Skip to main content

    War MemorialsRegister

    • Home
    • Search Memorials
    • Search Names
    • Help
    Imperial War Museums LogoImperial War Museums home
    • About
      • About us
      • Submit a photograph
      • Volunteering
    • Legal
      • Accessibility Statement
      • Cookies
      • Copyright
      • Privacy
      • Terms of use

    © Imperial War Museums 2026

    Memorial

    HMS Belfast - Last Witness / Последний Свидетель

    The Last Witness memorial on HMS Belfast

    Source: Copyright Mike Fox

    1/1

    Current Location

    The memorial is located on the Boat Deck on the port side., HMS Belfast, The Queen's Walk, Southwark, Southwark, Greater London, SE1 2JH, England

    OS Grid Reference

    TQ 33274 80361

    View location on Google Maps

    Names listed on this memorial

    Contribute to the War Memorials Register

    Send us details and photographs of your local war memorials, to help enhance the information about the people, places and events they commemorate.

    Contribute now

    This record shows everything IWM currently knows about this memorial. We are continually updating our records.

    © WMR-87651

    To share information or photographs, contact us.

    Type of Memorial
    Board / Plaque / Tablet
    WMR Reference Number
    87651
    Description
    Metal plaque with the crest of HMS Belfast at top and dedicatory inscriptions in English and Russian below.
    Inscription
    LAST WITNESS / ПОСЛЕДНИЙ СВИДЕТЕЛЪ / In English: 19 OCTOBER 2010 / ON THIS DAY A CEREMONY WAS HELD ON BOARD HMS BELFAST IN THE PRESENCE OF HRH / THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH TO CELEBRATE THE COMPLETION OF THE LAST WITNESS PROJECT, / THE REPLACEMENT OF BOTH MASTS OF THE SHIP BY GENEROUS GIFT OF THE RUSSIAN / FEDERATION. THIS PROJECT IS DEDICATED TO THE ENDURING MEMORY OF ALL THOSE / RUSSIAN AND ALLIED MEN AND WOMEN, CIVILIAN AND MILITARY, WHO SERVED IN THE EPIC / CAMPAIGN TO MAINTAIN THE ARCTIC SUPPLY ROUTE AGAINST ATTACK BY SUBMARINES, / AIRCRAFT, SURFACE RAIDERS AND THE GREATEST ENEMY OF ALL, THE SEA. / HMS BELFAST IS THE LAST WITNESS TO THIS HEROIC STRUGGLE TO PRESERVE / THE CIVILISED WORLD / In Russian: 19 октября 2010 года/ в этот день на борту корабля Её Величества “Белфаст”/ в присутствии его Королевского Высочества герцога/ Эдинбургского, состоялась торжественная церемония/ закрытия проекта “Последний свидетель”, в рамках/ которого, благодаря щедрой помощи России, был/ произведен монтаж новых мачт корабля. Этот проект/ посвящен светлой памяти всех, кто вершил свой/ беспримерный подвиг, участвуя в Северных конвоях, / сражаясь с флотом и авиацией противника в суровых/ условиях Арктики. Корабль Её Величества “Белфаст”/ является последним свидетелем этой героической борьбы/ за спасение цивилизованного мира.
    War
    Second World War (1939-1945)
    Maintenance History
    2006: Fundraising began for replacing HMS Belfast's 1950s masts, and Russian companies and the Kremlin were approached. 2010: 11 Russian shipyard workers along with UK-based support teams began the replacement of the masts. Work was carried out in September with some of the team being billeted onboard. This work was completed on 21 September.

    Ceremonies

    Dedicated

    19 October 2010

    HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, Archbishop Elisby

    Custodian
    Imperial War Museum

    Components

    Plaque

    Made from: Metal


    Condition: Good


    • Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Belfast#Preservation