Warship Week

Seventy nine years ago in March 1942, when the country was at war, the government of the day held a “Warship Week”. Woodhall Spa played its played its part and the Woodhall Spa Urban District Council adopted HMS “Herald” and was presented with a commemorative plaque mounted on a wooden shield, inscribed “Presented by the Lords Commissioner of the Admiralty to Woodhall Spa Urban District Council to commemorate the adoption of HMS “Herald” during Warship Week March 7th 1942″. The plaque is now held in the museum’s extensive collection.

HMS “Herald”, a 24 Class Sloop, was built and launched in 1918 at Blyth Shipbuilding & Drydock Co. Ltd. and named the “Merry Hampton”. In 1923 she was converted to a survey ship and renamed HMS “Herald”. On 9th February 1942 she was scuttled at Seletar, Singapore ore after being damaged by Japanese aircraft. She was later raised by the Japanese and renamed “Heiyo”. On 14th November 1944 she was mined and sunk in Adang Bay, Borneo, Netherlands East Indies. So sadly Woodhall Spa didn’t make make a very good choice, as the ship was already stricken before the plaque was presented!