HMS Victory to be painted green to support Royal Marines Museum campaign

The nation’s most famous ship, HMS Victory, is to be painted green for the next two years, The News can reveal.
Ad Feature by National Museum of the Royal Navy
Published 28th Mar 2019, 16:43 GMT
Updated 28th Mar 2019, 16:46 GMT
Historic ships painter Dave Bishop and Andrew Baines, Deputy Director of Heritage for the National Museum of the Royal Navy, in front of HMS Victory Picture: Habibur RahmanHistoric ships painter Dave Bishop and Andrew Baines, Deputy Director of Heritage for the National Museum of the Royal Navy, in front of HMS Victory Picture: Habibur Rahman
Historic ships painter Dave Bishop and Andrew Baines, Deputy Director of Heritage for the National Museum of the Royal Navy, in front of HMS Victory Picture: Habibur Rahman

The change of colour scheme is to support the National Museum of the Royal Navy's £5m campaign for a new Royal Marines Museum in Portsmouth Historic Dockyard.

A total of 146 Marines served on board Victory during the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805 and National  Museum bosses say the repainting of her historic hull is a tribute to them, as well as a way of promoting the fundraising campaign for a new museum.

Deputy Director of Heritage Andrew Baines said: 'Now the old Royal Marines Museum at Eastney is on the market to be sold, the campaign for a new one in the Historic Dockyard has really stepped up.

Historic ships painter Dave Bishop and Andrew Baines, Deputy Director of Heritage for the National Museum of the Royal Navy, in front of HMS Victory Picture: Habibur RahmanHistoric ships painter Dave Bishop and Andrew Baines, Deputy Director of Heritage for the National Museum of the Royal Navy, in front of HMS Victory Picture: Habibur Rahman
Historic ships painter Dave Bishop and Andrew Baines, Deputy Director of Heritage for the National Museum of the Royal Navy, in front of HMS Victory Picture: Habibur Rahman

'Other cities will be green with envy when they see Victory get painted in Royal Marines green. We’ve undertaken a programme of research and think this will be a very special and  unique tribute to the 11 Royal Marine officers and 135 privates who served as the ship’s fighting force during Trafalgar.'

He added: 'The consensus was that the Royal Marines over their 360-year history have always stepped up to the mark for us, so now is the time for us to step up to the mark for them and support the critical need for a new museum. We’re really looking forward to hearing what our visitors have to say. '

The new Royal Marines Museum, at the very heart of Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, will place the history of the Royal Marines firmly within the story of the Royal Navy.

For the first time the story of the Royal Marines, a national story, but also a story with impact across the globe, will be told in a building appropriate to its scale.

Professor Dominic Tweddle, Director General of the National Museum of the Royal NavyProfessor Dominic Tweddle, Director General of the National Museum of the Royal Navy
Professor Dominic Tweddle, Director General of the National Museum of the Royal Navy

The National Museum has managed to cut the total cost of a new museum to about £10m and secured £3m of this so far, while the sale of the Royal Marines Museum’s former Eastney site could generate a further £2m. But £5m is still needed to make the new museum a reality.

NMRN Director General Professor Dominic Tweddle said: 'The Royal Marines are the only service without a museum, so what better way to carry on the fighting spirit of Trafalgar than by painting the ship Royal Marines green for two years while we raise £5m to relocate the museum in Boathouse 6, just a stone’s throw from Victory?'

Dave Bishop, a painter in the Historic Ships team, is no stranger to painting Victory. He said: 'Last time we painted her it took nearly five months, but this time I reckon we can get away with one coat, so it should really be quite a quick job.'

Nelson’s ship has welcomed almost 30 million visitors to Portsmouth Historic Dockyard since she opened in 1928.

To find out more about donating to the new Royal Marines museum, visit nmrn.org.uk/donate. You can also follow the #5MillionMission campaign on Twitter at @RoyalMarinesMus

 

Related topics:Eastneyheritage