By Kate Mansey Daily Post Staff
REPRESENTATIVES of the owners one of the last surviving German U-
boats arrived in Wirral last night to discuss its future as a
campaign mounts to keep it in Merseyside.
The fate of U534 remains uncertain along with that of dozens of
priceless artifacts, after the Historic Warships exhibition at
Birkenhead museum closed to the public yesterday.
The World War II submarine, owned by Danish company Ben Bla Avis, is
one of the most prized pieces in the collection, the largest group
of preserved 20th Century warships in Europe.
Owners, workers and trustees of the museum have vowed to continue
the battle to keep the ships in Merseyside after the Trust which ran
it announced it is going into liquidation.
Campaigners are expected to ask councillors if they will agree to
mothball exhibits and keep them in storage until an alternative site
is found, at a key meeting on Thursday.
The U534 was one of the last U-boats sunk by the Allies in 1945 and
was raised from the sea bed 48 years later.
Among the other vessels being fought for by the new group, Save Our
Ships, are two Falklands conflict veterans - the frigate HMS
Plymouth and submarine HMS Onyx.
However, it is thought that only a wealthy benefactor will be able
to rescue the project.
Sir Philip Goodhart, chairman and founder of the museum, yesterday
welcomed representatives of the owners of the U534, private
collectors from Denmark, to discuss the submarine's future.
He said: "It is a sad day to see Historic Warships close.
"Hundreds of people have turned out to go through our collection and
I very much hope that in a new form the collection can be reopened.
http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0...lnews/tm_objec
tid=16671036%26method=full%26siteid=50061%26headli ne=owner%2dof%
2dhistoric%2du%2dboat%2din%2dvital%2dtalks-name_page.html
The exhibition might have closed but now the battle is on to keep
the collection together, in uk and open to the public.
Latest:
http://www.thisiswirral.co.uk/wirral...RKENHEAD_NEWS6
.html
The Globe claims there is growing support for the campaign to save
the ships from across the globe and there's a good deal of anger at
the situation on the letters page this week.
Pleasingly, I know for a fact that at least two of the five letters
printed are from forum users on here because I recognise the names!!
(One of which is the main letter on the page!!)
Well done guys and thanks for your interest!!
Please email your views too any or all of the following! They'll
soon realise, we're not going away and we're not going to shut up
until they're saved for future generations!!
letters@liverpoolecho.co.uk newsdesk@wirralnews.co.uk globe.editorial@wirral-globe.co.uk
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