Service for HMS crew to be held

A drumhead service will take place at St Hilda’s Church,in Market Place, South Shield,s on Saturday, May 14, for the ship’s former crew.

The sixth Leander class frigate received the Freedom Of The Borough in May 1981.

She was decommissioned in March 1989.

Euryalus is one of the famous names in the Royal Navy. In 1915, during WW1, the fourth HMS Euryalus was one of the ships whose sailors rowed the 1st Battalion of the Lancashire Fusiliers ashore at Gallipoli.

The Battalion famously went down in history as winning “six VC’s before breakfast.”

Last year, members of the ship’s old crew were invited to Bury to join the Fusiliers for the WW1 commemoration and they also raised £340 for the Mayor’s charity fund.

Ex Petty Officer Florrie Ford of South Shields said: “Ex-HMS Euryalus sailors were invited to Bury to join the Lancashire Fusiliers meeting up with past comrades gave us the idea of organizing the reunion and church service in South Shields. South Tyneside holds a special place in the hearts of the sixth HMS Euryalus F15 crew and we are looking forward to our reunion, particularly as it will be 35 years since the Freedom of the Borough was granted to Euryalus. The Mayor is very kindly allowing us to use the Euryalus ship’s bell, presented to the council, to be placed on the altar for the service, which will make it very special”

The service will begin at 1pm and followed by a wreath laying ceremony at the Merchant Navy Memorial in Mill Dam.