The battle is on to save our sunken ships
RUTHLESS metal scavengers are stripping two Royal Navy shipwrecks – the final resting place for hundreds of sailors.
The desecration of battleship HMS Prince of Wales and the battlecruiser HMS Repulse in the Far East was revealed by MP Luke Pollard.
He is now calling for last-gasp action to protect the mass graves, and the anchors from the ships saved at the very least.
Both vessels were sunk when they came under Japanese air attack off the east coast of Malaysia in December 1941.
The ships were bombed with the loss of 840 sailors just three days after Japan attacked Pearl Harbor.
The UK Government admits significant damage has already occurred to the wrecks. Mr Pollard, who represents Plymouth Sutton and Devonport, wants them protected and accorded the same respect Commonwealth war graves.
But he also argues it may be necessary to retrieve the iconic anchors.
He is determined the ships should not suffer the same fate as HMS Exeter which disappeared in its “entirety” due to scavenging.
HMS Exeter was sunk in March 1942 in the Second Battle of the Java Sea with the loss of 54 officers and men. Another 650 crew were made prisoners of war.
Mr Pollard revealed the two ships’ uncontaminated steel, under water before the dropping of the first atomic bombs and subsequent test blasts, is highly sought after.
He said: “I want to make sure as that the wrecks of the Prince of Wales and Repulse are properly protected in the way that Exeter’s never was.”
He spoke out in readiness for our celebration of VJ Day on August 15. Mr Pollard said he wants to ensure the nation does not “forget there are war graves in the Far East being scavenged by illegal metal scavengers and those war graves are being disturbed and being destroyed”.
Bill Oliphant, general secretary of the Royal Naval Association, said: “The desecration of any of these war graves is hugely disappointing and is to be discouraged in any way the Government can do so. People ought to remember they are the last resting place of hundreds of souls.”
Defence minister James Heappey said the illegal salvaging of wrecks had been raised with the Indonesian and Malaysian governments but ruled out retrieving the anchors, partly on grounds of resources and planning.
He added: “The Ministry of Defence considers the wrecks of our warships to be the final resting place of our servicemen. Recovery would also be counter to our stance of not disturbing our wrecks, in honour of those who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.”
Mr Heappey did reveal the ships’ bells had been recovered and are now in the National Museum of the Royal Navy in Portsmouth.
‘They are the resting place of hundreds of souls’