Warship Weeks

FUNDING THE FLEET IN WORLD WAR TWO

During the Second World War (1939-1945), cities, towns and villages organised “warship weeks” to raise money to meet the cost of providing a particular naval ship. The aim was that cities would raise enough money to pay for the battleships and aircraft carriers, and towns for cruisers and destroyers. Small towns and villages were set a figure relative to their size, and would attempt to raise the required funds.

Once enough money had been raised for the ship, the local community would adopt the ship. Local organisations, women’s institutes, churches and schools would also provide additional comforts for the crews of the ship they had adopted. This was usually in the form of woollen socks, gloves and balaclavas. Children would often write letters and send cards to the crew. When possible, officers and men from the adopted ship would visit the local community, and to celebrate their visit, there would often be a parade.

The Royal Naval Museum holds the adoption plaques of the following ships:

HMS Barfoss (Boom Defence Vessel) Hindley, Lancs.

HMS Forth (Depot Ship) Stirlingshire

HMS Lupin (Sloop) Whitefield, Lancs

HMS Maidstone (Depot ship) Maidstone

HMS Oberon (Submarine) Basingstoke

HMS Olympus (Submarine) Peterborough

HMS Scott (Minesweeping sloop) Peebleshire

HMS Sealion (Submarine) Guildford

HMS Tigris (Submarine) Newbury

HMS Traveller (Submarine) Leyton, London

HMS Tudor (Submarine) Bridgend

HMS Ursa (Destroyer) Hendon, London

HMS Usurper (Submarine) Stroud, Gloucs.

HMS Vesper (Destroyer) Skipton, Yorks

HMS Wizard (Destroyer) Wood Green, London

The information contained in this information sheet is correct as far as we are able to ascertain from our sources. It is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete history of the subject. Please contact the library for a bibliography of further reading materials, if available