HMS Orlando Memorial Bell - Victoria Park - Portsmouth, Hampshire - Maritime Monuments and Memorials on Waymarking.com

"After its arrival in the UK, the Dagu Bell became part of a monument in Portsmouth to sailors who died during suppression of the rebellion in 1900.

Sailors on HMS Orlando took it from Tanggu fort - which guarded the mouth of the river to Beijing."

"The Boxer Rebellion was a peasant uprising that attacked Chinese Christians and attempted to drive all foreigners from the nation.

The sailors of HMS Orlando decided it should be used as part of a memorial to their dead comrades."

SOURCE - (visit link)


This bell is a replica, the original having been returned to China in 2005.


Inscription

THIS BELL WAS TAKEN AT THE CAPTURE OF THE NORTH-WEST FORT, TAKU, JUNE 17 1900, AND BROUGHT HOME BY HMS ORLANDO/ COME PLEASANT WEATHER AND GENTLE RAIN/ THE EMPIRE HAPPY, AT PEACE AGAIN/ THIS MONUMENT WAS ERECTED BY THE OFFICERS AND MEN OF HMS ORLANDO IN MEMORY OF THEIR COMRADES WHO LOST THEIR LIVES DURING THE COMMISSION 1899 - 1902 TAKU FORTS, TIENTSIN AND THE DEFENCE OF THE LEGATION, PEKIN. (NAMES)


"HMS Orlando was the lead ship of the Orlando class of first-class cruisers built in the yards of Palmers Shipbuilding and Iron Company, Jarrow and launched on 3 August 1886.

She was commanded by Charles Ramsay Arbuthnot on the Australia Station from 1892 to 1895. In 1899 she was assigned to the China Station, Captain James Henry Thomas Burke in command. During the Boxer Rebellion in 1900, sailors from HMS Orlando formed part of the force led by Vice-Admiral Sir Edward Seymour attempting to relieve the British Legation in Beijing. A replica of a bell captured from the Taku Forts forms part of a memorial to HMS Orlando in Victoria Park, Portsmouth.

In late March 1902 she left Hong Kong for Singapore, arriving there on 6 April. After three weeks, she left Penang in late April, homebound, stopping at Colombo on 5 May, Aden on 14 May, Malta on 28 May, and Gibraltar on 2 June, before arriving at Portsmouth four days later. Captain Burke died at sea on 12 May 1902, during the journey, and was buried at Aden. Commander Philip Howard Colomb was in charge fore the remainder of the journey.

HMS Orlando was sold for scrapping on 11 July 1905 to Ward of Morecambe for £10,000."

SOURCE - (visit link)

Relevent website: [Web Link] List if there are any visiting hours: Open all year Entrance fees (if any): Entrance to the park is free. Sponsor(s): Not Known Parking coordinates: Not Listed Date dedicated: Not listed

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Date Logged Log User Rating   01/30/2016 MartyBartfast visited it