Ship's arrival sparks Ganges memories
It was like a scene from yesteryear as young sailors clambered up the mast of a boat at the town's waterfront yesterday .
IPSWICH: It was like a scene from yesteryear as young sailors clambered up the mast of a boat at the town's waterfront yesterday .
Reminiscent of the training undertook by the Royal Navy aboard HMS Ganges at Shotley from the 50s to the 70s young trainee sailors took to the sails in preparation for a voyage to Portsmouth via Europe.
41 young people from across the country came to Ipswich to set sail aboard Stavros S Niarchos on a trip which aims to make them more dependent and experienced.
Organised by the Tall Ships Youth Trust, which offers sailing adventures to anyone between the ages of 14-25, the voyage is set to begin on Oct 31 with training taking place up until the big day.
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Retired Evening Star photographer Ivan Smith, noticed the ship while walking along the town's waterfront.
Mr Smith said: “When I was a photographer for the I used to have to go down and take pictures of the sailors manning the mast of HMS Ganges. Seeing this ship at the waterfront really reminded me of Ganges.”
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HMS Ganges was at Shotley between 1905 and 1976.
The last manning of the mast ceremony took place on June 6 1973 before HMS Ganges closed in 1976 and training was transferred to Torpoint in Cornwall.
