The HMS Whimbrel was one of many Allied ships involved in the Battle of the Atlantic, serving as an escort to a convoy from the Royal Navy. Now, a scrapyard an Egypt has given warning that if the ship is not purchased before the 20th of June, the ship will be sold for scraps. A ticking clock is now all that stands in the way of memorializing the HMS Whimbrel and its service in the Second World War.
The ship is to be used as its own tribute, not just to the vessel itself but to the entire Battle of the Atlantic. It was given to Egypt four years following the end of World War II. Nothing has been done with the HMS Whimbrel since then, as it has simply been kept in Alexandria. Given that the ship may very well be the last convoy escort in existence, the heat is on for officials to complete the purchase of the ship so that they can create their memorial and not let the ship go to scrap, The Telegraph reports.
Officials have been negotiating the purchase of the ship to turn it into a museum for over ten years. They are now almost out of time to acquire the funds needed to finally buy the ship back. Funding will be comprised of more than the price of the HMS Whimbrel, also including the costs of bringing it back to Liverpool. Refurbishing the ship for use as a museum will also not be a cheap endeavor.
Desire for such a museum arose upon the realization that no such museum exists. Given the importance of the Battle of Atlantic, naval officers sought to rectify this fact. Thousands of men lost their lives to the battle, and the HMS Whimbrel will harbor the memories of their sacrifice. This sacrifice allowed supply routes to remain open, quashing the German attempts at suffocating British needs.
The HMS Whimbrel is a highly important ship, and naval officers plan to pull out all possible stops in making sure they can accumulate the money required for the purchase and renovation of the vessel. Converting it into a memorial museum will also not be incredibly cost-effective, but it is much less urgent than protecting the ship from destruction at the hands of scrap merchants. Should the requisite funding be acquired, transport of the HMS Whimbrel back to British waters will likely take place as soon as time allows.