by Rebecca Hannant
A fundraiser has been launched to restore a bench made from parts of a historic battleship.
Military historian Darren England, of Withernsea, has launched a crowdfunding campaign to repair the bench, which incorporates teak taken from HMS Valiant.
Built in 1914, the Queen Elizabeth-class battleship was designed for high speed and heavy firepower, and went on to play a significant role in both world wars.
HMS Valiant first served as part of the 5th Battle Squadron during the Battle of Jutland in 1916, before undertaking routine patrols for the remainder of the First World War.
In 1931, the ship was involved in the Invergordon Mutiny, when crew members protested against pay cuts imposed by the government.
During the Second World War, HMS Valiant took part in the British attack on French Navy ships at Mers-el-Kébir in 1940, an operation intended to prevent the vessels from falling into German hands.
The following year, it served in the Battle of Cape Matapan in the Mediterranean, where Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, was aboard as a midshipman. Also in 1941, the ship suffered damage to its hull during the Italian raid on Alexandria.
HMS Valiant later provided naval gunfire support during the Allied invasions of Sicily and Salerno in 1943. In 1944, it was sent to the Pacific, where it took part in raids on Japanese bases in Indonesia.
However, in August 1944, the ship’s propeller shafts and rudder were severely damaged when a floating dry dock it was inside collapsed at Trincomalee, in Sri Lanka. The damage meant it could return to the UK only at a speed of eight knots.
In July 1945, HMS Valiant was decommissioned and repurposed as a training ship, before being sold for scrap in 1948.
Teak wood salvaged from the vessel was later made into a bench, which was bought by an unnamed Withernsea family and kept for more than 50 years.
Darren said he was approached by the resident, who told him they had a bench partly made from HMS Valiant and wanted him to look at it before sending it to the tip.
He said: “Having seen the bench, I was of the opinion that it was salvageable, so I spoke to Fawcett’s Joinery in Burstwick.
“They agreed that they could repair the bench and get it looking like new for another 50 years.”
He then launched a £700 fundraising campaign in a bid to have the bench restored and has so far raised £455 towards the total.
Once repaired, the bench will be placed in Withernsea’s Memorial Gardens for future generations to use.
To donate, visit gofundme.com.