Bridgnorth man asks MoD to name one of its new warships ‘Shropshire’ after historic cruiser
HMS Shropshire was a Royal Navy heavy cruiser that served in the war.
A Bridgnorth man has appealed to the MoD to name one of Britain’s new warships Shropshire, which had once been a cruiser in the Royal Navy fleet.
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Local historian Clive Gwilt, wrote to his local MP Stuart Anderson earlier this year to request that the MP ask MoD to name one of the UK’s latest warships after the county.
Mr Gwilt, says Shropshire was the name of a British warship that was eventually sold and decommissioned after the war.
He said: “HMS Shropshire was a Royal Navy heavy cruiser of the London sub-class of County-class cruisers. She is the only warship to have been named after Shropshire and served with the Royal Navy until 1942, when she was transferred to the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) following the loss of sister ship HMAS Canberra. Commissioned as HMAS Shropshire, the ship remained in service until 1949.”
He said the cruiser was ordered on 17th March 1926 and built shipyard of William Beardmore and Company, at Dalmuir, Scotland before it was launched by Violet Herbert, Countess of Powis, on July 5 1928.
Mr Gwilt says the ship's name was chosen by First Lord of the Admiralty William Bridgeman, whose constituency was located in Shropshire, and it was the only ship of the RN or RAN to carry the name. The ship's badge takes the leopard's face from the arms of the Shropshire County Council.
Its brass bell currently resides in Shirehall in Shrewsbury.
Mr Gwilt said when heard that the The Royal Navy and MoD were actively building several new classes of warships, he decided to suggest the name and asked his local MP Stuart Anderson to write to the admiralty and suggest both “Shropshire” or “Bridgnorth” as potential names .
The MP has now received a reply, which he has sent to Mr Gwilt.
In his reply, Lord Vernon Coaker of the MoD said: “The naming of His Majesty’s Ships is undertaken under the Royal Prerogative.
“In practice, potential names are developed within the Royal Navy, considered by Ministers, and subsequently submitted to His Majesty for approval. In doing so, careful consideration is given to the United Kingdom’s naval heritage, historical associations, and the intended role and character of the vessel.
“While there is no formal public consultation process for the naming of ships, suggestions such as those made by your constituent are welcomed and are taken into account as part of the wider consideration of potential names.”