigate on display at Millbay Docks in time for the 25th anniversary of the Falklands conflict in 2007.  | | HMS Plymouth at sea. Photo Tony Hayden |
HMS Plymouth is currently moored at Birkenhead on Merseyside, where she's been open to the public. The ship spent a number of years there as a visitor attraction but redevelopment plans mean she now needs a new home. A berth is on offer at Plymouth's Millbay Docks if enough money can be raised to cover the purchase of the ship, her transport to Plymouth, insurance, harbour dues and other costs. The ship was the last of the Type 12 'Rothesay' class anti-submarine frigates in service with the Royal Navy. Built at Devonport Dockyard, HMS Plymouth was launched in July 1959. She was finally decommissioned on 28th April 1988 after almost 30 years in service. She played a major part in the Falklands War and was one of the few ships to be involved in every action of the campaign - surviving several direct hits from Argentine aircraft.  | | Falklands bomb damage. Photo Andy Gale |
After her retirement from the Royal Navy, the Ministry of Defence loaned her to the Warship Preservation Trust and she was opened to the public in Plymouth for a trial basis in the summer of 1988. But 12 months later it looked increasingly likely that HMS Plymouth would eventually be sunk at sea as a missile target, or sold for scrap. However a dedicated group of volunteers campaigned to save her. After discussions with various local authorities, the frigate finally found a permanent home at the trust's warship museum in Birkenhead alongside other historic warships. Her future was once again thrown into doubt by plans to redevelop Birkenhead Docks. The museum was closed to visitors in February 2006 when The Warship Preservation Trust called in the receivers. The local interest in seeing HMS Plymouth returned to her home city is growing swiftly, according to Peter Harrison, chairman-elect of the new HMS Plymouth Preservation Trust. "Although the Falklands War was 25 years ago, it's still strong in people's memories," said Peter. "A lot of people and ships from Plymouth served down there.  | | The ship's current home in Birkenhead |
"We have six people who have already volunteered to be trustees of the charity and we've looked at a lot of things like getting the ship down here and what to do in the long term. "Our aim is to have the ship open to the public by Easter 2007. Hopefully we'll generated a lot of goodwill and a lot of support for this project. "Obviously we are hoping a lot of people will come forward to help us, ex-Navy people who have the skills and expertise to look after the ship. "HMS Plymouth is currently owned by default by the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board. They've incurred quite a lot of costs over the last eight months so we're are going to have to buy the ship, we won't just be given it. "At the moment a group of businessmen have put forward quite a lot of the money for what would be the purchase price. "We also have to raise the money to insure it, have it towed down here and do all the things we have to do before we can allow the public on board." Photos courtesy Tony Hayden, HMS Plymouth website and Andy Gale, HMS Plymouth 1981-1983. | 
