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.
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.
