HMS Dauntless to Arrive in Mersey for River Festival

Royal UK Navy Type 45 destroyer HMS Dauntless will sail into the Mersey tomorrow in support of the International Mersey River Festival.

In her first visit to the city, the 152-metre warship will go alongside at Liverpool’s Cruise Liner Terminal at 10.30am and will form one of the star attractions of the weekend’s activities.

Her visit will also allow members of the ship’s company to take part in a rededication ceremony for HMS Liverpool’s ship’s bell, which will take place tomorrow (June 13) at Our Lady and St Nicholas Church of England – the bell is on permanent loan to the city.

The Royal Navy’s Fleet Commander, Vice Admiral Philip Jones, who is from The Wirral, will also attend.

The bell will be carried by four apprentices from Cammell Laird and accompanied by two members of Dauntless’ ship’s company and two Royal Marines drummers.

Many former HMS Liverpool sailors will be present, as will four of the ship’s past commanding officers and three people who were christened using the bell.

The Dauntless crew members are Petty Officers Paul Mors, a local man from Wavertree, and Nichola Stirzaker, who is a former member of HMS Liverpool’s ship’s company.

On both Saturday and Sunday (June 14 and 15), with the river festival in full swing, HMS Dauntless will join with many other visiting ships by throwing open her gangway to members of the public from 11am-4pm on both days.

As well as being able to learn more about the ship and chat to the crew, visitors will also be able to see the ship’s Lynx helicopter which will take pride of place on the flight deck.

Ashore at the Cruise Liner Terminal on both days, the public can also visit the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Arena, which includes unarmed combat displays by the Royal Marines, diving equipment and a dive tank hosted by the navy’s Northern Diving Group based in Scotland, displays of survival equipment, the Royal Marines’ weapons dome, a field gun display by Sea Cadets, recruitment stands and much more.

The Band of Her Majesty’s Royal Marines Scotland will also perform twice on Saturday – first at Princes Parade at 2.30pm and again at Salthouse Quay at 4.30pm. And they follow this up on Sunday at 1pm with a set on the Pier Head Stage.

“We are thoroughly looking forward to playing our part in the International Mersey River Festival,” said Commander Adrian Fryer, Commanding Officer of HMS Dauntless.

“It promises to be a colourful and inspiring spectacle and we are delighted HMS Dauntless will take a central place at the heart of it.

“We look forward to welcoming visitors on board and sharing our experiences of this great ship and the Royal Navy.

“The rededication of HMS Liverpool’s ship’s bell on Friday will allow members of my ship’s company to play their small part in marking the esteem in which the Type 42 destroyer was held by the city of Liverpool.

“I know that my ship’s company is proud to be included in the ceremony and parade, alongside former HMS Liverpool crew members and with Fleet Commander Vice Admiral Jones in attendance.”

HMS Dauntless will leave Liverpool on Monday (June 16) at approximately 11am.

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Press Release, June 13, 2014; Image: UK Navy